We are in the final stretch of the school year and the calendar is packed with end of year activities - music and band concerts, soccer games, dance classes and recitals, graduation celebrations... you get the idea and may have a few more things to add to that list! While Eleanora has tired of the school lunch menu, she continues to make her weekly request for her favorite dinner of spaghetti and meatballs. In an earlier post (August 2016) I shared her favorite recipe for meatballs and how this recipe made it's way into my kitchen. With the number of end of school year activities and after school programs and sports listed on our family calendar, it is sometimes difficult to pull off a descent dinner that we can all sit down to enjoy.
Because this is such a busy time of year where we are tied up with so many things after school, Meg suggested I get out the slow cooker (or as I still call it, "the crock pot!"). I thought I would repost my meatball recipe with the option of using a slow cooker to make the meatballs. I typically don't use mine, but thought I would try it to cook up a batch of meatballs using my favorite recipe. I didn't change the recipe - just the way I prepared them. After a busy day and an afternoon of carpooling dancers around town, it was great to come home to dinner practically ready to put on the table. The results were great - Eleanora gave the meatballs two thumbs up! Thanks Meg for your suggestion to get out the slow cooker - it made our weeknight dinner time less of a hassle! Hopefully during the busy month of May you and your family can still take time to sit down to dinner together. I'm starting to come around to the idea of using the slow cooker more... who knows, I may have another recipe to share soon so be on the lookout!
And, if you are looking for more ideas on meatballs, you should check out the meatball guide on the awesome My King Cook blog by Olivia Rose! Quick & Easy Ways on How to Make Meatballs You Probably Didn't Know Exist - 2017 Edition (And 15 Best Meatballs Recipes) The tips on making your meatballs and options for cooking are great! And, so many different ways to make meatballs! We love the guide!
Eleanora’s Favorite Meatballs
This recipe was added to our dinner rotation when Eleanora was in pre-school. As the kids packed up at the end of the school day I would chat with the other parents. We definitely weren’t in the pick-up line sharing recipes, but we did throw out a few dinner ideas. Sarah is one of the parents that I will always remember – we spent a great deal of time at the park with the kids after school. She had a great sense of humor and helped me laugh at the trials and tribulations of a four year old. She wasn’t exactly a “Suzy homemaker” type, but after sharing that meatballs were her son Oliver’s favorite, she gave me her recipe for meatballs and it has been a weekly dinner in our house ever since! Eleanora doesn’t go to school with Oliver anymore and I don’t see Sarah often, but more often than not, when we mix up a batch of spaghetti and meatballs I think of Sarah and her great sense of humor and the fun days of chatting outside the preschool classroom and at Welles Park.
1 pound ground turkey
1 large egg – lightly beaten
¾ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (more for serving)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 garlic clove, cut in half (for slow cooker preparation)
1/3 cup chopped basil (or flat-leaf Italian parsley)
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix the above ingredients together until blended and shape mixture into one-inch balls.
1 tablespoon olive oil (not needed if using slow cooker)
1 - 24 ounce jar of your favorite marinara sauce (we LOVE Roa’s Marinara Sauce)
1 pound package of spaghetti or linguini
On the Stovetop:
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Swirl pan to cover bottom of pan with oil. Add meatballs to pan and cook 5 minutes turning with tongs to brown meatballs on all ‘sides.’ Add your favorite 24-ounce jar of marinara sauce, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer meatballs for 20-25 minutes.
or
In the Slow Cooker:
Using one garlic clove cut in half, rub the inside of a 6-quart slow cooker or larger with the cut sides of garlic and then discard garlic clove. Add the meatballs and your favorite 24-ounce jar of marinara sauce to the slow cooker. Stir gently to make sure the meatballs are covered by the sauce. Cook on low 4-6 hours. (You can brown the meatballs on the stovetop before adding to slow cooker following the steps above. If you decide to skip this step, the meatballs will be tender - and just as delicious!)
Prepare noodles according to package, reserving one cup of the pasta water. Drain noodles, place in large bowl and combine with meatballs and sauce. If sauce is thick you can add some of the pasta water to your liking. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
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