Meatballs

Does anyone remember the 1979 movie Meatballs? Directed by Ivan Reitman (who died February 12) and featuring Bill Murray, it was one of the crazy moview that came out during the '70s and early '80s.

While I really don't remember watching the movie, I remember it being popular.

It's also a good tie-in for today's post, which deals with meatballs. Check out the Classic Meatballs, the Mealtball Kabobs, and, what two of my sons find wonderful, Meatball Subs. Enjoy!

JUMBO CHEESY ITALIAN MEATBALLS

This is from the Food Network. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/jumbo-cheesy-italian-meatballs-2268948.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing

3 1/2 cups torn stale Italian bread (about 1/4 loaf)

1 cup whole milk

2 large eggs

2 pounds ground beef chuck

1 small bunch parsley, chopped (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, grated

Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 mini mozzarella balls (bocconcini)

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

3 to 4 sprigs basil, plus chopped leaves for topping

Kosher salt

Ricotta cheese, for topping

Directions

Make the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Pulse the bread in a food processor to make coarse crumbs. Transfer to a small bowl, add the milk and set aside to soak. Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, then add the beef, parsley, parmesan, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and the red pepper flakes; mix with your hands to combine. Add the bread-milk mixture and mix until just combined (do not overmix).

Dampen your hands and shape the meat mixture into 4 large balls. Make an indentation in the center of each with your thumb and stuff with a mini mozzarella ball, then mold the meat around the cheese. Arrange the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and bake until browned and firm, 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic softens, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup water, the basil sprigs and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Remove the meatballs from the oven and add to the sauce, spooning some of the sauce on top. Continue cooking, occasionally spooning the sauce over the meatballs, until tender and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Serve with ricotta and chopped basil.

You can form all of these meatballs a day ahead; cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.

ENCHILADA MEATBALLS

This is from Shelley at AllRecipes. She wrote, "These are a tasty change from the usual since they use cornbread crumbs instead of crackers or regular bread. They're always a hit at parties! A friend shared this recipe with me ages ago and I've tweaked it to come up with this." Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/82954/enchilada-meatballs/.

Ingredients

2 cups crumbled cornbread

1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck

1 (10 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, combine the cornbread, half of the enchilada sauce, half of the cheese, and the salt. Crumble the beef into the mixture, and blend well using your hands. Shape meat into 1 inch balls, and place on a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan, or any cookie sheet with sides to catch the grease.

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes in the preheated oven, until the meat is cooked through.

While the meatballs are cooking, warm the tomato sauce and remaining enchilada sauce in a saucepan. Remove the meatballs from the pan using a slotted spoon, and place in a serving dish. Pour the heated sauce over them, and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. Provide toothpicks for serving.

Note

For the cornbread, I use a box of the ready-mix cornbread and add two tablespoons of taco seasoning to the other ingredients. Bake according to package directions. Allow to cool and then crumble.

CLASSIC MEATBALLS

This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "This homemade meatball recipe is a Betty classic, and for great reason! For generations, home cooks have relied on this hearty meatball recipe to show some skills the kitchen. All it takes to achieve this meaty main dish is eight basic ingredients. Got them? Great! Now, if you have 15 minutes to spare and a foil-lined 13x9 pan, perfectly browned and tender meatballs could be the answer to tonight's dinner jam. Yes, delicious doesn't take long! In the meantime, prepare spaghetti or rice, veggies or salad, because this recipe goes with anything!"

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 4

To view this on the Betty Crocker site, click here.

Ingredients

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1/2 cup Progresso™ Italian-style bread crumbs

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)

1 egg

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray.

In large bowl, mix all ingredients. Shape mixture into 24 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs. Place 1 inch apart in pan.

Bake uncovered 18 to 22 minutes or until temperature reaches 160°F and no longer pink in center.

Expert Tips

For evenly-sized meatballs that will cook in the same amount of time, pat the meat mixture into a 6x4-inch square. Cut into 24 squares. Roll each square into a ball.

Mix things up by substituting 1 pound lean ground turkey or chicken for the ground beef. (If using ground chicken, decrease milk to 2 tablespoons.) Bake until no longer pink in center and thermometer inserted in center reads 165°F.

We’re always fans of a dinnertime shortcut and a jar of store-bought pasta sauce is one of our favorites. But, if you have some time to spare or you’re looking for homemade Sunday gravy or sauce, we think you might like our Easy Make-Ahead Pasta Sauce, which can be ready in as little as 40 minutes. Or try utilizing our hands-off Slow-Cooker Meaty Spaghetti Sauce, made with Italian sausage and mushrooms for an added boost of flavor.

MEATBALL SUBS

This comes from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. (If you haven't signed up for the Times' cooking e-newsletter, I highly recommend it. I'm sure you won't be disappointed!)

