Meatballs For The Freezer

This recipe came from my grandmother many years ago and I love having a batch of these babies tucked away in the freezer for those nights when I have absolutely no idea what we are going to have for supper. My grandmother always made them as baked Barbecued Meatballs but the possibilities are truly endless! I have used them for spaghetti and meatballs, meatball sandwiches and have even baked them plain and dropped them into a big pot of vegetable soup.

 

Meatballs

 

3 pounds ground chuck

2 cups oatmeal

2 eggs

1 cup chopped onion

13-oz can evaporated milk

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

 

Mix well. Shape into balls (I use a cookie scoop). Place on a cookie sheet and freeze until firm. Package airtight in freezer bags or containers.

 

I used a combination of locally grown ground lamb and ground beef for this batch, adding some ground pork would be nice too. I also used my goat milk instead of canned milk.

Just take out however many meatballs you need for your meal, let them thaw, place in a baking dish and then top with your favorite sauce, or no sauce at all in the case of the meatballs for soup. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes until done. I also like the fact that there is no browning on the stovetop and all the mess that comes with it but you could use them that way too.

I like them the way Grandma used to make them the best, smothered in some slightly sweet homemade barbecue sauce and served with some macaroni and cheese and a nice salad or green vegetable. Yum!! :)

Linking up with Farmgirl Friday and What I Am Eating.

Soup

"There is nothing like soup. It is by nature eccentric; no two are ever alike - unless of course you get your soup in a can."

Laurie Colwin

 

I love making soup, it's such a satisfying process to take a few simple ingredients and end up with a hearty bowl full of warmth. I like using what I have on hand, this is why no two are ever alike! ;)

I made this Roasted Tomato Soup the other day using fresh tomatoes from my friend's greenhouse, frozen tomatoes from our garden, shallots and garlic from the Farmer's Market and served it with homemade Parmesan Thyme scones. This is my Dark Days Challenge meal for this week.

 

 

Then, a few days later, I had some spicy breakfast sausage to use up and some more shallots and garlic along with some kale from the Farmer's Market, so it became Sausage Potato soup with Kale. Yum!!

 

 

Finally, was a lovely vegetable soup with meatballs and pasta. This is one of those soups where you can use up whatever leftover vegetables you have in the fridge or, like I did, use some frozen mixed vegetables. I always keep good quality stock-in-a-box in the pantry this time of year for soup making. It has so much more flavor than canned broth and less sodium too. I also like to have my homemade meatballs in the freezer for quick and easy meals. I'll have to post the recipe for them, they are very versatile and can be used for everything from spaghetti to soup. As you can probably tell, the weather has finally cooled off here! LOL!!

 

I hope you get the chance to make some soup this week to warm someone's tummy and their heart, especially your own! :)

 

“To feel safe and warm on a cold wet night, all you really need is soup.”

Laurie Colwin