Italian Spinach Meatballs

Yet another recipes from Gina's site. I am always looking for new recipes & find myself spending hours on her site & writing up at least 5 new recipe cards. Here's the latest one that I tried and boy did it go over well!!! yum, yum, yum!!


1lb ground beef
1 Tbsp olive oil
10oz frozen spinach, thawed & drained
2 slices low point bread *I used both sides of a sandwich thin, it's what I had on hand
1 egg
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp parsley
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
s & p to taste

Wet bread & mash it up with your hands. Combine with beef, spinach, egg, garlic, parsley, grated cheese & s&p. Mix well. Using 1/4 cup measuring cup, measure meat & divide into 2 1/8 cup meatballs. Roll into ball.

Heat the oil in a pan on low. When hot, add meatballs & cook on low, turning often. When fully cooked blot on paper towel covered plate.

I then threw the meatballs into a small pot of sauce that I had simmering. When Brad text me he was on his way I cut up some italian bread, threw 5 meatballs on it, sprinkled it with fat free mozzarella cheese & baked it in the oven for 6 minutes. The awesomest meatball parm hero I've ever made. So good I'm wanting it again right now.


Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 260.3
Total Fat: 14.4 g
Cholesterol: 222.0 mg
Sodium: 317.2 mg
Total Carbs: 6.7 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.1 g
Protein: 26.6 g

**NI does NOT include: italian bread, sauce or mozzarella cheese**

Brad's Meat Sauce

1lb package of ground beef & pork mixture
3 shallots, minced
2 large cloves elephant garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 16oz can diced tomatoes, drained
4 16oz cans tomato sauce
4 small cans tomato paste
6 stems fresh basil, chopped
6 stems fresh oregano, chopped
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp crushed red pepper

Brown beef & pork in pot. Remove meat, leaving grease in pot. Add garlic & shallots to pot, along with olive oil. Cook until fragrant. Add diced tomatoes, stirring frequently. Return meat to pot. Turn heat up to high, to burn off excess liquid from meat & tomatoes at the same time, add the fresh oregano & fresh basil. Lower heat to medium, add cans of sauce & paste. Stir in sugar, garlic powder & crushed red pepper. Simmer on low for no less than an hour.

We served this over raviolis, with a caprese salad & Italian bread.

Pizza

1 roll Pillsbury Pizza Crust
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1/2lb fat free shredded mozzarella
turkey pepperoni
1/2 cup mushrooms

Sprinkle cornmeal on baking sheet/pizza stone.
Roll out pizza crust onto sheet/stone.
Spoon sauce over crust. Sprinkle with cheese. Spread toppings.
Bake according to directions on package.

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

9 lasagna noodles, cooked
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
15oz part skim ricotta
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
32oz tomato sauce
9 tablespoons fat free mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Combine spinach, ricotta, parmesan, & egg(with a little salt & pepper to your liking) in a medium bowl. Ladle 1 cup of sauce onto bottom of 9x13 dish.

Place wax paper on counter & lay out lasagna noodles (dry). spoon ricotta mixture & spread evenly on noodle. Roll carefully and place seam down in dish. Ladle sauce over noodles and top each with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese. Cover dish with foil & bake 40 mins.

1 roll = 4pts.