Cheeseburger Meatballs with "Special Sauce"

It’s been quite some time since I've been this jazzed about a recipe, but let me tell you about this new- turned-favorite meatball recipe. 

By now you've probably noticed I’m a sucker for meatballs.  So when we had a very lazy weekend at home, I took the opportunity to try yet another rendition.  This time, combining my love for meatballs with my love for hamburgers. 

Seriously – it’s like all the flavors of a Big Mac were combined into the perfectly moist little ball of burger and dipped into that infamous “secret sauce”.  You won’t even miss the bun.  And you know me, always using lean ground turkey in place of beef.  Not this time: beef was what’s for dinner.  I used lean ground beef – a 95/5 split – and they were moist enough that the hubs requested the leftovers for lunch today (he usually steers clear of anything that might dry out when reheated).  And don’t shy away from chopping up that dill pickle for the mixture – it adds just the right balance of pickle-to-burger.

I’m telling you – these are not to miss.   In fact, I’m already dreaming up the variations on a theme – mushroom and swiss, [turkey] bacon and cheddar, pizza ([turkey] pepperoni, mozzarella, pizza sauce), and my personal favorite: cowboy (bbq fried onion)... the possibilities are endless.

Cheeseburger Meatballs with “Special Sauce”

Cheeseburger Meatballs with "Special Sauce"

What You Need for the Meatballs:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 package onion soup mix
• 1 dill pickle spear, chopped
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 egg
• 3/4 c panko bread crumbs
• 3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese

What You Need for the “Special Sauce”:

• 1/3 c mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 3/4 tsp onion powder

How You Do It:

1. In a large bowl, combine the beef, onion soup mix, chopped pickles, ketchup, garlic powder, and egg. Add the breadcrumbs and cheese and mix well. 
2. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet.
3. Bake at 375*F, 15-20 minutes, until cooked through.
4. While the meatballs bake, mix the ingredients for the sauce and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Cheeseburger Meatballs with "Special Sauce" recipe adapted from BakeYourDay.net

Cranberry-Pinot Noir Meatballs

Here’s a recipe that only lasted on my Pinterest board a mere 3 days before making it into the weekly plan.  And with two great football games on last night, meatballs were just the thing to have for dinner.  That, and they involved a bottle of wine, which is always a win in my book.

The original recipe would have been just four ingredients – meatballs, wine, cranberry sauce, and brown sugar, but I chose to make my own meatballs.  I just prefer to control the ingredients that go into them.  I’m sure the recipe would have been just as good if you used packaged meatballs, and honestly, would have taken only about 15 minutes to prepare the entire dish.  My version took about 30 minutes, 20 of which was all bake time, and the meal was still done in no time with little effort.

The sauce for these meatballs was a little sweet, with a nice balance of cranberry and wine.  I did thicken it a little just before adding the meatballs, since mine was a little thin… but I’ll leave that up to you.  And don’t forget – use a bottle of wine you wouldn't mind drinking… especially since the sauce only calls for 1 cup, there’s more than enough for a glass (or two) with dinner (or while making it!). 

I served this over rice with a side of broccoli – a standard combo when I make meatballs.  I love how the rice soaks up the sauce and how the broccoli adds that freshness and green.  Oh and mom: no need to double the sauce, there was more than enough…

Cranberry-Pinot Noir Meatballs

 

Cranberry-Pinot Noir Meatballs

What You Need:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 egg
• ½ c seasoned breadcrumbs
• 6 tbsp milk
• 3 tbsp dried minced onion
• 1 c Pinot Noir
• 1 (16 oz) can whole cranberry Sauce
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1 tsp deli (or spicy brown) mustard

How You Do It:

1. To make the meatballs, combine ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, and onion.  Mix until just combined.
2. Form into small balls and bake at 400* for 15 min or until cooked through.
3. While meatballs bake, in a saucepan combine cranberry sauce, brown sugar, Pinot Noir, and mustard. Whisk to combine over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes or until mixture has thickened, stirring frequently.
4. Remove from heat and add cooked meatballs.

Cranberry-Pinot Noir Meatballs adapted from Julie's Eats and Treats.

PB&J Meatballs

PB&J Meatballs?  One wouldn't normally think to combine these flavors - in fact, when my neighbor found this recipe in one of my cooking magazines on the coffee table, he too wasn't sold.  But I was intrigued.  Reminds me of that classic episode of Friends when Rachel makes the trifle and mistakenly combines two recipes: one for a dessert trifle, one for a Brittish meat version.

Joey:  I mean, what's not to like? Custard, good. Jam, good. Meat, good! 

