Baked Italian Meatballs from Author Nancy Lee Badger

Ground Hog Day is February 2nd. That's a bittersweet day for our family because my darling dad died on that day in 2019. 

He loved my mom's meatballs, as my two sisters and I do, but they lived in Florida and we are in Raleigh, North Carolina so I had to learn to bake my own. 

I make my meatballs smaller than mom, which makes them last longer (I think so). Mom taught me that the secret to a healthy alternative is to bake them. This is better for you and your loved ones than frying them in oil. Finish in a slow-cooker. Over the years, I have tweaked the portions, but this will make  about four-dozen (depends on how small you roll them!)

Nancy's Italian Meatballs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a rack inside a cookie sheet with edges to collect the grease. Spray rack with PAM and line cookie sheet with foil for quicker clean-up. If you do not plan to freeze the baked meatballs, pull out the slow-cooker and a jar of sauce.

2 lbs. 80% hamburger or chuck

2 eggs

3/4 Cups Italian bread crumbs

1/2 Cup shredded parmesan cheese

diced yellow onion (optional)

salt & pepper to taste

oregano & parsley for color

chopped garlic (optional)

Wash your hands well and have a hand towel or paper towels nearby, because this is the messy part. Combine all ingredients in a very large bowl. Form balls by rolling the meat mixture one at a time in your palms. Mine are from 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place on rack with a little bit of space between each meatball and each row. I sometimes need two pans and racks. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. If going in the slow-cooker, use tongs to transfer them. Add sauce and I cook mine on high for about 4 hours then turn them down to low until dinner.

The meatballs can be frozen for later. Once out of the oven, let them cool completely then place in freezer bags. They can go from the freezer to the slow-cooker on low, but will take a little longer.

These baked meatballs contain protein, calcium, and veggies from the sauce. They make a healthy alternative to heavy take-out meals. Split a sub roll, add a slice of mozzarella, toast it, then add the meatballs and sauce for a filling treat at dinner time. 

Entertainment during this pandemic is also healthy to a person's well-being so remember to READ BOOKS. 

For quick, romantic, hot, and adventurous stories that my dad enjoyed, try DRAGON BITES. This book contains three of my dragon-shifter novellas.

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