Image by Annie Mole, cooked meatballs via Flickr CC license.
This Make Ahead Meatballs recipe is originally from the 1999 Quick Cooking cookbook, but you can find it online now.
The magazine had a feature on getting more than one meal from an original item. For example there was an easy recipe for making Roasted Chickens (2) and then you could make chicken enchiladas with the extra chicken for another meal.
This meatball recipe made it into my “Family Favorites” notebook, though. My semi-picky eater daughter has always eaten these meatballs.
I cook pasta or tortellini and then heat up some sauce in a separate pot. People can combine it to please themselves. Meatballs on the side? Or on top of the sauce? Or with no sauce at all?
Here is the recipe with my tweaks. The original recipe is for 4 pounds of ground beef, but I very rarely make that many.
My recipe is for 1 pound of meat.
Combine in a large mixing bowl and stir together the following:
1 egg
1/2 c. fine breadcrumbs (chopped up dry toast is fine, but I often use packaged bread crumbs)
1/8 c. finely chopped onion (I use Penzey onion powder, about 1/2 t.)
3/4 t. salt
1 t. Worcestershire sauce (the original calls for 1/2 t., but I like more)
1/4 t. white pepper (black pepper is fine)
1 lb. 85% lean ground beef (or leaner if you prefer)
Using a scoop to make meatballs: Adventures of Pam and Frank, via Flickr CC license
Mix. Shape into small meatballs or use a scoop. Brown in a skillet with olive oil, turning until nicely browned and cooked through. Alternatively (and much easier if making more than a pound at a time), bake the meatballs on a tray in the oven at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes, turning at least once.
A good way to make a lot of meatballs quickly is to flatten the meatball mixture out about 1 inch think into a square or rectangle on a clean surface. Using a knife, cut the meat into squares about 1 inch wide — cut 1″ strips in one direction and then cut 1″ perpendicular strips. Roll the squares quickly between your hands as you put them onto the baking tray so they look a little more meatball-ish. Bake as directed in the recipe. Done!
1JLS meatballs via Flickr CC license
Tweaks:
I often add some garlic, either to the meatball mixture or at least to the olive oil in the skillet. I sometimes add 1 t. or so of Italian Seasoning (Penzey, of course!). Chopped fresh parsley would be fabulous if you don’t happen to have a picky eater at your house who immediately turns up their nose at anything green. I do happen to use the white pepper for this recipe most of the time just because I have some, but it really isn’t a necessity. I think they taste best topped with some shredded Parmigiano cheese.
Oh — here are the partner recipes that were published with this meatball recipe:
The Tromp Queen COOKS! 