Mini Meal Plans use the leftover main ingredient from one night's dinner to make an entirely different dinner another night. The Mini Meal Plan provides you the tools to formulate a personalized meal plan that works for you and your family. You get not one, but two delicious dinners from the effort of one night's cooking. Visit the more than 40 other great Mini Meal Plan recipes at Mini Meal Plan: Cook Once.... Eat Twice.
What’s great about delicious meatballs is that kids and adults alike love the round flavorful, sauce-dripping meat. What makes meatballs so popular? Is it their playful shape, they way they trap in steaming warmth, or just the goodness of the flavor pairing of meat and tomatoes? Whatever it is, meatballs are one of life’s comfort foods. Often served with spaghetti, meatballs are a staple on Italian and traditional contemporary menus alike. One way that meatballs are overlooked for their utility is in sandwiches. A hearty meatball sandwich covers the four food groups, is satisfying to even the largest of appetites and with this meal plan, leaves enough left over so that you can enjoy a wonderful baked pasta another night with little or no effort.
Meal 1: Meatball Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 4 large hoagie-style rolls
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 slices firm bread crumbled
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 can tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 4 slices mozzarella cheese
Directions:
- Soak bread in milk until softened. Squeeze out excess milk.
- Add egg and ¼ Parmesan cheese, 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir.
- Add ground beef, and using a tablespoon, form into approximately 16 small meatballs.
- Heat oil in deep skillet. Cook in batches 8 minutes each until browned well on all sides.
- Remove meatballs from skillet.
- Discard all but approximately 2 tablespoons of fat from skillet. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, honey, remaining Italian seasoning, hot sauce and ½ cup water. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes.
- Return meatballs to skillet and cook, uncovered 15 minutes.
- Place 3 meatballs with sauce on each roll. Top each with one slice of Mozzarella cheese, and serve.
- Reserve remaining meatballs and sauce for Meal 2.
Meal 2: Baked Pasta with Meatballs
Ingredients
- Leftover meatballs, diced
- 8 oz. firm pasta such as rotini, macaroni or mostaccioli
- 8 oz. pasta sauce
- 5 oz. frozen and thawed, or fresh spinach
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- In medium-sized baking dish, pour half of sauce. Top with noodles, water, meatballs, and remaining sauce.
- Stir in spinach and Mozzarella cheese.
- Top with butter and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 30 minutes or until bubbly and cooked through.
