Who Doesn't Like a Meatball?

I’ve got copious amounts of meatball recipes. I may just be a meatball addict! But, you have to admit they are easy to make and fun to switch up. For the picky eaters out there and those with young kids, I have a question. How many of you love spaghetti and meatballs? Or perhaps a good meatball sandwich? Well, here’s your chance to make a casserole with all the flavor of those yummy sandwiches and none of the mess.

If your time is limited, this is also a great go to recipe. Though I will include how to make the meatballs for it as part of the instructions, know that you could buy a bag of meatballs at the store and use them instead.

Meatball Sub Casserole

Ingredients:

1/3 c. chopped green onions     1/4 c. seasoned bread crumbs     3 tbsp. Parmesan

1 lb. ground beef     1 loaf Italian bread, cut in 1 inch slices

8 oz cream cheese softened     1/2 c. mayo (don’t use light or fat free)

1 tsp. Italian seasoning     2 c. mozzarella, divided

28 oz. spaghetti sauce     1 c. water     2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:

1. Combine onions, crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
2. Add beef and mix well.
3. Shape into 1 in. balls and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.
4. Arrange bread in single layer in an ungreased 9×13 pan.
5. Combine cream cheese, mayo, Italian seasoning and spread over bread.
6. Sprinkle with 1/2 c. mozzarella.
7. Combine sauce, water and garlic then add meatballs.
8. Pour over cheese mixture.
9. Sprinkle with rest of cheese.
10. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes or until heated through.

The other time saver on this goes hand in hand with a blog post in progress about making your own spaghetti sauce in bulk.  If you subscribe to that idea, you will always have meatballs and sauce on hand in the freezer, making this recipe even easier to get together when you’ve just had that superbly awful day and just want something warm and yummy in a jiffy!

Stay tuned in the next few weeks for my tips and tricks on spaghetti sauce. It’s a time investment but such a savings when you figure out how much a jar you pay at the store and end up doctoring it anyway to make it taste more like what you really like.

As always, have fun!