Recipe ~ Killer Meatballs + giveaway! (closed)
This giveaway is now closed. The winners are #19, #148, #159 and #163.
Please welcome my guest today, Kate of Teaching What Is Good.
I’m very excited to be guest posting on Organizing Junkie today! I’ve been a fan of Laura’s for over two years and have learned so much from her. I’ve also spent the last 43 years of my life learning in the kitchen. I started out learning from the best: my dad.
My dad was a great cook! My father would buzz home during his break at work when I got out of school and give instructions on supper for the evening. He’d tell me what things to try in different kinds of soups or sauces. This recipe is adapted from my dad’s experiments in making the best meatballs ever.
Killer Meatballs
2 28 oz cans tomato sauce
1 28 oz can tomato puree
1 5 oz can tomato paste
1 T oregano
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t crushed red pepper (I push more toward ½ t)
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Put all in a large pot, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour (or longer). Stir often and partially cover – it can get messy as it simmers.
Mix:
1 pound ground beef (you can use 1/2 beef & 1/2 pork if you prefer)
1/2 c (or more as need to bind together) Italian bread crumbs
1 egg
1 T oregano
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t crushed red pepper (again, I push it more toward ½ t)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Roll into walnut sized balls, roll in flour and drop into bubbling sauce. Partially cover (to help prevent spatters) and cook 3-4 hours at just simmering, stirring frequently to help prevent burning. Skim fat off the top before serving. Serve with al dente angel hair pasta. (Sauce thickens overnight and is often better the next day as the spices heat it up.)
Over the years I’ve also learned some things about frugal grocery shopping. I don’t use coupons (long story) but I do have 27 years of learning to live on a single income with a growing family. I recently put what I do into an e-book called Cut It Out! How I Feed My Family of 10 for $500 a Month Without Coupons. In it I teach how to build a price book (and include a downloadable template for you use and adapt for your own use), how to plan you meals and how to use the foods you already eat to begin to reduce the amount of money you spend at the grocery store. It is available for sale for $3.99 as a pdf, it is also available for the Kindle or the Nook.
Giveaway:
Laura has graciously allowed me to offer a FREE giveaway of my e-book to FOUR lucky entrants. Simply leave a comment on this post, prior to Tuesday, September 18, 2012 at 2:00 pm EST, to be entered. Four winners will be chosen at random using random.org.
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Kate Megill is a homeschooling mom who blogs at Teaching What Is Good and contributed to the e-book Apartment Gardening: A Practical Guide to Growing Vegetables in Small Places. Find her on Twitter at @teachwhatisgood, Facebook at /teachingwhatisgood and Pinterest at /mrsp31wannabe.
I feed a family of six on considerably more than that, and I would love to find out how to do things better! Would love to win this one!
These sound delicious and must make the house smell great. I would love this book to help look for ways to reduce my grocery bills as a single mom with 6 kids!
I would love to win this book! I am having a hard time keeping my grocery budget in check!
Sounds like a great book!
Ooooh this book would be a big help to me!
Bayleaf is always something I think about for sauce after I have cooked it. My mom always put a few in and I know it make the sauce taste great!
Sounds like an excellent book, count me in!
This recipe sounds delish! I am very curious about the book too. I am always looking to save on groceries and I’m terrible with coupons.
Sounds like a super helpful book. Thanks for sharing!
We’ve recently committed to making it on one income. And my husband is the excellent cook–like your dad. This would be a great resource for us.
This would be a huge help since my husband had a stroke in June and isn’t working.
Can’t wait to try the meatball recipe!! My husband comes from an Italian family and we ALWAYS love Italian food at our house. We live on a budget and I can’t wait to find out how to cut my shopping expenses. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. 🙂
I live alone, but these days everyone can cut her food bills!
I can’t wait to try the meatballs!
I can’t wait to browse through this book!
FIrst meatball recipe I’ve seen where you don’t have to brown meatballs…love and sounds like could be adapted to slow cooker! Gonna give it a try!
The meatball recipe looks fantastic! I must give this a try!
Would also like to win this book to help us out planning meals.
Sounds like a great book. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing your dad’s recipe. It sounds great! The book sounds very interesting. Thanks for hosting the giveaway, Laura! ~~Rhonda
I’m always interested in hearing how other people save on their grocery budgets. I used to coupon a lot, but as we have moved to making more and more foods from scratch, I do less and less couponing.
