Get Ahead: Freezer Meatballs

My garden is just now starting to burst forth it's glorious bounty.  So my mind has totally gone off the PRESERVATION MODE deep-end.  I feel driven to put up as much food as I possibly can.  I just canned a whole bunch of marinara sauce. I'm anxiously waiting for more Romas to ripen so I can roast and freeze them.  I'm keeping an eye out for various salsa recipes that I could can as well.  I'm obsessed. Maybe I need therapy?

So is it any wonder that I'm thinking of Make Ahead meal options for my freezer too?  Just because I'm a stay-at-home mom now doesn't mean I don't need dinner on the table in under 20 minutes on occasion.

Freezer Meatballs
Recipe slightly adapted from Real Simple
Prep time: 10 minutes   Cook time: 10-15 minutes

3 slices sandwich bread, white or whole wheat, torn into large pieces
1/2 medium onion, cut into wedges
1/4-1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/2-3/4 cup fresh basil [You want about 1 cup total in fresh herbs; use what you like]
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 lbs lean ground beef or turkey
2 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.  Combine the bread, onion, herbs, and garlic in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped.  Transfer to a medium bowl, add the milk and Worcestershire sauce, and let stand for 5 minutes.

I love when my food processor does the work for me.

2.  Add the beef, eggs, 1 tbsp salt (yes, it's a lot but you're using TWO pounds of meat here), and 1 tsp pepper and gently combine.

Be careful not to over mix the meat.

3.  Scoop about two tablespoons worth of beef mixture into your hands and roll into a ball.  I used my cookie scoop (aka melon baller) to make this part easier and faster.

I sterilize my scoop in the dishwasher after such non-cookie uses.

TO COOK IMMEDIATELY: Place however many meatballs you're using on a foil-lined broiler pan and broil, turning once, until cooked through, 8-10 minutes.

A dollup of marinara sauce + cheese + favorite sandwich bread = GREAT meatball sandwich

TO FREEZE AND COOK LATER: Freeze the uncooked meatballs on a wax paper or parchment-lined baking sheet(s) until firm. Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months. To cook, broil the frozen meatballs as above, adding 2-4 minutes to the cooking time.  No thawing necessary!!!!

Ready to go for later!!

I cooked up 10 of these right away to eat as meatball sandwiches and then freeze the rest.  I have to say that it never ceases to amaze me how YUMMY simple recipes can be.  There are no weird ingredients here; just run-of-the-mill things you probably have on-hand.  And the fresh herbs? Using fresh will definitely make a difference but if it's the dead of winter and your grocery store is charging an arm and a leg for them, use a couple tablespoons of good quality dried ones.