Italian Meatballs

I had posted on Facebook that the hubby and I have instituted a new tradition: Crockpot Sunday!  It's pretty simple:  We throw dinner in the crockpot on Sunday morning before church.  By the time we get home from church, the kitchen smells absolutely fantastic!

I've been falling in love with cooking, and I very rarely leave recipes the way I find them.  I usually add or tweak at least one minor thing, and most of the time it still turns out great.

Here is the Italian meatball recipe we tried yesterday.  Enjoy!

(Adapted from "Betty Crocker Money Saving Meals)

Italian Meatballs with Marinara Sauce
 3/4 lb ground beef
3/4 lb ground pork (we actually used 1 1/2 lbs of beef and it worked just fine)
1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 jar (28 oz marinara sauce)

If you yell "ta-da!" like Meryl Streep in "Julie and Julia" when you finish chopping the onion, I'll totally be your friend :D.

Heat oven to 375.  Line 9 by 13 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.   In large bowl, mix all ingredients except marinara sauce, basil, and oregano.  Shape mixture into 1 1/2 in. balls.  Place in pan.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until no longer pink in center.

Place meatballs in 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker.  Poor marinara sauce over meatballs.  Add basil and oregano and stir gently.

Cover and cook on low heat setting 6 to 7 hours to blend and develop flavors.

Time saving trick: If you're trying to get the meatballs in the crockpot before going to church like we did, chop up the onion and garlic ahead of time.  I probably could have made it even quicker by cooking the meatballs the day before.

Love-Hate Update for Nov. 2nd '12

I know I've hit a new low for posting.  A lot's been happening.  Right now I'm not really sure how much to share publicly, so I'm erring on the side of caution on this one.  I'll share more as I feel led to.  For now, I'll do another love-hate post.

Loves and hates for November 2nd:

Love:
-laughing with the hubby so hard it hurts

-our crazy lovable Esther, who has made it clear that her 11 years are not going to slow her down.  This week she has taken up howling at cars outside and spring-boarding off the furniture!

-coffee.  Need I say more? :p

-slowly learning that God is REALLY in control, and things REALLY work out even you haven't the faintest idea how

-my body is coping with stress much better than it used to
 
Hate:
-Dad got another low WBC count, which meant 50% strength for the chemo this week.  

-how everyone has the (Incredibly Mistaken) idea that non-smokers don't get lung cancer

-feeling like I don't really have enough time to fully address all of my complicated emotions about my dad having cancer

-Election season.  It's always infested with fear, judgment, paranoia, and cynicism.  Let's leave it at that.

Happy Friday, everyone!