Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Porcupine Meatballs

This recipe is a big crowd pleaser. I love it because you can make it over the weekend, freeze it, then cook it during the week with practically no prep.


Ingredients:
  • 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey breast (90/10 or leaner)
  • 1/3 cup uncooked long-grain white rice or brown minute rice (plus extra rice and water to cook on the side to serve the meatballs over)
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • dash ground black pepper
  • 1 can condensed tomato soup
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 cup water
Directions:

1.   Combine the ground meat, rice, onion, 1/4 cup of the water, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

2.   Shape meat mixture into meatballs (with your hands or a scooper). If you want to make this ahead you can scoop the meatballs onto a lined cookie sheet, freeze and then put into a ziplock bag until you are ready to cook. Be sure to freeze separately then place in a freezer safe zip lock bag or your meat balls will become a meat blob.



3. Combine the soup, chili powder and water in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil.



4. Add meatballs, reduce heat, cover and simmer on low heat for 1 hour (even if the meatballs were frozen to start). Stir occassionally to keep meatballs from burning on the bottom. If you used instant rice, the meatballs are done cooking after 30 minutes. If you used white rice, the meatballs are done cooking after 60 minutes. The white rice needs the extra cooking time to become soft. If you pull the meatballs off early you will have cooked meat but crunchy rice.

 
5. Serve 2 meatballs with 1/2 cup brown rice and a large side of non-starchy vegetables. Enjoy!


Nutrition information per serving: 2 meatballs with ½ cup brown rice
Calories
Fat
Sat Fat
Sodium
Carbs
Fiber
Sugar
Protein
93/7 turkey   373
8
2
456
54
3
7
23
(91/7 -beef)   398
10
3
456
54
3
7
25


Cost of recipe (not including sales) – Costco, Walmart
 
Per serving
Entire Recipe
2 meatballs ½ cup brown rice
$0.81
$8.13
Green beans (1 cups)
$0.39
$3.90
Total
$1.20
$12.03