Meatballs

This recipe was originally "Matante’s Sweedish Meatballs" from Rob's aunt when Rob and I first got married....

- But I usually change the pork to beef (sometimes I use sausage for pork) 

- I often use dry minced onion (from food storage - b/c I don't have a real onion in the house)

- and I often put them on top of spaghetti rather than in mushroom gravy (although they are good that way too) - basically, this recipe is really flexible. :)

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork (or just use another lb of beef or lb of sausage)
½ cup chopped onion (or 1 T dry minced onion)
¾ cup seasoned bread crumbs (sometimes I use plain)
1 T parsley
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
½ cup milk
          Mushroom gravy (several cans/jars/packets) - only if making Swedish meatballs

Mix all ingredients. Shape into balls. (I use a cookie scoop and sometimes I don't roll them all pretty - I just plop them out on the pan). I made them pretty today - because I had time and because I wanted to take a picture. (Note - 3 year olds do not roll meatballs very well)

 Put on cookie sheet (line it with aluminum foil for easier clean up - it'll still get grease under the foil so you need a quick wash with dawn, but you don't have to scrub off the little meat residue circles).

And bake for 20 minutes at 350°.

For Swedish meatballs, put meatballs in a large pot with 2 (at least - I needed about 3-4) cans mushroom gravy. Warm and voila!

For spaghetti w/ meatballs, you can put them into your sauce as it simmers or let each person put a few on top. (good way to appease the meat-lovers and meat-haters who sit at the same table.
(I put them in the crock pot this time while the spaghetti sauce cooked and although it did seem like the simmering weakened them, they didn't just fall apart like I thought they would.)