If you’re a busy mom (or dad) like we all are, or someone who likes to do their food-prep ahead of time, then this is a great recipe for you. It seems like these days there are so many sporting events and meetings that if I waited until we all got home to start dinner….well, let’s just say we might as well eat in our pajamas. One of the things that I’ve found helps a lot is to pre-prep as many of our meals as I can over the weekend. This recipe is one of my favorites because it makes so many meatballs that can be used in a variety of ways. Our favorite way to eat them is with a special semi-homemade barbecue sauce (I’ll include that recipe), but I also leave some dry and freeze them to use for spaghetti or meatball subs — or any other way you’d like them! ~Tracy
Meatball Ingredients:
- 2 ½ lbs. extra lean hamburger meat
- 1 lb. breakfast sausage (Use turkey sausage for Weight Watchers.)
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 c. quick cook oatmeal
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 c. finely chopped onion
- 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
Meatball Instructions:
Mix all ingredients well and form into balls approximately the size of a golf ball (for recipe purposes I weighed meatballs in 1.5 oz. servings before cooking).
Bake meatballs at 350 for approx. 50 min. or until cooked through.
Barbecue Sauce Ingredients:
- 2 c. catsup
- 2 tsp. liquid smoke
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ½ c. finely chopped onion
- 1 c. brown sugar
- ½ bottled barbecue sauce (I prefer Head Country Original)
BBQ Sauce Instructions:
Mix all ingredients in sauce pan and simmer on low for approx. 15 minutes to melt the sugar and blend flavors. Spoon sauce over meatballs during last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking to caramelize sauce onto meat.
WW Freestyle Info.: Recipe makes approximately 70 meatballs (1.5 oz. each before cooking). Using extra lean (95/5) ground beef and turkey sausage, these meatballs are 2 points each (not including sauce).
Make Ahead Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatball Ingredients:
- • 2 ½ lbs. extra lean hamburger meat
- • 1 lb. breakfast sausage (Use turkey sausage for a healthier option.)
- • 2 tsp. chili powder
- • 1 tsp. garlic powder
- • 1 tsp. pepper
- • 1 tsp. salt
- • 2 c. quick cook oatmeal
- • 2 eggs, beaten
- • 1 c. finely chopped onion
- • 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
Barbecue Sauce Ingredients:
- • 2 c. catsup
- • 2 tsp. liquid smoke
- • 1 tsp. garlic powder
- • ½ c. finely chopped onion
- • 1 c. brown sugar
- • ½ bottled barbecue sauce (I prefer Head Country Original)
Instructions
Meatball Instructions:
- Mix all ingredients well and form into balls approximately the size of a golf ball (for recipe purposes I weighed meatballs in 1.5 oz. servings before cooking).
- Bake meatballs at 350 for approx. 50 min. or until cooked through.
BBQ Sauce Instructions:
- Mix all ingredients in sauce pan and simmer on low for approx. 15 minutes to melt the sugar and blend flavors. Spoon sauce over meatballs during last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking to caramelize sauce onto meat.
Notes
WW Freestyle Info.: Recipe makes approximately 70 meatballs (1.5 oz. each before cooking). Using extra lean (95/5) ground beef and turkey sausage, these meatballs are 2 points each (not including sauce).