This looks like a great book!! I’d love to read it:)
Oh that recipe looks amazing! I will have to try it. I have tried so many recipes and still yet to find that one that impressed the kids! =S The book looks like it would be an amazing help here. We are also a single income family and it gets the toughest around winter. With my hubby’s job being partially seasonal, I do struggle with just being able to get what we need within our budget. I have seen an empty fridge one to many times but the menu planning monday’s has really saved me a bunch of times in the last while! Thank you for the giveaway and good luck to everyone!
It seems like most tips for saving money in groceries use coupons. I’m not organized enough to use coupons 🙂 I spend 400. Month on three of us, would love to read the ebook!!
The book sounds interesting.
Putting this recipe on my menu plan for next week. Was wondering if you’ve ever used a crock pot to make the sauce? I have little ones and a gas stove, don’t want to have to worry about them around the stove.
Hi Melissa, yes I have used a crockpot. It is okay cooked that way, but the sauce ends up tasting greasier…I really don’t like it but my family doesn’ t mind it too much (although they prefer the stove top method). One thing I’ve done when my children were very little (and I was babysitting many others) was to cook it at night when they were in bed and then refrigerate. Reheating the next day really thickens and enhances the flavor of the sauce!
Thanks so much for the info Kate!
Thanks for asking the same question i had! I just prefer using the crockpot in general…especially since we both work outside the home.
What would be the cooking temp and time? If it had to be there during the workday or if just on the weekend?
I would love to win a copy! 🙂
Thanks for the giveaway!
Would love to have a copy of this book – I’m trying to get this part of our lives improved!
I would love to to win this!
Recipe looks great and I love that the meatballs are cooked in the sauce! Giveaway looks great too–I would LOVE to win this book. Thanks for the recipe and for the opportunity to win 😉
Love that you don’t have to fry these first! Would also love to win your ebook–i’m a coupon failure, so other ideas would be welcome.
Oh yum! That looks delicious-will have to try your recipe! And the book looks awesome, would love to learn how to save $ and feed my family of 4!
The meatball recipe looks yummy and I am very interested in your book. I would love to learn how to feed 6 of us and save money!!!!!!
Those meatballs look delicious. I would love to learn more in your book.
I have been searching for a good meatball recipe. Can’t wait to try this one! Very intrigued by your book! Money is tight and groceries keep going up!
Thank you for the opportunity. Would love to find out your tips!
I would love to feed my family of 5 on $500 a month:) Looks good
I would love to read this book. It is a constant challenge to keep food costs down for our family of 8.
I will be trying this recipe. Would love to win the book…need all the help I can get.
I would love this book! I was a major couponer but now that my 4yo has outgrown naps, I’ve lost my clipping time.
your meatball recipe sounds delicious and your book sounds intriguing. i hate to clip coupons…i can never ever find them, when i am checking out.
I have also stopped couponing. I started eating healthier and most of the coupons are for stuff I no longer eat so I found it a waste of time. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you for offering this giveaway!
Looks like good meatballs!!
I love to find new ways to save on groceries and my meals!
sounds like the book would be so helpful!
I want this book! Pick me!
These meatballs look delish!! Would love the opportunity to read your book & apply the principles!!
Sounds like fun times with your Dad in the kitchen. Thanks for the recipe and the giveaway.
Those meatballs make me hungry:)
This book sounds like just what I need for my family of 7! I hope I win! 🙂
Wow, this recipe looks great! Thanks.
Oh my now I am craving meatballs. 🙂 I think we might be trying these next week. I like the idea of saving money and not having to clipp coupons!
I love the idea of your book! I have been working at paring down our budget for several years, and would love to see your ideas! Thanks!
I am still learning how to grocery shop and keep within the budget. My goal is to stick to menu planning and also learn how to compare store prices.
I would love to win this book!!! I am big into keeping to my grocery budget! 8 years ago I did a big store comparison of every product we used and figured out where I would shop. We just moved out of state, and I know I need to do it again. But I no longer have any of the spreadsheets I developed, and can’t remember how I went about it. I really hope I win!!!
