Mmmmmmm.....Meatballs!

Let me start off by saying that I am normally the girl who buys the frozen meatballs from the store and tosses them in the crock pot with the spaghetti sauce. I don't feel badly about it either. Not even when my husband's co-workers marveled over how I am always able to make perfectly uniform meatballs. They even called me 'Martha.' Who was I to turn down a compliment?

But, there are times when I just feel like making the real thing. Again, these are a recipe I have tweaked over the years and never wrote down until this weekend. They include a secret ingredient that my Dad taught me about years ago.


Homemade Meatballs

3-4 pounds ground chuck
2 eggs
1/2 tablespoon Worcester sauce
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
and the secret ingredient:

1/2 cup grated Parmesan (OK, not a huge secret, but I was trying to be mysterious)

If I wasn't the mother of a 7 year old who suddenly decided that she hates ALL vegetables, I would absolutely replace the onion powder with a large sweet onion minced. I would also throw in a minced bell pepper for good measure.

Throw all ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Pour just enough water in the pan to cover the bottom. When heated, begin rolling meatballs and placing into the pan. I try to make mine walnut sized. Fill the pan and cover. Cook about 4 minutes, flip and cook another 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the meatballs out and into your hot sauce. Repeat with any remaining meat. Simmer in the crock pot with the sauce for at least 2 hours. This makes about 4 dozen walnut sized meatballs.

If you have any left, refrigerate and enjoy the next night as meatball subs. They are wonderful after they have really soaked in the sauce.

~Nicole