mexican meatballs

Yesterday for dinner I made Mexican Meatballs. I have made this over the years dozens of times. It was always a family favorite and I thought that for some of you it could be too. It's really quite quick to make, either making the meatballs ahead of time and adding the sauce just before baking or else putting it together all at once. I would say it would be a total of a half hour to make.
I guess I've watched a lot of cooking shows in my time and one of the really good ideas that I've picked up is making meatballs with a ice cream scoop. I prefer a scoop not too big, so that there is more sauce with each meatball.
The other trick that I've discovered and not I can't live without is parchment paper. It just makes clean up a breeze. After the meatballs have finished baking, I just fold the paper and the drippings together, throw the paper in the trash and give the pan a quick wash.

The sauce ingredients are so simple. If you don't have tex mex cheese, don't fret, I've used cheddar that I've grated myself for most of the years that I've made it. Now I'm just getting a bit lazy and I like the added zip of the tex mex cheese. I also usually add more salsa because we like it zippier.
After you put the dish together you have an hour to make some rice. At this point I start some brown rice. We only eat brown rice now. We like its chewy texture and it is just so much healthier. Really once the sauce is on, no one would miss white rice if that is what you are used to.
Terrence and Bea stopped in just before we were ready to eat and so I quickly put a few extra plates out. This dish can easily be doubled and put one casserole of it in the freezer. The plate you are looking at is Bea's. We were already eating and I said "Oh Shoot, I wanted a picture, don't eat yet . . who has the best looking plate?" Bea did. They all laughed at me. That's OK. I'm getting quite accustomed to that. She wanted to fix it up a bit, I should have let her. What is her steamed broccoli doing on top of her peas?
We like a bit of sauce on top of some tortilla chips and the guacamole is there because we like that with the chips.

Mexican Meatballs
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 small chopped onion
1 clove garlic minced (or more if you like garlic)
a small handful of parsley . . . chopped (I've often used dried)
1 tbsp. taco seasoning (add more if you'd like it spicier)
1 egg
Mix the meatball ingredients together. Make small meatballs and bake at 400 for 15 minutes.
Put the meatballs, (not the drippings) into a casserole dish and cover with the sauce.
1 can Tomato soup
1 can of Mushroom soup
1 to 1 1/2 cups of taco sauce depending on how hot you like it
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups of grated cheddar or tex mex cheese.
Add to the casserole and bake at 350 for an hour.
This recipe can be varied according to your family's taste.
Well, I'm off for my 30 minute walk.


Comments

  1. It looks very tastey Lovella and really easy to make too...I'll have to see what I can do sometime...today I'm just relaxing, preparing for my interview...AW! I'm so nervous, because I'm so excited! And I replied your comment over there at my blog, just so you know...I love the touches you have made to your sidebar too...so pretty and so inviting~

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  2. Hi Lovella. You gave me this recipe probably 15 years ago and my family and I and a lot of my friends make it quite regularly. Eight years ago I even put it in our church's 70th anniversary cookbook. It is a great tasting, easy recipe and everyone loves it, kids and all. Thank you. I have always thought your recipes and your cooking are wonderful. Keep up the good work.

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  3. Yummers! I love Mexican Food. I will definitely try this recipe. I have always loved your cooking and baking. I always feel like I'm at a fancy restaurant when we have dinner at your place. And your baking is always better than store bought! Well, have a great day! Got your dress cut out yet??

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  4. Oh fercryinoutloud...now Canada's doing up Tex-Mex grub!

    Look, I took a graduate school level class entitled "Cultural Aspects of Food", and there were several lovely Canadian recipes cited as cultural examples of your regional cooking:

    "Hugger-in-the- Buff",
    "MapleSyrupDumplings",
    "Tourtiere",
    "Vinegar Pie".
    "Blueberry (everything...)" and "Butter Tarts".

    That didn't sound like a very balanced diet to me, but between the tarts and all that hugging, it certainly raised my curiousity about what really went on in the kitchens up there.

    Please, pretty please...will you make and show how a real Canadian makes "Hugger-in-the-buff"?
    (just show the food though, let's keep this site family friendly!)

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  5. I can smell this from my house! But I read one of your older posts and now I'm thinking of tuna sandwiches! That mother-in-law on the computer was funny...

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  6. I'm changing over to your denomination: I'm converting to Rounders.
    You've inspired me! I love the favorite things and pictures on the side. Pictures were not an option before. Hope you don't mind me reflecting some of your inspiration in my design.

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  7. What I can't figure out is what is on the first plate? Kathy

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  8. Corrinne, thank you, wow . .I had put it in our church cookbook at one time too.
    Lori, yup the dress is cut out. We went to a funeral today so that is as far as I got.
    Jill, those dishes sound very interesting. I only know about Blueberry . . everything, (we are surrounded by blueberries) and Butter Tarts, yummy.
    Kathy, the first picture is the meatball mix.

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  9. And you would post this, when all I've had is some green beans since three..mmmmmm

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  10. mmm, that looks good. The words, simple and quick appeal to me when trying to think of dinners.
    The dinner time rush as I call it, I need to be more organized with my ingredients, and possibly meal planning.
    Thanks for the tips!

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  11. Thank you for the complement! I certainly do hope I made her special day even that much more special. I enjoy your blog! Laura

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  12. There's another recipe I'd like to try soon. I love new dishes and anything easy is even better. (I have an extremely picky hubby who is a chef (retired now he says) So I love new ideas!

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  13. These meatballs look very good! I am definitely bookmarking your blog! Thanks for posting.

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