Simple Times
(featured column)
Meatball
Mania
by Deborah
Taylor-Hough
Cooking up a large batch of meatballs in advance
to store in the freezer goes a long way toward establishing a supply of quick
and easy meals. And if you take advantage of sales on ground beef and
stock up, this can be a tremendous boon to your family budget too!
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In addition to stirring meatballs into spaghetti
sauce, you can also use them in soups, serve them on skewers (kids love this!),
or heat in brown gravy or a warmed can of cream of mushroom soup served with
mashed potatoes.
The following recipes prepare a large batch of freezer meatballs and also
include examples of ways to use frozen meatballs. The sauces require some
preparation, but the meals go together quickly with your stockpile of precooked
meatballs in the freezer.
MILLIONS OF MEATBALLS
(this makes a lot -- at least four dozen, depending on size)
12-ounces tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoons salt, optional
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
4 pounds ground beef
In a large mixing bowl, combine first eight ingredients. Add ground beef
and mix well. Shape into meatballs (use a small cookie scoop if available)
and place on broiler pan so grease can drain while cooking. Bake uncovered in
350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Divide into meal-sized portions. To
prevent from freezing into a solid meatball-mass, freeze individually on cookie
sheets and then place in freezer bags. Label and freeze.
To serve meatballs, thaw completely, and reheat with your choice of sauces (six
sample sauce recipes follow).
SWEET-N-SOUR MEATBALLS
(5 servings)
1 (14-oz) can pineapple tidbits or chunks,
undrained
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce (or more to taste)
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs
1 (5-oz) can water chestnuts, drained and thinly sliced
1 green pepper, cut in strips
Drain pineapple tidbits, reserving syrup. In medium saucepan, combine
brown sugar and cornstarch. Blend in reserved syrup, water, cider vinegar and
soy sauce. Cook and stir over low heat until thick and bubbly.
Carefully stir in meatballs, water chestnuts, green pepper strips and pineapple.
Heat to a boiling. Serve over hot cooked rice.
CHILI-DAY MEATBALLS
(5 servings)
This recipe sounds a little strange (chili sauce
and grape jelly?), but it tastes like burgundy sauce (only without the wine)
1 (12-oz) jar chili sauce
11-oz. jar grape jelly
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cube beef bouillon dissolved in 1/2 cup water
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs
Whisk together chili sauce, grape jelly, lemon juice and bouillon, breaking up
all clumps. Simmer on low heat until sauce starts to thicken. Add
freezer meatballs; cook in sauce until meatballs are fully thawed and heated
through. Serve over hot cooked noodles or rice.
MEATBALL SANDWICHES
(6 servings)
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs
(approximately 4-5 meatballs per person)
6 hot dog buns (or hoagie rolls)
6 thin slices mozzarella cheese
2 cups prepared spaghetti sauce
Thaw meatballs and spaghetti sauce (if using frozen). Place both in medium
saucepan. Heat until hot. Place meatballs into warmed buns.
Ladle small amount of spaghetti sauce onto each sandwich; place mozzarella slice
onto each sandwich.
TOMATO-SAUCED MEATBALLS
(5 servings)
1 (10 3/4-oz) can condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs
Mix together soup, water and Worcestershire sauce. Place meatballs in a
medium sized saucepan; pour soup mixture over meatballs. Simmer until
meatballs are heated through. Serve over hot cooked rice.
MEATBALL STROGANOFF
(5 servings)
1 (10 3/4-oz) can condensed cream of mushroom
soup
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 cup mushrooms, sliced and cooked in butter until soft
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs
In medium saucepan, mix together mushroom soup and sour cream. Gently stir
in mushrooms and meatballs. Simmer until meatballs are heated through.
Serve over hot cooked rice or over egg noodles tossed with melted butter and
chopped
parsley.
CATALINA MEATBALLS
(5 servings)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 bottle Catalina salad dressing
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs
Saute' onion slices in olive oil until softened. Place frozen meatballs in
medium skillet. Pour dressing over meatballs. Cover skillet and cook
over low heat until dressing caramelizes on meatballs and onion, and the
meatballs are fully thawed and heated through. Serve over rice.
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Copyright
© 2004 by Deborah Taylor-Hough
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