So what's not to like? Peanut butter, good. Jelly, good. Meatballs, good!

The sauce comes out sticky and sweet, with a hint of teriyaki, peanut butter, and even the grape jelly.  I used chunky peanut butter because it's what we keep in the house and a low-sugar grape jelly to control some of the sweetness.  I also didn't have any regular teriyaki sauce in the house (I know, right?!), but I did have some island teriyaki, so I used that. 

Now, I know you're still not sold - who would actually try something like this?  Well, I would - and I'm not sorry.  

PB&J Meatballs

PB&J Meatballs

What You Need:

• 1/2 c grape jelly 
• 1/3 c teriyaki sauce
• 1/3 c peanut butter
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/4 tsp sriracha
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 package frozen turkey meatballs

How You Do It:

1. Combine all ingredients expect meatballs in a large skillet; whisk over medium-high heat until silky smooth.
2. Add meatballs (frozen); heat until bubbly, stirring frequently.
3. Simmer uncovered 15-20 minutes until meatballs are heated through.

PB&J Meatballs recipe adapted from a Target ad in one of my many food magazines.

Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs

Tonight brings you installment #2 of meatballs for the week.  And, the hubs and I deemed tonight's better than Tuesday's.  And the best part is, they were so easy, it's not even funny. 

Enter: slow cooker!

I literally dumped the meatballs into the slow cooker, topped them with two cans of soup, and set them on their merry little meatball way. 

That's it folks. 

Now, if you like your sauce a little thicker as I do, 30 minutes before you want to eat, crank the slow cooker up to high and whisk in a little corn starch.  Cover and while you boil some noodles to soak up the sauce, the slow cooker, once again, does the work.

Meatball Night #2: Success.

Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs

Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs

What You Need:

• 1 28-oz package frozen meatballs (I used these)
• 2 cans french onion soup (I used this)
• 1 tbsp corn starch

How You Do It:

1. Dump frozen meatballs into slow cooker.
   Top with soup (do not add water).
2. Set slow cooker to low for 4 hours (or high for 2 hours).
3. To thicken the sauce, whisk in corn starch 30 minutes before serving, set the slow cooker to high, and cover.

Slow Cooker French Onion Meatballs recipe adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff.

Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Basil Sauce with Fresh Mozzarella

I have come to really love meatballs.  And this week, I will try not one, but two new meatball recipes.  Tonight's recipe I found just a few days ago on Pinterest and it went right into rotation.  I had to try it - maybe because the photos on the blog where it was originally posted showed the melted cheese or maybe the red sauce or maybe, just maybe, the combination of all three.  Either way, I took to it tonight.

Let me start with the meatballs themselves.  I almost always use ground turkey when making my own meatballs.  Just healthier.  The uniqueness of these turkey meatballs comes in the seasonings - there is a distinct cumin flavor that really shines, and surprisingly makes the dish.  Don't skip the cumin.

Then there's the sauce.  Simple, five-ingredient sauce:  garlic (of course), red pepper flakes, a touch of oil, tomato sauce, and a little sugar to cut the acid.  Top it off with fresh mozzarella and fresh basil, and you've got yourself an awesome meatball dish, super easy to make in under 30 minutes, to satisfy your Italian/meatball fix.

Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Basil Sauce with Fresh Mozzarella

Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato
Basil Sauce with Fresh Mozzarella

What You Need for the Meatballs:

• 1 package ground turkey
• 2 eggs (I used the equivalent of two egg whites)
• 1/4 c seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, minced
• 1 tsp cumin (the secret ingredient!)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

What You Need for the Sauce:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 8-oz cans tomato sauce (I used no-salt added)
• 1 healthy pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp sugar (I used one packet of Splenda)
• Salt, to taste
• 6 oz fresh Bocconcini
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade

How You Do It:

1. Combine all ingredients for meatballs.  Using a 1-inch scooper, form meatballs and place on rimmed baking tray.  Bake 15 minutes at 400*.
2. While the meatballs are baking, add oil to a large saute pan.  Saute garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant, but without browning the garlic.  Add tomato sauce, sugar, and salt.  Turn heat to medium-low and simmer until meatballs are cooked.
3. Once meatballs are fully-cooked, add to sauce pan and turn to coat.  Scatter bocconcini throughout and cover until cheese is slightly melted.
4. Top with fresh basil.

Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Basil Sauce with Fresh Mozzarella recipe adapted from Alaska from Scratch.

