Friday, February 25, 2011

{FoodieFriday: Schweddy Balls}

Clearly I am not a food photographer

Go ahead....Google it...watch the video and laugh your butt off.  I giggle just writing it!!!  I giggled when I decided last night it’s what we will be calling my latest cooking creation.

Let me say up front….cooking is NOT my thing.  I occasionally create something I like and am proud of, but it’s not often.  Just ask the kids.  Like how some mom’s feel about laundry or cleaning the bathroom (which I don’t really mind), I mostly feel about cooking….and food shopping (I order from a menu really well though!!)…it’s tedious and after a few weeks of “being good” and cooking things at home, I am burnt out and begging for there to be some kind of food fairy to feed my family.  The local restaurants generally become those food fairies for me, much to my pocket books chagrin.

Now that we have that clear…..LOL.

On rare occasions I get it right……more often, other people get it right.  Either way, sometimes it’s worth sharing, so watch for occasional “food” posts from me.  Now, back to our Schweddy Balls<snicker>.

A long, long, long time ago I found a meatloaf recipe that has become one of a very few favorites around these parts.  One of our “comfort foods” (and after the month we have had, comfort was needed last night). On my side of the equation, it’s easy, takes few ingredients, and doesn’t take much time, but looks and tastes like it did.  On the family's side, all but Abby LOVE it.  As in, my children, since they were little, ASK for it.  Meatloaf being requested is not normal!! 

(As a side note, Abby doesn’t really eat red meat….and does not “do” sauce….and thinks the idea of sweet & meat in the same sentence is disgusting, thus her lack of interest in this particular dish)

Let me start with, this will work in a traditional way too….as in forming the meat into a loaf pan and making it look like “meatloaf”, however, it takes a little longer to cook this way (1 hour, 10 minutes or so) and well, last night I was in a hurry and I thought maybe shaped into meat balls would cook more quickly, which it did, which made me happy.

Schweddy Balls
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
Feeds: 3-4

Ingredients:
1 pound of lean Ground Beef
1 package Onion Soup Mix
¼  Red Onion, chopped
1/3 cup Milk
1 Egg

6 tbsp Brown Sugar
6 tbsp Catsup
3 tbsp mustard

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix meat, onion soup mix, onion, milk and egg together. (Note: if it’s not sticking together well, you can add some bread crumbs to firm things up).  Shape into good sized meatballs (should make about 9) and place in a shallow cooking dish.

Mix the remaining ingredients together and spoon over the meatballs.

Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes (until meat is cooked through).

Mmmmmmm….so good!!!

(Note: If your doing this in the old fashioned way, once you have formed the meat in the loaf pan, I have found that if I make indentions about half way down the pan side in the meat, as well as a dip down the middle of the loaf, the sauce gets to more of the meat. I have also found that doing it in the loaf pan, there is more fat that needs to be drained off before you remove the meat from the pan.  Mostly the sauce stays put while I drain it off and if nothing else, it “looks” prettier this way.  Finally, done this way, I like to put a bit of catsup on the slices once they are on the plate, just for a tad more moisture/flavor….did NOT have to do this with the meat balls though!!)

We like to have mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli with ours.  By the way, if you have not tried the Ziploc Zip ‘n Steam Bags, your missing out….these things are awesome!!! 
Now if only they'd pay me for the plug
Steamed Broccoli (using Ziploc Zip ‘n Steam Bags)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes (microwave)
Feeds: 4-5

Need:
1 Large Ziploc Zip ‘n Steam Bag
1 bunch broccoli
3 tbsp Margarine
3-4 shakes of Lawry’s Season Salt

Clean and cut the broccoli heads off and place into steamer bag.  Add margarine and season salt. Microwave for 6 minutes.  DELICIOUS!!  Better yet, EASY!!

ENJOY!!! We sure did  J

Comfort achieved. 

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