Saucy Onion Meatball Dip Subs

It's been awhile since I've made meatballs.  I have a bunch of meatball recipes bookmarked but I have to space them out between cooking.  My son doesn't think that he likes meatballs, but I think he does.  He eats hamburgers and meatballs but he always gives us trouble about eating meatballs!  So he gave me a hard time, as usual, about eating, but the rest of us enjoyed these subs.  The sauce had the consistency and taste of a homemade gravy.  It was yummy, but messy, dipping the sub into the sauce.  I printed the original recipe, but as you can see from my photo, I didn't end up toasting the rolls or broiling to melt the cheese. 

Saucy Onion Meatball Dip Subs
recipe from Taste and Tell

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
2 tablespoons olive oil

Sauce:
3 cups sliced onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups beef broth
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Sandwiches:
8 sub buns
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs except the ground turkey and the olive oil. Crumble in the turkey, then mix together. With wet hands, shape the mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, and brown the meatballs in batches. Drain and set aside.

In the same skillet, saute the onions until tender. Add the garlic and thyme, cook for 1 minute. Stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in the beef and chicken broths. Stir in the salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then cook for another 2 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Add the meatballs and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, until meatballs are no longer pink.

Meanwhile, cut the buns in half lengthwise, leaving one side attached. Place the buns - cut side up - on a baking sheet. Place under the broiler and cook until toasted.

Top the buns with meatballs and some of the onions from the sauce. Top with Monterey Jack cheese. Broil another couple minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.  Serve with remaining sauce for dipping.   Family Rating:  1 1/2 thumbs up.

Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Peanut Sauce

I think I've mentioned before that I really like meatballs.  I actually haven't made them in awhile though.  I saw this recipe and I liked that it used ground chicken instead of ground beef and that it had Asian flavors to it.  I think these were meant to be appetizer meatballs but I just rolled them a little larger to use as a main course.  They were super easy and quick to make.  They were also really tasty.....yes the kids liked these!  We all enjoyed the sweet peanut sauce.  I served these with rice, as seen below, steamed edamame, and some store-bought egg rolls.  This was a great Asian-inspired meal.

Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Peanut Sauce
from Every Day With Rachael Ray, June 2011

Ingredients:
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated onion
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons sesame oil
Chopped peanuts, for garnish

Directions:
Mix chicken, cilantro, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, salt and pepper; roll into 1-tablespoon balls. In medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add meatballs and cook through, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients (except peanuts) and warm in microwave. Toss meatballs with half of sauce and sprinkle with peanuts. Serve on toothpicks with remaining sauce for dipping.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up.

Masala Meatballs

I love Indian Food.  My favorite thing to do is to go to the lunch buffet because then I'm not limited to one dish.  I can sample all kinds of dishes and try new things that I probably wouldn't order if going out for dinner.  I think I've mentioned that I really like meatballs and meatloaf and am always looking for new variations on the dishes.  I thought this "Indian" take on meatballs was different.  They were really easy to make and quick to cook.  I served them over pasta with the sauce.  My husband thought that they were tasty, but the kids and I weren't big fans.  To me they were okay, but nothing I'd rave about.  Luckily, there are many more recipes out there waiting to be tried!

Masala Meatballs
Recipe slightly adapted from EveryDay With Rachael Ray, Jan./Feb. 2012

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/4 pounds ground chicken
2 eggs
Salt
2 tablespoons EVOO
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 cups marinara
10 ounces spinach

Directions:
Mix first 5 ingredients with 1/4 tsp. salt. Heat EVOO in skillet over medium. Brown tbsp.-size meatballs in skillet. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover; simmer 7 minutes.

Family Rating: 1 thumb up.

Herbed Turkey Meatballs

My kids love canned cranberry sauce.  I had a can in the pantry (I mean basement shelf, since I really don't have a "pantry") that I was looking to use.  When I went recipe searching I found these meatballs and knew that I was going to make them.  I think I've mentioned how much I like meatballs.  Meatballs, meatloaf.....I guess I just like meat mixed with various "stuff"! Recently I've been using ground turkey in place of recipes that call for ground beef, both for health reasons and cost reasons.  Now this recipe also has the ingredients and directions to make a homemade cranberry sauce, which I obviously didn't make, because we were having CANNED sauce (but I included the original recipe with the sauce below)!  These were pretty easy to put together and quick to cook.  I served these with mashed red potatoes and the cranberry sauce.  The kids were so-so about eating these but my husband and I thought that they were tasty!

