Meatball Question

I would use them this week.
Meatball subs with provolone cheese?
Meatballs with brown gravy & egg noodles?

Meatball subs with mozzarella or provolone on top. YUMMY! But use those meatballs in the next day or two. If not toss them

You can freeze them again. Taste one. If it tastes good you can refreeze them. In a cold freezer, the meat balls will last for years if they are tightly sealed.

What can you do with them?
chili, soup, stew, hoggies/subs, sliced and placed on pizza, sliced or crushed and spiced for tacos, enchiladas

Your imagination is the only limitation.

I think they are good for a couple of months in the freezer (particularly if you can put them away from the freezer door).

I've made meatball stew in the slow cooker before, and that was yummy. I used this recipe:
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/meatball-stew/Detail.aspx

We also make hoagies with them--slice & toast the rolls, then add warm marinara sauce, warmed meatballs & a slice of provolone or mozzarella and broil or toast again.

I've also heard of (but haven't tried yet, though they sound good):
Meatball stroganoff (sp?)
Meatball stromboli

Have fun eating those yummy meatballs

throw some ragu on them and make meatball sandwiches topped with some mozzarella. Make a pot of soup and throw the balls in long enough to heat up without falling apart at the end. Or just fry them up in a tad of olive oild and stick toothpicks in them and dip them into whatever you want.

I forgot they've been thawed since Sunday and today is Thursday. They are probably ok, give them a smell... if they stink---toss. 4 days is usually about the limit on anything that has been thawed out.

Soup. Rachael Ray has a really good meatball soup on the food network site, just go into www.foodtv.com and look her up then put in for meatball and it will come up. I have also made meatball soup with potatoes and carrots. For the bases, I use powdered chicken broth, tomatoes, garlic, onion, italian seasoning (basil, oregano, rosemary), bay leaves. Put them all in a pot of water. Once they are cooked, put them in a blender and grind up. Then add any additional water you would need, meatballs and veggies. Then adjust the taste with more garlic or broth.

meatball sub sandwiches; not sure how long they will last, but if they were mine I'd eat them today or throw them out by tomorrow

We used to put them in a crockpot with Teriyaki sauce and serve over steamed rice. Yummy!

we make a mock swedish meatball dish just using buttered egg noodles and a can of cream of mushroom soup poured over the top of the meatballs...we serve with rolls and grape jelly and usually peas. Quick and easy!

I thought that once something was frozen then cooked or thawed you were NOT suppose to refreeze it. That is what I have been told do others agree or is that not true?

I make mini cheesy meatloafs they are about the size of your hand, let me know if you would like the recipe, private message ame. I will need to hunt it up. I think it is more cost effective this way and I know exactly what is in it, and good for you!

I like the idea to put cheese and pasta sauce on them sounds yummy to me.

Roasted garlic and Italian parsley cream sauce over spinach risotto.

I LOVE THIS RECIPE~ it is a sweet and sour meatball recipe and it is done in a slow cooker/crockpot:

1 Slow cooker liner (optional, i just spray the crockpot with PAM)
1 jar (9-10oz) your favorite sweet and sour sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 pounds frozen meatballs
1 medium red bell pepper, cubed (i use either green or red, depending on what is in the house)
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks ( i use tidbits), drained

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker and stir gently. Place lid on slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours ( i always do it on high for like an hour and then low or keep warm for like 2 hours and they are cooked, but i think our crockpot gets really hot) or until done.
Oh, and I try to gently stir the meatballs like every 45 min or hour if im home so that the ones on the bottom dont get too done and that way all the meatballs can get some of the goodies on them!

It is SO YUMMY and I just make some brown or white rice, depending on how much time i have, and serve with some green beans or something. It is so good and it is good leftover!~ I hope you try this, because you will LOVE it~

I LOVE meatball stew in the crockpot! So easy! I work full time, so we make this a lot b/c I can throw it all together in the mornings before we all leave the house and dinner is done when we all come home. House smells amazing! Delicious if you can stop on the way home and grab a fresh loaf of Panera's Italian bread!! YUMMMMMM I actually have all the stuff to make this at home! You inspired me! LOL =0)

Crockpot Meatball Stew

1 16 or 18oz package frozen italian style meatballs
1 16oz package frozen mixed vegetables
1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion (undrained)
1 12oz jar beef gravy (or mushroom gravy if you prefer)
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. dried, crushed basil

In crockpot, combine frozen meatballs and frozen vegetables. In medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients & then pour over meatballs & veggies in crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

***I usually double the above recipe for my family of 4. It's delicious heated up the next day as well. It makes for great leftovers!***

They work good in brown gravy mix, add a little allspice and a couple tablespoons of sour cream to the gravy mix, serve with noodles, it is wonderful and easy to make:)

Do NOT refreeze them. Just wanted to say that.

We love Sweet and Sour meatballs on a bed of steamed rice. Serve with a side of cooked mixed veggies, like mixing squash, zucchini, and carrots or some other favorite "in season" ones that are pretty and colorful. A really tasty salad complements the meal too if you don't want to do the mixed fresh steamed veggies.

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Here's my favorite meatball recipe. It's from the Lion House Recipes cookbook.

I usually cook the meatballs for a bit first so I can drain most of the fat off before adding the sauce so this should work well with yours that are already cooked, just don't cook as long, it would be just for getting the flavors into the meat and reheating them.

1 to 1 1/2 lbs. of Lean Ground Beef (I use cheap 70/30 meat from Wal-Mart)
3/4 C. Rolled Oats
2 Eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 C. Finely Chopped Onion (I buy the frozen chopped, no mess, or smell)
1.2 C. Milk
1 tsp. Salt
Few grains Pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

Combine all ingredients
Mix well
Form into about 12 balls, each about 2"
Place in casserole dish, cover with sauce and bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Makes 6-8 servings, 2 meatballs each.

Sauce:

1/2 C. Brown Sugar
1/4 C. Vinegar
1 tsp. Prepared Mustard (like French'st brand that goes on Hot Dogs)
1/4 C. Barbeque Sauce, I use a store brand I really like, whatever you like
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

Combine ingredients and blend thoroughly. Heat and pour over meatballs.

(I heat this on very low heat to melt the sugar. Stir constantly to keep it from burning. Brown sugar is flammable so just to gently heat it.)

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Oven Steamed Rice (from just about any regular cookbook)

2 C's boiling water to 1 cup white rice, NOT instant rice, real rice
1 tsp salt
(I have doubled this recipe and have tried it once tripled but like the consistency in my size dish to be no more than doubled. Just remember twice as much boiling liquid as dry rice, the salt helps the rice cook so don't leave it all out.)

I heat the water in the microwave in my Visions dutch oven or another Pyrex casserole dish. When it is really bubbling I pour the rice in, it will bubble vigorously, don't get burned with popping boiling bubbles.

I have the oven heated and pop the lid on the rice and put it in the oven with the meatballs.

Cook 30 - 35 minutes on 350 degrees F...do not open it, do not stir it, do not look at it....just kidding, it is cooking by steaming and opening it ruins it).

Remove from oven and fluff with a fork

This is the best meal...I just love it. Hope your family does too.

Depending on their size, I'd vote for Italian Wedding Soup.

I would search "meatballs" on a recipe site like Epicurious. I'm sure you'll find lots of things to do with them. Buon Appetito!