Corey's Honey Garlic Meatballs

Well, it's been a while friends!  After a quick jaunt to Florida for a business conference (including soaking up the sun and hanging in the pool with my childhood BFF and her parents) and a week-long vacation back to Wisconsin to visit my family for Passover and a couple days away with the hubs in Baltimore, we're back at home, which means I'm back in the kitchen!

Not only are we back, but top on the cooking docket is my husband's favorite meal:  Honey Garlic Meatballs.  I'm not sure if it's the honey or the garlic or the meatball he likes best... but he sure does love these.  It's one of the few meals I make every-so-often. 

The sauce is sweet and tangy, combining garlic, honey, ketchup, and soy sauce.  Combine that with a basic meatball recipe (I suppose you could use store-bought, but to me, that's just cheating), and you have the perfect combo. 

Trust the hubs... they might become your favorite too!

Corey's Honey Garlic Meatballs

Corey's Honey Garlic Meatballs

What You Need:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1/2 c seasoned breadcrumbs
• 6 tbps milk
• 1 1/2 tbsp minced dried onion
• 1 egg (I used egg whites)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 3/4 c ketchup
• 1/2 c honey
• 1/4 c soy sauce

How You Do It:

1. Combine turkey, breadcrumbs, milk, onion, and egg.  Shape into 1-inch meatballs.  Place in a single layer on a jelly roll pan and bake  at 425* for 12-15 minutes.
2. While the meatballs cook, melt butter in a deep pan.  Add minced garlic and saute until tender.
3. Add ketchup, honey, and soy sauce.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until meatballs are cooked through.
4. Add meatballs to sauce and gently stir to combine.

Recipe adapted from my mom.

Chicken Parm Meatballs

Tonight's recipe was a winner.  How do I know?  It was the first time our friends' son tried my cooking and all he kept saying was "these are really good!"  He at three.  THREE!

I, too was happy.  I'd been meaning to try an adapted version of this one since I tore the page out of an old issue of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine (RIP), and was not disappointed.  While the original recipe requires frying the meatballs, I opted for baking them instead.  To achieve the crispiness, I simply lightly sprayed the meatballs with cooking spray - worked like a charm.

Cutting into the cooked meatballs, we were greeted with oozing cheese - what could be wrong?!  Top a pile of noodles with some sauce, a couple meatballs, and a sprinkle of parmesan, and you're good to go!

Thank you, Everyday Food, you will be missed...

Chicken Parm Meatballs

Chicken Parm Meatballs

What You Need:

• 2 lb ground chicken (I used turkey)
• 1 c. seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 c milk
• 25 bite-size balls fresh mozzarella
• 1 c panko breadcrumbs

How You Do It:

1. Combine ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, and milk in large bowl.
2. Separate into 25 balls.
3. Press mozzarella ball in middle and roll to cover.
4. Roll in panko and place on baking sheet.
5. Once all meatballs are stuffed and covered in panko, lightly spray with cooking spray.
6. Bake 25 minutes at 400* or until chicken is cooked through.

Chicken Parm Meatballs recipe adapted from Everyday Food Magazine.

Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs

One of my husband's favorite meals (which I must admit I don't make all that often due to my affinity for trying new recipes) is a meatball recipe.  Not your average meatballs-in-red-sauce recipe, but one with lots of garlic.  When I came across this one, I knew it would be a winner.  Garlic and ginger - two of our favorite flavors.  What could be wrong?!  So tonight, I gave it a try...

But before you read much further or try this one yourself, there is one thing you must remember when studying and/or trying any of the recipes I post:

I use a ton of garlic.  When a recipe calls for garlic, I usually at least double it.  So when you see the amount of garlic listed in the posts, the quantity is the actual amount I used, not what was originally sited.  Therefore, use the amount of garlic you like -- or go big and use what I do.  If you're anything like us, you won't be sorry!

Now then...

Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs

Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs


What You Need for the Meatballs:

• 1 1/4 lb. ground turkey
• 3 large clove garlic, minced
• 2 tsp fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup chopped Italian Parsley
• 1/2 tsp  ground allspice
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. panko breadcrumbs

What You Need for the Sauce:

• 2.5 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2.5 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sayce
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 tsp fresh ginger
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced

How You Do It:

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. Add all ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and, using your hands, mix to combine.  Using about 2 tbsp (or the amazing meatball shaper I got as a wedding gift) form meatballs and place on baking sheet.
3. Bake 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, whisk all sauce ingredients together in a saucepan.  Simmer until slightly thickened.
5. Once meatballs are cooked, place into saucepan and cover with sauce.  

Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs recipe adapted from Tracey's Culinary Adventures