I am very interested in the concepts that you have stated in this book…I really need to become much more frugal and budget savvy in the upcoming months, and this book would really help!
I’d certainly be interested in learning how you do it. Thanks!
Yay this is such a great giveaway!
Sounds like a great book!
I would love to have the book.
This sounds like an awesome read!
The meatball recipe sounds delicioius! I’m definitely pinning this to try when the weather gets colder. I imagine it’ll make the house smell so good while it’s cooking.
I would love a copy of your book. I’m not an extreme couponer and do most of my shopping without coupons.
Wow, I would love to read your book. 😉
Will definitely be trying this recipe. We love meatballs! Also would love to have this book. I get tired of cutting coupons all the time.
I’d be interested in this book – I want to save on groceries, but I have a hard time finding enough time to cut out coupons and organize them . I never seem to have coupons for what I actually buy!
I’m very interested in this book. I am trying to get more organized. I try system after system, looking for one that works just right. I’ve read about Once A Month cooking, I plan menu’s, and I have a menu board. Im no good at coupon cutting; its just too much. We are three, but my husband is a Marine, so its more like four or five 🙂 I recently quit my job of 15 years to stay home, so I really need to rein in every aspect of our budget.
Can’t wait to try the meatball recipe, they look great! Would love to win the book!
My only critique on this recipe is a pet peeve on recipe writing in general: not listing all ingredients up front. I hate getting halfway through a recipe with my mise en place ready to go, only to find that we’re, say, rolling meatballs in flour. Now I’ve got meat on my hands and I have to go get the bag of flour? Arg!
Same thing for water measures, you know who you are “sprinkle with water until it just comes together” recipe writers >:(
Otherwise this looks like a nice simple recipe for those who can eat gluten 🙂
Jasmine, you are SO RIGHT! Sorry about that. I’m like that with salt not being listed in the ingredients. I’m going to my recipe on my blog and change that right now. Thanks for the gentle reproof. ;-D
I’m assuming if your gluten-free, you could substitute your favorite gluten-free all purpose flour for the regular flour…although it might take some experimenting to see how it comes out. I think I’ll try out something else on my next batch and post the results on my website. Thanks again for that thought.
It works well with a mix of brown rice flour and a pinch of arrowroot powder to help the sauce thicken (as the wheat flour would in the original recipe). I also had some late-season garlic scapes and made a quickie pesto to drizzle on top. Yum!
I’m getting ready to be a SAHM and would love to cut our grocery bill!
A family of four (2 younger kids) would be considerably less. Teach me your ways!
🙂 Sheri K.
Is there a way to cook these meatballs quicker? I work so I wouldn’t be able to stir frequently. The recipe look fantastic so I will try it this weekend! And the book looks like it will definitely help me manage the ‘urge to splurge’ syndrome!
Tia, as I mentioned to someone in another comment, you CAN do it in the crockpot, although I am not as fond of the texture that way…it seems quite a bit greasier. But you can cook this in the evening (or a week-end) and either put in the fridge or freezer until ready to use and heat through. The sauce thickens and the flavor is enhanced with sitting. Leftover sauce is MARVELOUS on pizza – and I’ve even chopped up a few leftover meatballs for pizza topping. OK, now I’m REALLY hungry! ;-D
That sounds delicious!
I would love to win this book! I just don’t have it in me to be a super-couponer 😉 but cutting down our grocery expense would be a huge help to our already-very-tight budget!
I am so going to make these meatballs…they sound delicious!!! What a great giveaway…I so hope I win 🙂 Thank you, Janel Tenerelli…[email protected]
We are almost a family of 9 (due in December). I always have good intentions with coupons but this sounds like it might be more successful for our family.
That recipe looks SUPER YUMMY!! Would love to win your book!
We are a family of 6. I’d love to learn all you have to offer. I can’t wait to try these meatballs out! I never would’ve thought to have them cook in the sauce. I always tried to cook them before and then add them.
This sounds so much better than the spaghetti & meatballs recipe I currently use. I’d love to win the book!
The book sounds wonderful. I clip coupons but would love to learn how to save more.
I would love to have this book. I spend more than that for a family of four! SAD!!
This looks like a real life changer. This is just what I need.
Can’t wait to try the meatball recipe ~ Probably tonight! Thanks for the chance to win a copy of your book! We are a family of 8.
