Into the recipe box -Meatballs

Into the family recipe box... Meatballs!

A classic recipe that is a staple for our family's Christmas Eve and New Year Eve parties. It seems like a different person would make them each year, but they are always present. Below is the recipe that Grammie Vi had bookmarked, and it's the one I use. The only thing I've changed is that I added a few more steps to the cooking process to make the meatballs more crisp.

Meatballs

1 Lb. ground Hamburger
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tbsp. Onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, beaten

You will also need:
Spaghetti sauce (26 oz. can)
Shortening
Skillet
Parchment or wax paper
Baking pan
Crockpot

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

-Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Using your hands is by far the easiest and most practical way to make sure all the ingredients are thoroughly integrated.

-Form the mixture into balls approx 1" round. Place formed meatballs onto parchment paper.

-Heat up enough shortening in your skillet to cover pan about 1/4" deep.

-Place meatballs in skillet, working clockwise (so you remember which ones you put in 1st). Try not to overcrowd your pan. Basically; by the time you place in your last meatball, it's time to turn over your next [continuing in order of clockwise placement]. Keep rotating meatballs as needed to brown on all sides. You are not looking to cook the meatballs, but just to brown them evenly for a crispy skin.

-Place browned meatballs in baking pan. You will most likely have to do 2-3 batches of meatballs in the skillet to finish them all.

-Bake browned meatballs at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

-Put spaghetti sauce in crock pot, warm on low while meatballs are cooking.

-Take meatballs out of oven when done, and stir into crock pot. Cook on low for 2 hours before serving, or for 1 hour on high.

Feel free to jazz up this recipe -this is just Grammie Vi's basic no-fail recipe. Other additions that work well are using 1/2 lb ground hamburger and 1/2 lb ground pork instead of just hamburger, fresh parsley (finely chopped), and grated parmigiana cheese into the meat mixture. You will notice in the top picture of ingredients, I added the parsley and parm cheese into this latest batch.

I hope y'all enjoy!