A good friend of mine has just become a grandmother, three times over in just two months. Her eldest daughter had twins, a boy and girl in late December, and last week her youngest daughter blessed her with another granddaughter. This busy grandma was telling me how she was making up a big batch of meatballs so her daughter could use them to make a variety of quick meals.
- 4 lb. lean ground beef 1.8 kg (or a mixture of two-thirds beef and one-third pork or ground turkey or ground chicken)
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 c. rolled oats 125 mL
- 1/2 c. 100% bran 125 mL
- 1/2 c. finely chopped 125 mL
- onion
- 1 tsp. salt 5 mL
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground 2 mL
- pepper
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- Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Line two large cookie sheets with aluminum foil. Beat eggs, add rolled oats, bran, onion and seasoning. Let sit until the bran has softened and mixed with the egg. Add to the ground meat and mix until well combined. Shape meat mixture into 1/2 to one inch (1-2 cm) balls. Place on prepared sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes and turn every five minutes to brown evenly.
- Cool, remove from foil lined cookie sheets and place on wax paper or parchment lined cookie sheets to freeze. Once frozen, transfer meatballs to plastic bags, and seal for use in one of the following recipes.
- Use any of the following sauces to top two dozen meatballs. This makes about eight to nine dozen 1-inch (2 cm) meatballs. Cook in the oven, crock pot or on the stove.
- In the oven
- Place meatballs in a casserole dish, stir to coat with sauce and bake in 350 F (180 C) oven for 45 minutes to heat though.
- In a crock pot
- Place meatballs and sauce in a crock pot, 3 1/2-quart (3.5 L) or larger, stir to coat and cook on low two to four hours.
- On the stove
- Place meatballs in a large skillet, add sauce, mix, heat to boiling and cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer four to five minutes until meatballs are hot.
- To complete the meal, serve with mashed potatoes, cooked rice, barley, quinoa or pasta and steamed vegetables and a salad.
- 1 c. saskatoon berry 250 mL
- syrup
- 1/4 c. chili sauce 60 L
- 2 tbsp. prepared mustard 30 mL
- Mix ingredients, pour over meatballs and heat as above.
- 1 c. ketchup 250 mL
- 1/2 c. brown sugar 125 mL
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1 mL
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped 30 mL
- onion
- dash of liquid smoke
- Mix ingredients and pour over cooked meatballs. Stir to coat and heat as above.
- 1/2 c. brown sugar 125 mL
- 1/4 c. beef bouillon 60 mL
- 1/4 c. vinegar 60 mL
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch 15 mL
- 1 tsp. soy sauce 5 mL
- 1 (14 oz.) can pineapple 398 mL
- tidbits, drained
- 1/2 c. chopped green 125 mL
- pepper
- Combine sugar, bouillon, vinegar, cornstarch and soy sauce in a sauce pan, bring to a boil and simmer until thickened. Stir in pineapple and green pepper and add to meatballs. Stir to coat and heat as above.
- 1 1/4 c. beef broth 310 mL
- 2 tbsp. flour 30 mL
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire 10 mL
- sauce
- 1 (10 oz.) can sliced 284 mL
- mushrooms
- 1/2 c. sour cream 125 mL
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh 15 mL
- parsley
- Beat broth, flour and Worcester-shire sauce in a small bowl with a wire whisk. Combine meatballs, mushrooms and broth mixture and heat in the oven, crock pot or on the stove. Just before serving, stir in sour cream and garnish with parsley. Serve over egg noodles.
- Adapted from Betty Crocker’s Fix-it-Fast Family Favourites.
- 1/2 c. seedless raspberry 125 mL
- jam
- 2 tbsp. prepared mustard 30 mL
- 2 1/2 tsp. prepared 12 mL
- horseradish
- In a small bowl, stir together jam, mustard and horseradish. Add to meatballs and cook in the oven or crock pot as above. If cooking on the stove, mix together and cook over medium-high heat for two minutes, stirring often. When sauce has thickened and is bubbling, add meatballs and stir well. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
- Adapted from Looneyspoons, Low-fat Food Made Fun.
- 2–3 dozen prepared and cooked meatballs
- 4-5 medium red potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 or 2 carrots, sliced about 1/2-inch thick
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped coarsely
- 1 (10 oz.) can cream of 284 mL
- mushroom soup
- 1 (10 oz.) can tomato soup 284 mL
- salt and pepper to taste
- Place the potatoes, carrots, and celery in a crock pot, 3 1/2-quart (3.5 L) or larger and place browned meatballs on the vegetables. Quickly brown the onions and add to the crock pot. Pour soups over all. Cover and cook on low for seven to nine hours (3 1/2 to five on high).
- Taste and adjust seasonings before serving. Serves four to six.