Does the flour thicken the sauce? Is that what it is for? Sounds terrific!
Am Irish/Danish, but LOVE Italian food! Your meatball recipe sounds awesome and I can’t wait to try it!
Wow what an awesome feature today..will be making those meatballs this week for sure! Also I would love to win the eBook. I get so frustrated with having to coupon as it takes several hours for me each week to go through the stacks that I acquire, printing off the internet and going through the various websites to add the electronic ones to my shopping cards. I have Fibromyalga, Degenerative Disk Disease and Arthritis spreading throughout my body so this is very difficult process for me, but one I have to do each week to save as much money as I can on our groceries as we are on a very limited budget for our family of 5. SO learning from her would save me from time and avoiding the pain I go through.
I’ll have to try this recipe. I’m super interested in this eBook! As much as I enjoyed couponing, I find with 4 kids its just more than I can dedicate my time to. I would love to keep my grocery budget low without having to coupon!
Wow, I really want to try your recipe out. I also had never heard of doing meatballs this way. I am thinking of trying it in the slow cooker. Would love to get your book. We all want to learn how to save more money.
Carol, it works in the slow cooker, but the sauce comes out a bit on the greasy side.
I, too, could greatly benefit from frugal tips on reducing the grocery budget! I loved the meatball recipe and am eager to try it.
I could definitely use the advice in this book! I spend almost $500 a month for just me and my husband!
those meatballs look great! I want to win!
I would love to win this!!
I would love to NOT have to use coupons! Most of the time it’s not too bad when I have time to plan and sort, but when I don’t have that time and hit the store I feel gulity knowing I am spending more that I have to. With rising costs at the grocery store I would be grateful to read more information on how to reduce my monthly costs effectively and efficently.
Would love to win this book. I do try and coupon but sometimes it gets overwhelming with so much of things to get done. Would be interested to see how this works.
killer meatball recipe AND a giveaway……SWEET deal & yea, i could use some insight on how to feed my family of four {six if ya’ll count our cats} on a decent respectable budget
I would love to get this book. I am always looking for better ways to save and provide for my family.
Thanks
Thank you for the great giveaway! I hope to win the book to help me to have a more organized life.
Would love to read to the book and the meatballs look delish!
Hope to win…. w/ 6 kids it would really help!!!!
We’ve always pan fried our meatballs with chopped up onions & bell peppers before adding then to the sauce. Your way sounds much quicker.
I would love to receive a copy of this book. it looks interesting and helpful!
I would love to win this. We have 5 of us and I know I spend more than that. I’m trying to cut out processed foods and am being met with some resistance! I do cook from scratch as much as possible. Thanks for the recipe!
Fantastic, thanks for the chance,
mary
I’m desperately trying to cut down on our food budget and any tips would help. Thank you!
Yummy recipe! Would love to win your book.
Nice to meet you, Kate! I’d love to win that book–I can always use ideas to reduce our grocery bill.
Thanks for the giveaway~
That book would help me, too.We just had a baby and suddenly our grocery bills shot way up.
Any help on cooking and budgeting of those grocery bills would be really helpful.
Thanksfor the chance – –
I saw this meatball recipe somewhere (probably Pinterest!) and want to try it! I could use help whittling down my grocery bill for sure.
Thanks for the giveaway, I would love to win.
This book sounds like something I need! Thanks for the giveaway!
This sounds great! Would love to win!
Thanks for the giveaway! I’d love to read the book!
With a family of 7, the book would be great!
I could absolutely use this!! I am not good at the whole coupon thing. Thanks!
This sounds like a good book. I don’t use many coupons and grocery’s seem to get higher every week.
I’m always looking for ways to save money on cooking/shopping. Thanks for the chance to win.
Mary Malone
This is knowledge I need to have, my husband has been underemployed or unemployed since 1/2009.
Your recipe looks so good. will have to try it out. I am always willing to learn different ways to save money and how other families save. Thanks for the give-away.
The meatballs have got to be awesome! Pinning your post for future cooking endeavors! Very interested in the idea of building a Price Book!
As a confessed coupon clipper failure, I would love to learn the secrets of saving money. We seem to be struggling in last minute runs to the grocery store and over paying for simple things that we just forget! