Having decided that meatloaf just didn't seem to be the meal I wanted to remember as our last of 2008 I went to the store and picked up some Johnsonville sausage and a bit of ground pork. Channeling my inner 1970s hostess the meatballs began to cook I thought "it smells like a holiday." I remember my mom making mini italian meatballs (aka cocktail meatballs). She plunked them into a pan with onion soup mix and water to keep them moist and hot until we ate them (at the party, of course) with BBQ sauce. Delicious.
Here's my version... one based on her recipe whose origin I don't know. Mom? Where did the recipe come from? I guess: Auntie Weeza.
For a small batch (10-12 dozen)
1.5 lbs fresh ground beef
1 lb fresh ground pork
1 pkg sausage (mild; 5 Johnsonville size sausages)
1 pkg of Lipton Beefy Onion soup mix, dry
1/2 a container of Italian bread crumbs (I have no clue how much... a cup?)
2 eggs
Place all ingredients into the bowl and mix together thoroughly with your hands.
Roll into 1 inch balls
Place in 350 degree electric frying pan. Cook on one side until a 'crust' forms and they roll over easily to the uncooked side. You know it's time to turn them when the cooked color of the meat reaches about 1/3+ of the meatball. Roll them over and cook the other side. There is no timing here -- just cook them until they are 'done' and no longer pink. This is the one and only time I condone well done beef, but the pork and sausage are in there too thus I'm being safe.
Drain on a paper towel (or paper grocery bag). Put into a serving dish. Eat with a toothpick.
These freeze FABULOUSLY and the meat comes together in triple, or more, easily. I like to do a big batch 5 lbs each meat and then freeze them. (Hey, my hands are gooky with meat, might as well keep going, they don't take long and kids find rolling meatballs to be fun.)
These mighty bites make great meatball subs, go well in spaghetti sauce, or go easily onto a pan next to the pizza rolls when someone has the late night munchies (I won't say who...)