Herbed Turkey Meatballs
Recipe slightly adapted from Pink Parsley

Serves 4

Ingredients:
•1 Tbs unsalted butter
•1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
•1 stalk celery, finely choped
•1 lb ground turkey
•1 cup fresh bread crumbs
•1 egg
•1 Tbs dried oregano
•1 tsp salt free poultry seasoning
•1/2 tsp kosher salt
•1/4 tsp black pepper
•2/3 cup orange juice
•1 shallot, minced
•1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
•1/4 cup sugar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, and lightly oil a baking sheet.

In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery, and cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine the celery and onion, turkey, bread crumbs, egg, oregano, poultry seasoning, parsley, salt, and pepper. Gently mix to incorporate with your hands. Using a cookie scoop, form the mixture in meatballs, and arrange them on the baking sheet.

Bake 10 minutes, until cooked through.

Meanwhile, make the cranberry sauce. combine the orange juice, shallot, cranberries, and sugar in a medium skillet. Cook over medium heat, until the cranberries pop and the mixture begins to thicken slightly, about 5 minutes.

Serve the meatballs with the cranberry sauce.
 
Family Rating: 1 1/2 thumbs up.

The Weekend Chef: Mini Chicken Meatball , Pasta, and Vegetable Soup

We spent last Sunday visiting my in-laws and going to the town's St. Patrick's Day parade.  The weather was gorgeous - it was a perfect day for a parade!  We ended up eating lunch around 3 pm after the parade.  By the time we got home after that we weren't very hungry.  This recipe was one of the "I pick it you can make it" for The Weekend Chef.  I was exhausted from being out in the sun all day.  So while I vegged on the couch with the kids he made this.  I thought it was pretty tasty.  I don't think we've ever made chicken meatballs before.  It was chock full of veggies and the soup had a nice flavor.  Normally I'm not a soup as the meal type of person, but because we had such a late lunch it was a perfect light dinner.  It made enough that we ended up freezing a bunch so we can enjoy it another time.  Unfortunately, I think it was just too much veggies for the kids who weren't digging it at all!
 

Mini Chicken Meatball, Pasta, and Vegetable Soup
Recipe slightly adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients:


Meatballs:
1 lb of ground chicken
1 egg
2-3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1/4 cup of plain bread crumbs
1 tbsp canola oil

Soup:
1 tbsp canola oil
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 15 0z can of diced tomatoes
8 cups of chicken broth
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1/2 cup of ditalini pasta
1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained

Parmesan cheese topping (optional)

Directions:
Combine the ground chicken, egg, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, and bread crumbs together in a bowl until just combined. Roll into mini meatballs and place onto a plate (I filled up two plates full). Place the meatballs into the refrigerator for 10 minutes so they are easier to work with.

Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the meatballs, in batches, and cook for 4-5 minutes, carefully turning halfway through to cook on the other side, or until golden brown but not cooked all the way through (they will finish cooking in the soup). Remove the cooked meatballs from the Dutch oven and place on a clean plate. Finish cooking the remaining meatballs.

Add the remaining tablespoon of canola oil to the same Dutch oven and add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes then add the minced garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute then add the diced tomatoes and chicken broth, season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Cover and cook on low for 30-40 minutes. Remove the lid and add the pasta and meatballs. Cover and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the pasta is tender and the meatballs are cooked through. Add the spinach, stir until combined and slightly wilted, taste and re-season if needed, then ladle into bowls. Top with Parmesan cheese or feta cheese if desired. Enjoy.

Family Rating:  1 thumb up.

Sesame-Soy Meatballs

I recently watched an old episode of Bizzare Foods with Andrew Zimmern and discovered there's a restaurant in NYC called The Meatball Shop that serves....you, guessed it, meatballs, in all kinds of variations!  I'm a big fan of meatballs, meatloaf, etc. so this recipe definitely caught my eye.  It was super easy to make, quick to cook, and even better, tasted really good!  We only made 16 meatballs, but they were so good that my husband and I finished them all (minus 4, 2 each for the kids).  The kids complained that they were too spicy (due to the chile paste) but I was hoping the sweetness would balance it out.  I will definitely be making these again for me and my husband! We served these with spicy rice and some peas.  Delish!

Sesame-Soy Meatballs
Cooking Light, November 2010

Ingredients:
1/3 cup minced green onions
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon chile paste (such as sambal oelek)
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 pound ground sirloin
Cooking spray

Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°.

2. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Add beef; mix gently to combine. With moist hands, shape beef mixture into 20 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs.

3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs to pan; cook 4 minutes, turning to brown meatballs on all sides. Arrange browned meatballs in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining meatballs. Bake meatballs at 400° for 7 minutes or until done.

Mommy & Daddy Rating: 2 thumbs up!