Hand-rolled Meatballs

Store bought meatballs are easy and tasty, but have you looked at the ingredients? Yuck. So many additives and tons of fat. Most homemade meatballs are dense, greasy and tasteless because they are thrown together with ground chuck and a little seasoned salt. These meatballs are tender, flavorful and quite healthy. Be sure to grate the onion, even mincing finely upsets the texture.

Kids love to get their hands in the food, this is a great chance for them to "help" in the kitchen. Let them squish the meat and form the balls. Great with spaghetti (I prefer Gia Russa Whole Wheat Linguni from Sprouts) and on sandwiches. I love a good homemade marinara, but for quick prep check out Trader Joe's Tuscano Marinara, it's good stuff. You can freeze these after baking on a cookie sheet, once frozen place in a large Ziploc. They thaw quickly and reheat well.

What do your kids like to "help" with in the kitchen?

1 small onion, grated

1 large egg
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
8 ounces lean ground beef, bison or venison
1 cup cooked steel cut oats
1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

Whisk the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Mix in the beef, oats and bread crumbs. Using about 2 tablespoons of meat for each, shape the meat mixture into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
links; WFMW, Whole Foods for the Holidays