Adventures in all things food: Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Remember Hungry Man Dinners? ... okay, I know Hungry Man is still locked and loaded in the freezer aisle, but I mean, do you ever remember eating them?

As a kid I remember how amazed I was when on a sleepover my friend's Mom took us to the grocery store and let us each pick out our favorite TV dinner. I had them at home before, on a rare occaision, but this was hyped up with so much excitement that you would have thought we were having a fancy 7 course meal. ...Or, 5 compartment meal is it was.

Sadly, I don't think I have ever had Salisbury steak outside of a frozen pre-made dinner. But, I do remember it kinda tasted good...

Now I am all grown up and worry more about what goes into my mouth. That is the primary reason why I love cooking from scratch - my choices, my kitchen.

The Secret Recipe Club has taken me and my taste buds all over with recipes from so many diverse blogs. This month it took me to a new site, that was also sort of familiar. I was given Michaela's blog An Affair From the Heart. I haven't cooked from her site before, but she made my Peanut M&M Peanut Butter Pie recipe last month for the club monthly post. This month, I get to return the favor.

Since I cook and bake within season choosing is usually pretty easy. This month was a first. I had to ask my husband to intervene and choose. I couldn't do it. I agonized over the choices and finally came down to her Strawberry Sour Cream Bars and the Salisbury Steak Meatballs. My husband's answer was instantaneous. "Make them both".

So I will.

But today I am sharing this one because I just love meatballs and this will definately be in the rotation to make regularly.

And it will save you from only ever eating Salisbury Steak in a Hungry Man TV Dinner.

You are welcome.

So a little dish about my assigned blog and the creative cook behind it - Michaela is a Stay-at-Home Mom of 4 who believes in sitting down to eat together as a family. Yes, I immediately felt drawn to her because her passion seems to be fueled by a desire to cook and share with her own family. And isn't that the secreat ingredient to home cooking?

So, she hooked me into this meal with the Salisbury Steak & meatball part. Of course I must have read the instructions 3 times looking for the eggs. What no eggs? I kept thinking, no binder? Well, they do end up being a pretty tender meatball. Held together with just a little sear... and then simmered in all the deep brown juices...

I like to make my meatballs with a cookie scoop... that way I can get them all uniform.

Brown those little beauties up and then get started sweating down the onions and mushrooms for the brown gravy.

The meatballs get tender after simmering away in the gravy. It is a savory marriage made in heaven.

Salisbury Steak Meatballs
recipe courtesy of An Affair from the Heart

You Will Need:

2 lbs. ground beef
2/3 c. breadcrumbs
2 tsp. ground mustard
2 tsp. beef bullion granuals
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp. ketchup
salt and pepper to taste

1 medium onion, thinly sliced
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
32 oz. beef stock
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. Kitchen Bouqet
3 Tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in water
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients and season liberally with salt and pepper. Form into balls and brown in a cast iron skillet in batches with 1 tablespoon butter. Add more butter as necessary and be sure not to overcrowd the pan. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Start the gravy in the same pan you browned the meatballs. Add the onions and mushrooms and sweat them down till they are golden and tender. Then stir in the stock, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup. Let this simmer for 10 minutes and then add in the Kitchen Bouquet and cornstarch slurry. Stir constantly until the gravy begins to thicken, then add the meatballs back into the pan and simmer on low for 20 - 30 minutes.

Serve meatballs over mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles.

Enjoy!

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