This is me.
I put empty milk containers back in the fridge.
I throw gum wrappers behind the couch.
I resist laundry until it smells.
I don’t roll the toothpaste tube from the bottom.
I eat all of the rice chex out of the Chex Mix.
And I use tomato sauce from a jar.
Meatballs!
Mini meatballs — bite-sized, one-bite wonders that are cute, easy, and surprisingly versatile. They’re perfect served with pasta, tucked into toasted wheat buns, or topped with melty provolone and broiled until golden. These small meatballs deliver big flavor with minimal fuss.
Bite Size Baked Meatballs
Makes about 30–40 mini meatballs
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup Romano cheese, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 3 cups of your favorite pasta sauce
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, olive oil, Romano cheese, panko, minced garlic, dried basil, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. Gently mix with your hands until just combined — overmixing will make the meatballs tough.
- Spray a large baking dish with non-stick spray and spread 2 cups of pasta sauce across the bottom.
- Form the mixture into mini meatballs, about a tablespoon each, and place them directly into the sauce in the baking dish.
- When all the meatballs are arranged, sprinkle a little extra grated cheese and a light dusting of breadcrumbs on top if desired.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve with the remaining sauce or extra on the side.
One more confession: I don’t clean as often as I should. But around here, that’s probably obvious.