I got my recipe for meatballs here (thank you Martha Stewart!), but I used 93% lean ground turkey in place of beef, and I omitted the bacon. I also baked the meatballs prior to freezing, so you can just drop them in the pot in the simmering sauce and let them heat through.
The sauce I had to wing because I didn't have everything on hand that I needed, so this is roughly what I did: saute diced onion and finely minced carrots (I used two large carrots) in olive oil, then I added two jars of Ragu (some kind of garden medley), and two 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes that I pulsed in the blender a little bit. Add some dried herbs (oregano and basil maybe?) and let simmer, covered, for a couple of hours. Sorry that was so vague, but it's been a couple of weeks and I don't really remember what I did. I'm a little embarrassed that I cheated and used Ragu, but it saved me from hauling two kids to the grocery store so it was worth it.
Pretty much anytime I'm making a tomato-based sauce, I add some diced carrot. Carrots last forever in the fridge, so I always have them on hand, plus it gives the sauce a light sweetness that is really good for you!
Martha Stewart Meatballs (will she hate me for calling them that?!?)
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 slices bacon (2 ounces) finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon plain dried breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
Directions
In a large bowl, combine beef, bacon, parsley, garlic, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Shape mixture into 40 meatballs. (For equal-size meatballs, scoop out meat mixture with a teaspoon, using two scoops for each meatball. Then roll between your palms to shape into balls.)
Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet or on two large plates. Freeze 1 hour. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight container or resealable plastic bag; label and date.
To use the meatballs straight from the freezer, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
