Valentine Meatballs Recipes

COMFORT MEATBALLS

Steps:

• For the meatballs: In bowl, combine the ground beef and oats. Pour in the milk, and then add the onions, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Roll the mixture into tablespoon-size balls and refrigerate them for 30 to 45 minutes to firm.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dredge the meatballs in the flour, and then brown the meatballs in batches until light brown. As they brown, place them into a rectangular baking dish.
• For the sauce: Stir together the ketchup, onions, vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Drizzle the sauce evenly on the meatballs.
• Bake until bubbly and hot, about 45 minutes.

SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place a large pot of water on to boil for spaghetti. When it boils, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente.
• Mix beef and Worcestershire, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Roll meat into 1 1/2 inch medium-sized meatballs and place on nonstick cookie sheet or a cookie sheet greased with extra-virgin olive oil. Bake balls 10 to 12 minutes, until no longer pink.
• Heat a deep skillet or medium pot over moderate heat. Add oil, crushed pepper, garlic and finely chopped onion. Saute 5 to 7 minutes, until onion bits are soft. Add beef stock, crushed tomatoes, and herbs. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.
• Toss hot, drained pasta with a few ladles of the sauce and grated cheese. Turn meatballs in remaining sauce. Place pasta on dinner plates and top with meatballs and sauce and extra grated cheese. Serve with bread or garlic bread (and some good chianti!)

EXCELLENT MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the onions and bring to a medium-high heat. Season the onions generously with salt and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes. The onions should be very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool.
• In a large bowl combine the meats, eggs, Parmigiano, parsley and bread crumbs. It works well to squish the mixture with your hands. Add the onion mixture and season generously with salt and squish some more. Add the water and do 1 final really good squish. The mixture should be quite wet. Test the seasoning of the mix by making a mini hamburger size patty and cooking it. The mixture should taste really good! If it doesn't it is probably missing salt. Add more. Add more anyway.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Shape the meat into desired size. Some people like 'em big some people like 'em small. I prefer meatballs slightly larger than a golf ball. Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to a medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides. Place them on a cookie sheet and bake them in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked all the way through. If using right away, add them to your big pot of marinara sauce. If not using right away, they can be frozen for later use. Serve with pasta and sauce or just eat them straight out of the pot! YUM!
• Coat a large saucepot with olive oil and add the pancetta. Bring the pot to a medium-high heat and cook the pancetta for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions, season generously with salt and stir to coat with olive oil. Cook the onions for 6 to 7 minutes stirring frequently. The onions should become very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes stirring frequently.
• Pass the tomatoes through the food mill. Be sure to pass all of the pulp through the holes leaving only the stems and the seeds, and be sure to scrape the pulp off of the bottom of the food mill. That's all of the big money stuff! Add the tomatoes to the pot and rinse out 1 of the empty tomato cans with water and add that water to the pot (about 2 to 3 cups). Season generously with salt and TASTE IT!!!! Tomatoes take a lot of salt. Season in baby steps and taste every step of the way. Cook the sauce for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally and tasting frequently.
• Use the sauce right away on pasta or for any other tomato sauce need. This sauce can also be cooled and stored in the refrigerator for a few days and freezes really well.
• Yield: 2 quarts

MOM'S SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Combine the beef, pork, eggs, breadcrumbs, dried oregano, grated garlic, Pecorino Romano, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Using your hands, thoroughly mix the ingredients together until evenly incorporated. Roll into meatballs slightly larger than golf balls, setting them on baking sheets as you work.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven until it shimmers. Working in batches and taking care not to crowd the pan, saute the meatballs, turning frequently, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer from the pan back to the baking sheet.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the onion to the pan, and saute, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the sliced garlic, stir, and cook 1 minute more. Add the wine, increase the heat, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 4 of the basil leaves, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and the meatballs along with any accumulated juices. Simmer, partially covered, until the flavors come together, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
• Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in two batches in boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain and serve with the meatballs and sauce ladled on top. Garnish with torn basil and freshly grated Pecorino-Romano.

FLORENTINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 32 balls., Place meatballs on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 24-28 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain on paper towels., Save half of the meatballs for Italian Stroganoff (recipe also in Recipe Finder) or save for another use. In a large saucepan, heat spaghetti sauce; add the remaining meatballs. Serve with spaghetti.

VALENTINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, toss together the cheese and mushrooms. In a separate bowl. mix together the ground beef and onion soup mix. Divide the beef into 12 to 16 balls, then form them into small, thin heart shaped patties. Press an indention into the center of half of the hearts, and fill with the cheese and mushrooms. Place another patty on top, and press to seal the hearts around the filling. Place in a shallow baking dish.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until beef is well done, and filling is hot.

VALENTINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, toss together the cheese and mushrooms. In a separate bowl. mix together the ground beef and onion soup mix. Divide the beef into 12 to 16 balls, then form them into small, thin heart shaped patties. Press an indention into the center of half of the hearts, and fill with the cheese and mushrooms. Place another patty on top, and press to seal the hearts around the filling. Place in a shallow baking dish.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until beef is well done, and filling is hot.

LIGHT AND FLUFFY MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add onion, cooking until soft but not colored, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cool slightly.
• Combine bread and milk in a bowl to soak for 5 minutes. Squeeze excess milk from bread and finely chop. Add chopped bread to the bowl with onions. Add all the remaining ingredients except the tomato sauce. Gently fold with hands to incorporate ingredients, but do not overmix or meatballs will be tough.
• Bring tomato sauce to a simmer in a large deep-sided skillet. Pinch 1/4 cup of the meat mixture and gently form a ball with wet hands. Drop the meatballs, as they are formed, directly into the sauce. Cover and simmer, stirring carefully a few times until meatballs are cooked through, about 30 minutes. Serve meatballs with sauce and grated Parmesan cheese.

VALENTINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, toss together the cheese and mushrooms. In a separate bowl. mix together the ground beef and onion soup mix. Divide the beef into 12 to 16 balls, then form them into small, thin heart shaped patties. Press an indention into the center of half of the hearts, and fill with the cheese and mushrooms. Place another patty on top, and press to seal the hearts around the filling. Place in a shallow baking dish.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until beef is well done, and filling is hot.

VALENTINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, toss together the cheese and mushrooms. In a separate bowl. mix together the ground beef and onion soup mix. Divide the beef into 12 to 16 balls, then form them into small, thin heart shaped patties. Press an indention into the center of half of the hearts, and fill with the cheese and mushrooms. Place another patty on top, and press to seal the hearts around the filling. Place in a shallow baking dish.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until beef is well done, and filling is hot.