Christmas Meatballs and Noodles in Spicy Cream Sauce

MEAT BALLS

2 eggs

⅓ c heavy cream

1 t ground pepper

1 T Sicilian seasoning

2 T A-1 or Worcestershire Sauce

1 c Italian Panko breadcrumbs

½ c purple shallot - minced

½ c fresh parsley - minced

1# ground turkey

1# ground beef

Combine everything in a large glass bowl.  Using a tablespoon size scoop, shape into 48 meatballs.  Bake on parchment lined baking sheets for 30 minutes at 350⁰ or until sizzling and browned.  Meanwhile, cook 12 oz. of wide egg noodles.  When they're about ⅔ done, drain and rinse in cold water until they're completely chilled.  Drain and shake to remove the water.

ARRABBIATA CREAM SAUCE

1 c Arrabbiata pasta sauce

1 c sour cream or a mix of

~ sour cream and heavy cream

¼ c fresh parsley - minced

½ c fresh grated Parmesan cheese

TOP WITH

½ c fresh grated Parmesan cheese

¼ c fresh parsley - minced

Put the cold, drained noodles in a roasting pan and mix with half the sauce.  Sprinkle with half the Parmesan, add half the meatballs and gently mix.

Repeat this layers then top with the remaining chopped parsley.  Heat covered, at 300⁰ for 20 minutes.

💝 Merry Christmas Everyone 💝. . . Lin

BIG Ajvar Meatballs

1½# lean ground beef

1# mild pork sausage

1 lg. onion - chopped

1c quick cook oats

1c Ajvar pepper sauce

2 lg. eggs

1t salt

1t black and red pepper

1t Penzey's Shallot Pepper

This started out as meatloaves.  Then as I was thinking of the people I often cook for, after having thawed the beef and pork, I realized none of them are crazy about meatloaf!  I also found myself mixing the ingredients, singing an old song from the early 1950's. . ."One Meatball"  That's when this morphed into BIG meatballs, that I can freeze and keep, or give away just a few at a time, rather than a whole meatloaf.  Bake these at 350° for 45-60 minutes.

Adding in the approximate weight of all the ingredients, these meatballs each weigh between 3-4oz.  I'll freeze them, then take out one or possibly two, at a time.  Heat them and serve over pasta, with sauce, or just chop them up and have them with vegetables for a quick and easy dinner.  Good pasta or vegetables,  sometimes all you need for dinner is One Meatball! . . . Lin

Meatballs on Spinach Pasta (with a creamy tomato sauce)

1# - 12 meatballs - purchased or homemade

1/4 lg. purple onion - chopped

2 carrots - grated

1/3 poblano pepper - chopped

3 lg. cloves of garlic - minced

2T butter

28oz. can crushed tomatoes

8-10oz. fresh kale or frozen spinach - chopped

1t sugar  +  1T± *Rosemary Seasoning - recipe

a splash of good dark balsamic vinegar

8oz. spinach linguine or fettuccine

4oz Neufchatel cheese (or cream cheese)

(tomato pesto is shown but wasn't used)

Assemble the meatballs from a favorite recipe, or, like I did buy some that look good to you.  Bake them until about 3/4 done.  Meanwhile prepare the sauce in a heavy-bottomed 3qt. pot.  Sauté the onion, carrot, pepper and garlic in the butter.  When fragrant and the onions are translucent, add the next 4 ingredients.  *Italian seasonings can be substituted.  Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.  Turn off heat and after about 10 minutes, stir in the cheese and meatballs.  These can be left whole or cut in halves or quarters.  Fill a large pot halfway with water, cook pasta until al dente, about 3/4 done.  Drain, then put the pasta in the bottom of a 9"x13" glass pan, or a small covered porcelain roasting pan.  Pour meatballs and sauce over the top of this, spreading the meatballs out to cover the pasta evenly.  Bake at 325° for 20 minutes before serving. . .Lin