For this recipe, Ali wrote, "In this classic Italian American sandwich, tender meatballs drenched in tomato sauce are tucked into crisp rolls then buried under a blanket of gooey cheese. It’s a messy sandwich no matter how you build it or bite into it, but wise construction can help: First, hollow out the rolls a bit so the meatballs have a place to sit. Then, use the leftover crumbs to make the meatballs, which will keep them light. Finally, toast the rolls to prevent them from getting too soggy with sauce. Of course, some crispy-gone-soggy bites are welcome, just as the cheese pulls, sauce drips and messy fingers are, too. They’re all part of the experience."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022314-meatball-subs.

Ingredients

4 (6-inch-long) sub, hero or hoagie rolls, split lengthwise but still attached on one side

1 egg

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 garlic cloves, peeled

Extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing

1 pound ground beef (at least 15 percent fat)

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves, plus more for serving

2 cups marinara sauce (homemade or from a 24-ounce jar)

4 slices mozzarella or provolone

Preparation

Heat the broiler to high with a rack no more than 6 inches from the heat source. (See Tip if you don’t have a broiler.) Using a fork, scrape out some of the interior of the rolls until you get about 1 cup bread crumbs. Add them to a large bowl along with 1/2 cup water, the egg, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Finely grate 1 garlic clove into the mixture, then stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Lightly grease a large (12-inch), oven-proof skillet with olive oil. To the bread crumbs, add the beef, Parmesan and chopped basil. Stir with your hands until combined, avoiding overmixing. Roll into 12 balls (about 2 heaping tablespoons/2 ounces each) and place them in the prepared skillet as you go. Broil the meatballs until browned and nearly cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.

Move the skillet to the stovetop. Add the marinara sauce, stir to coat the meatballs, and warm over medium-low heat while you toast the rolls: Place the rolls on a baking sheet, cut-side up, and broil until lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Rub the cut sides of the roll with the second garlic clove.

Divide the meatballs and sauce among the rolls, then top with mozzarella. Broil until the mozzarella is melted and browned in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. Top with more grated Parmesan, basil leaves and black pepper.

Tip

If you don’t have a broiler, you can make this recipe using a 450-degree oven. The meatballs will take about 15 minutes to cook through (or you can sear them on the stove), and the bread-toasting and cheese-melting will take 2 to 4 minutes each.

MEXICAN MEATBALL KABOBS

Recipe Yield: Yield Makes 30 servings, 2 skewers each

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/mexican-meatball-kabobs.

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

3 pounds lean ground beef

2 cups quick oats

1 can (12 fluid ounces) Nestle's Carnation Evaporated Milk

2 large eggs

1/2 cup ketchup

2 packets (1.25 ounces each) taco seasoning mix

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 large bell peppers (any color), cut into 60, 1-inch pieces

60 4-inch wooden skewers

Salsa and sour cream (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Foil-line 3 baking sheets and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine ground beef, oats, evaporated milk, eggs, ketchup, taco seasoning and black pepper in large bowl until just mixed. Form mixture into 120, 1-inch meatballs. Place on prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until no longer pink in center. Drain on paper towels, if needed.

Thread two meatballs and one piece of pepper on each skewer. Place on large serving platter. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 110; Fat: 1.5 g; Saturated Fat: 1.5 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 260 mg; Cholesterol: 40 mg; Protein: 11 g; Carbohydrates: 8 g; Sugars: 3 g

QUICK TURKEY MEATBALLS OVER GREENS

This comes from The Kitchn's emailing list. (Hint: If you haven't signed up for their emails, you really should!) This serves 4, and can be viewed online (along with Faith Durand's description) here.

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey, either 85% lean or 93% lean

1/4 cup grated onion, from 1/2 small to medium onion

1 large egg

1/3 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 whole cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups tomato sauce, homemade or store-bought

2 pounds greens, such as broccoli rabe, kale, mustard greens, washed, de-veined, and roughly chopped

Shaved Parmesan, to serve, optional

Directions

Combine the turkey, onion, egg, breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Begin heating a large pot of salted water for the cooking the greens while you shape and cook the meatballs.

Roll the meat mixture into 1 1/4-inch meatballs and place on a tray or in a pan. You should have between 26 and 30 meatballs.

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or sauté pan. Place the meatballs in the hot skillet and brown for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Use tongs to gently rotate the meatballs so they brown evenly. (If your pan isn't large enough to brown all of the meatballs without them touching, cook them in batches and place them back on the cookie sheet once they've been browned. Then combine them back in the pan before simmering with the tomato sauce.)

Reduce the heat to medium, add the tomato sauce, and cover the pan. Simmer the meatballs and sauce for another 10 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.

While the meatballs are simmering, boil the greens in the salted water for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender. Drain. (You can also sauté or stir-fry the greens in a hot skillet with oil if preferred.)

To serve, put greens on the plate and top with meatballs and sauce.

Recipe Notes:

To prevent the meatballs sticking to the pan, make sure it is hot before adding the meatballs, and brown thoroughly before trying to turn them. They should release easily once browned. Also, using 85% lean turkey (as opposed to completely lean) should help the meatballs release more cleanly.

Storage: Store the meatballs in their sauce for up to 3 days in the fridge. Freeze cooked meatballs and sauce for up to 3 months.