Grandpa Gary’s Meatballs

meatballsGary Says: The meatballs may be stored, covered, in the refrigerator until you’re ready to finish cooking. You can also use this mixture to make hamburgers for grilling.

Grandpa Gary's Meatballs
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs. ground beef (80/20 blend)
  • 1 lb. ground pork sausage
  • 2 eggs, gently beaten
  • ½ c. seasoned bread crumbs
  • ½ c. oatmeal (uncooked)
  • ½ c. Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 pkg. onion soup/dip mix
  • 4-8 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ c. fresh parsley
  • 1-2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • cooking oil of choice
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, combine ground beef with ground pork. Mix thoroughly together to combine. Be sure to wash your hands afterwards if you mix with your hands.
  2. Blend eggs, bread crumbs, oatmeal, Parmesan cheese, onion soup mix, garlic, parsley, & Italian seasoning. Using your hands, thoroughly mix these in with the meat.
  3. Take the mixture & form into balls. Set aside & cover with a towel.
  4. In a large skillet, heat the cooking oil of your choice & butter until the butter starts to foam. Place meatballs one at a time into the skillet & keep rolling around to brown on all sides evenly.
  5. Set aside the browned meatballs on a paper towel lined plate to drain. You can now add the meatballs to your sauce to finish cooking.

 

Enchilada Casserole

Submitted by Nicole~
Serves 2

Ingredients

1.5-2 lb. ground beef 1 taco seasoning packet
1 tbsp oregano 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
2 cans corn 1 can Enchilada sauce
12-15 flour tortillas 4 c. cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Brown meat with seasonings, adding corn & enchilada sauce until done.
  2. Place layer of tortillas on bottom of 9″x11″ dish, add layer of meat mixture, top with cheese. Repeat until out of tortillas & meat mixture leaving off top layer of cheese.
  3. Bake 25-30 minutes.
  4. Remove adding final layer of cheese & bake 5 minutes.

Chef’s Note: This dish is great for pre-making or giving to neighbors when in need.

Stromboli

Submitted by Robb “Movidude74” Johnston
Serves 8-12

Ingredients

1 lb. pizza dough ¼ lb. Swiss cheese
¼ lb. sharp provolone ¼ lb. tavern ham
¼ lb. hard salami ¼ lb. slicing pepperoni
1 egg Italian Seasoning
Flour Sweet or Hot Peppers, drained

Directions

  1. Thaw pizza dough according to directions on package.  Roll out dough to about 14-16″ square (if you can only get one side squared, then have that away from you).
  2. Beat one egg & add Italian seasoning to taste.  Brush top of rolled dough.
  3. Layer the deli selections meat, then cheese, then meat, etc.  You can overlap the layer closest to you, but you want to leave an inch or so on the right & left, & 2″ at the edge farthest from you.
  4. The peppers are optional.  If you are adding them, liberally spread a layer just above or below the middle layer of cheese.
  5. Roll or fold the layers of food away from you.
  6. Brush on egg mixture on the exposed dough as you go.
  7. Fold the last bit towards you over the roll of food; fold the loose dough at the sides in to the center.  Coat with egg & flip onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  8. Coat all remaining surfaces, even if you slop some on the paper.
  9. Cut 3 or 4 slices into the top of the loaf about half way deep.
  10. Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes or until the dough is browned & cheese is bubbling out of the slices.
  11. Let the dish rest a few minutes before serving.  Slide into 1″ wide slices to serve.


Chef’s Note: Pizza dough is often sold as 2-1 lb. balls of dough, so you might as well make 2. In step 6, I prefer to fold about 3 times, leaving the top edge of dough that you don’t layer exposed.  You can freeze the leftovers and reheat it later.

Brad’s Simple Spaghetti

Submitted by Brad Waller
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

6 oz. tomato paste (1 small can) 12 oz. tomato sauce (1 medium can)
15 oz. stewed or stewed & diced tomatoes (1 large can) 1 pkg spaghetti noodles
salt Italian Seasoning
garlic

Carnivore Option

1 lb. ground meat of choice

Vegetarian Option

1 pkg frozen spinach 1 pkg firm tofu

Directions

  1. Empty all cans to a medium saucepan on medium heat. Season to taste. Experiment, add you own ideas.
  2. For the carnivorous option, brown the meat & add to the sauce.
  3. For the vegetarian option, drain the spinach & stir into sauce. Squeeze the tofu to drain & crumble into the sauce.
  4. Taste & adjust spices as tofu will dilute flavors a bit.
  5. Boil noodles to desired finish & serve with sauce.

Chicken & Vegetables Over Pasta

Submitted by M. Bernadette Fawver
Serves 4

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts, cubed 1 c. sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp butter 14-16 oz. cubed tomatoes (1 can)
2 tbsp olive oil 2/3 c. dry white wine
1 large onion, finely chopped 4-6 tbsp heavy cream
2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 bell peppers (red, yellow, or green) cut into 1½” cubes salt & pepper
pasta to serve

Directions

  1. Season the chicken with salt & pepper to taste.  Heat oil and butter in a skillet; fry the chicken until browned all over.  
  2. Remove the chicken from the skillet.  Add the onion & garlic to the skillet & cook gently until just beginning to soften.  
  3. Add the bell peppers to the skillet with the mushrooms & continue to cook for a few minutes longer, stirring occasionally.  Add the Italian seasoning.  
  4. Add the tomatoes & plenty of seasoning to the skillet & then transfer the vegetable mixture to an oven safe casserole.
  5. Place the chicken on the bed of vegetables.  Add the wine to the skillet & bring to a boil.  Pour the wine over the chicken & cover the casserole.  
  6. Cook in a preheated oven at 350°F. for 50 minutes.  When ready to serve, add cream & serve over pasta.