When you’re craving some good old comfort food, it’s time to whip up a batch of Meemaw’s Meatballs!
I have made meatballs with our grandkids almost before they could walk. (These little girls were almost too small to see over the edge of the table during this lesson!)
Creating those little balls of meaty goodness was the perfect way to introduce these grandchildren to cooking…because what kid doesn’t like to play with their food?
It was also the perfect time to teach them good kitchen hygiene. We spent lots of time scrubbing hands and fingernails with soapy water while singing the Birthday Song. (That teaches children that washing hands takes longer than a mere dunk and dry!)
I also tied long hair back from their faces and I made sure their sleeves were short or pushed way up on their arms. (And they remember those rules now…so many years later!)
These little chefs (and their future little sister) never run out of ambition when it comes to rolling up a batch of meatballs for dinner. And we always make huge batches so there will be plenty to freeze for future meals when their parents don’t have time to cook. After all, it only takes a few minutes to throw a jar or two of pasta sauce in a pot and dump in a bag of those frozen meatballs to heat through. And those homemade meatballs add so much extra flavor to plain old pasta sauce!
Those grand daughters are now such good cooks they can scoot around the kitchen with just a small amount of adult supervision…and that fact makes me very proud.
Yes…I think Meemaw’s Meatballs will live on for future generations…and that truly warms my heart!
Check out my preparation tips and the recipe below. And please adjust the amounts to suit your hungry brood.
Meemaw’s Meatball Making Tips:
- Don’t overwork the meat mixture or the meatballs will become dense and tough.
- After combining all of the ingredients, press the meat mixture into a rectangle and “cut” it into squares before rolling into balls to insure all the meatballs are uniform in size.
- Add some Ricotta cheese to the meat mixture…and your meatballs will be super-tender.
As you can see from my photo…Kids LOVE to do the rolling!
Uniform size, herby, cheesy meatballs…ready for the oven.
I bake my meatballs at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes before adding them to the pot of sauce. And I bake them on parchment paper to make the rimmed cookie sheet cleanup so much easier. And I freeze part of the batch for a future meal…or meals.
So add a big salad and a piece of warm garlic bread and dinner is ready.
Not a bad way to Eat A Rainbow for dinner!
Meemaw's Meatballs
2017-02-14 08:18:46
Ingredients
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 to 2 1/2 lbs. ground beef (Sometimes I use part sausage)
- 2 eggs
- Fresh parsley-minced (or dried if you don't have fresh...but fresh IS best!)
- About 1/2 C. Grated Parmesan cheese
- Ricotta cheese (optional...but delish!)
- 1/2 to 1 C. Panko bread crumbs
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 to 1 cup of warm water (or milk)
FOR THE SAUCE
- 1 Jar of Pasta Sauce (Homemade...or from a jar)
- 1 or 2 (14 oz.) cans of diced tomatoes (plain or with herbs)
- Extra dried Oregano, Basil, Parsley (optional-to your taste)
- 2 Finely diced carrots (optional)
- 5-6 small sweet peppers, seeded and diced (optional)
- 1/2 Tblsp sugar
- 1/2 C. Parmesan cheese (sprinkled on top of the sauce while it simmers.)
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, saute the diced onion and garlic over medium heat until soft and translucent. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl combine beaten eggs, several heaping tablespoons of ricotta cheese, fresh herbs, parmesan cheese, the cooled onion and garlic mixture, and salt and pepper.
- Stir to combine.
- Add the ground meat
- Sprinkle with panko bread crumbs
- Work the mixture gently to combine all ingredients. (Don't overmix.)
- Add a bit of warm water (or a glug of milk)
- Then add more bread crumbs if need to make the proper consistency for rolling.
- Press mixture into a rectangle and cut it like a cake to make equal pieces
- Roll into balls and place on a parchment lined rimmed baking pan.
- Bake at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.
- Gently place the partially cooked meatballs into simmering sauce of your choice and allow to simmer for at least 15 minutes to combine flavors.
- MY SAUCE
- Sometimes I start with a jar of good quality store bought sauce.
- I add 1 or 2 cans of diced tomatoes for some texture.
- I add diced carrots (for sweetness) and sometimes peppers for more flavor and texture.
- Sprinkle Parmesan on top and allow to simmer for at least 5 minutes before stirring to allow the cheese to "cook". (If you stir too soon all the cheese will stick to your spoon!)
Notes
- Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, a slab of garlic bread, and a big old salad...and your family will love you!
- "Mangia" from Meemaw!
Meemaw Eats https://www.meemaweats.com/
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