Bonnies Meatballs Recipes

NONNA'S TRADITIONAL MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the ground beef and ground pork in a large bowl. Set aside.
• In a food processor, combine the milk, eggs, garlic, basil, parsley, cayenne and salt. Process until pureed.
• Add the wet ingredients to the meat and mix to combine. Then add breadcrumbs and Romano, and gently combine; be careful not to overwork the meat.
• With the help of an ice cream scoop (for even sizing), shape the mixture into 2-ounce meatballs and place on a baking sheet.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake the meatballs for 30 minutes.
• Add the meatballs to the Roasted Tomato Sauce and simmer for another 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a deep lasagna pan, add the garlic, anchovies, olive oil, red pepper flakes and salt. Place the pan on the stovetop and saute for 5 to 7 minutes to soften. Remove from the heat and add the canned tomatoes and oregano; mix well.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the tomatoes are nicely charred on top, 45 minutes. Let cool, then blend to your liking with an immersion blender; we like our sauce a bit chunky, but feel free to puree if you choose.

BONNIE'S ITALIAN STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• For the meatballs:
• Pour the milk over bread and soak to soften.
• Place the meat in a mixing bowl and add the cheese, EVOO, fennel, crushed red pepper, garlic, egg, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and crumble into crumbs as you add it to the meat. Combine the meatball mix and roll into 2-inch balls. Place the meatballs on nonstick baking sheet sprayed with olive oil spray and roast until browned but not fully cooked, 10 to 12 minutes.
• For the stew:
• Meanwhile, heat the EVOO in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions and bay, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and stir until fragrant. Add the beef stock and tomatoes, then break up the tomatoes with a potato masher. Add the basil, potatoes and meatballs and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat back to medium, partially cover and cook 10 minutes. Add the green beans and cook 7 to 8 minutes more.
• Serve, or cool completely and store for make-ahead meal. Reheat over a medium-low flame, partially covered, stirring occasionally (or reheat in a 325 degree F oven) until sauce is bubbly.
• To serve, top shallow bowls of stew with cheese and an extra drizzle of EVOO.

MAMA'S OLD-FASHIONED ALBONDIGAS (MEATBALL SOUP)

Steps:

• Pour water into a large stockpot over high heat. Stir in 3 cups tomato sauce, yellow onion, chicken bouillon, garlic, and 1 tablespoon dried oregano. Bring broth to a slow boil.
• Combine ground beef, eggs, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, white rice, 1/4 cup cilantro, seasoned salt, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and cumin in a large bowl. Squeeze mixture with your hands until thoroughly mixed.
• Scoop 1/4 cup of beef mixture and form in a ball. Lower gently into boiling broth. Repeat with remaining beef mixture.
• Stir potatoes, carrots, and celery into the broth. Cover and simmer until meatballs and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in zucchini and cabbage. Cover and simmer until cabbage is tender, about 10 minutes.
• Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and garnish with avocado and 1/4 cup cilantro.

MEATBALLS & GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees; place a rack on a baking sheet and coat with nonstick cooking spray.
• In large bowl, mix ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, garlic salt, 1/2 t Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper.
• Form into 40 meatballs, about 1 level tablespoon each.
• Place on prepared rack over baking sheet.
• Bake meatballs at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add onion and mushrooms and cook 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally or until lightly browned.
• Sprinkle flour over the mixture, stir and cook 1 minute.
• Gradually stir in beef broth until flour is completely incorporated into the liquid.
• Bring to a simmer.
• Stir in the remaining 1/2 t Italian seasoning, 1/4 t pepper and the nutmeg.
• Add salt to taste.
• Add meatballs to the skillet and reduce heat to medium low.
• Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Serve with buttered egg noodles, if desired.

BONNIE'S SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS (ITALIANO)

Steps:

• MAKE THE SPAGHETTI SAUCE: In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until onion is light brown. Add the tomato puree, tomato sauce, water, parsley, salt, pepper, oregano, Italian herbs, marjoram and bay leaf. Stir with a wooden spoon, and bring to a boil, then turn to simmer, cover the pot and simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, prepare the meatballs.
• MAKE THE MEATBALLS: Note: do not brown the meatballs! In a small bowl, place the wheat bread and the 1/4 cup of water, let it soak while you combine the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the ground beef, 2 eggs, parmesan cheese, parsley, wine, garlic, minced onion flakes, salt and pepper, basil, oregano, and the baking soda, then add the wet bread to the meat, tearing it into tiny pieces. Mix very gently with your hands; DO NOT over mix, as it makes the meatballs tough. Dampen your hands to form the meatballs. Make balls about the size of a golf ball. The recipe should make 20 to 24 meatballs. Put them on a plate, cover and refrigerate while the sauce simmers.
• COOK THE SPAGHETTI: Put on a large pot to boil water, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, and salt. Cook it the way you like it. Some people like it al dente, others like it more done. When the spaghetti is cooked, drain, don't rinse, cover and keep hot until the meatballs have finished cooking.
• COOKING THE MEATBALLS: When the sauce has simmered for one and one-half hours, then take a long handled spoon and carefully drop one meat ball at a time into the sauce. Do not disturb the meatballs or the sauce while it simmers uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir very gently to make sure they are not sticking to the bottom of the pot, and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes more.
• Cook's Tip: You can serve the spaghetti and meatballs in a pasta dish as my photo depicts. Sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan cheese. We like red pepper flakes with ours. Keep out a few meatballs and sauce for great meatball sandwiches the next day! Enjoy!
• Slow Cooker: I have also prepared this dish successfully in the slow cooker which runs a little hotter than a crockpot.

BONNIE'S MEXICAN ALBONDIGAS SOUP (MEATBALLS)

Steps:

• Make the meatballs first. In a large mixing bowl combine the lean ground beef, beaten egg, garlic, bread crumbs, pine nuts, salt and pepper and mix with your hands. I make a long rope of the beef on the cutting board about one inch high and then I cut slices about 1/2 inch wide. Take each slice and roll it into a meatball about one inch in diameter. This technique helps to have more uniform slices. Place all the balls in a bowl in the refrigerator.
• Make the soup and add to a large soup pot, the tomatoes, beef broth, water, potatoes, carrots and onion. Add the chili powder, bay leaf, cilantro, salt. Mix well and bring to a boil and simmer until carrots are tender. You should see an orange ring begin to form around the pan from the chili powder. Add more if you like it hotter.
• Add the meatballs a little at a time to the soup so it doesn't stop boiling, Don't boil on too high heat or it will tear up your meatballs. Simmer meatballs 30 minutes.
• Add sherry before serving and stir gently. Put a dash of tobasco in each bowl before serving. Enjoy!
• Cook's Tip: The original recipe I created was a clone of the restuarant's recipe, and it did NOT have carrots, onions and potatoes in it. It was a true meatball soup. I added those vegetables later to make a more hearty soup.

CONNIE'S SWEET AND SOUR CHRISTMAS MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat egg and water in a bowl; add ground beef, bread crumbs, salt, and black pepper to eggs and mix thoroughly. Form ground beef mixture into bite-size meatballs; place meatballs into a large baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until meatballs are browned and no longer pink inside, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Mix ketchup, beef bouillon, and vinegar in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Combine brown sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir brown sugar mixture into ketchup mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbling and brown sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add meatballs to sauce, stir until coated, and serve.