Aunt Marie's Meatballs

When we host the Buckley family for a party, I like to use my crockpot for a dish. Not too long ago, I made meatballs in marinara sauce. Jenny's Aunt Marie suggested another sauce recipe for crockpot meatballs. This year for Easter, I decided to give Aunt Marie's meatballs a try. These meatballs were a hit. The sauce is a bit like a sweet and sour sauce. The meatballs work as a great addition to the family buffet or could serve as an appetizer or easy dinner.

Aunt Marie's Meatballs 

• 38 ounce bag frozen Italian Meatballs
• 8 ounce Russian or French Salad Dressing
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 12 ounces apricot preserves

Place all ingredients in a crockpot. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours. While cooking, mix occasionally to keep meatballs covered with sauce. Enjoy!

Protein Balls

Recently, Rich and Christen hosted a family party for the kids' birthdays. They served these Protein Balls, which are meatless and delicious. So this year for Easter, I made the Protein Balls. They were a hit. And this Easter we had great weather and a visit from Noah's fire truck.

The Protein Balls are quite simple to make. The ingredients can be mixed and the balls formed in advance, then just refrigerate them until ready to bake. The recipe calls for the sauce to be put on the balls while baking, but it is not necessary, especially when some kids prefer having the protein balls with ketchup, instead of the fancy sauce. The meatballs would also be great with BBQ sauce or mustard. Also, as a shortcut, I used onion powder and garlic powder, which worked out fine.

Protein Balls 

• 1 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup ground walnuts
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 finely chopped onion
• 1/2 Tbsp. sage
• 3/4 cup grated cheese
• 1 1/2 pressed garlic clove
• 1/8 cup minced parsley
• 4 eggs

Mix together all ingredients. Form into walnut-sized balls and place on baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, turning the meatballs at least once. If desired, cover with sauce halfway through the baking process or serve sauce on the side.

Sauce

• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 3/4 cup apricot jam
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. grated onion
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 3-4 drops hot sauce

Mix together all ingredients. Refrigerate sauce until ready to use. 

Country Fried Steak

This recipe makes a hearty and delicious meal. Country Fried Steak is an American version of schnitzel, in which the meat is breaded and pan fried. Then, for the American version, the pan drippings are used to make the milk gravy. This recipe is easy to make but does take a bit more time. Because it simmers for an hour, it is good to make when you can get it started, take care of something else, then get back to it to finish it.

When I made this recipe, I pounded the steak a bit to make in thinner, but this recipe works fine with a thicker cut of steak. Also, my gravy turned out a bit thicker than usual, probably because I used too much flour in the gravy. You can add more seasonings to the gravy, such as paprika, chili powder, or garlic powder.

Country Fried Steak 

• 1 pound boneless round steak
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 c. oil
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 1/2 cup milk

Cut steak into four pieces. Coat with flour, salt, and pepper. Dip steak into egg, then into the seasoned flour (reserve remaining flour). Heat oil in skillet over medium heat; brown steak on both sides. Add water and onion, cover; simmer for one hour. Drain excess fat. To make gravy, remove steak from skillet, add 1/4 cup seasoned flour with milk. Stir until mixture comes to a boil; continue stirring until gravy is thickened. Serve gravy over steak. Enjoy!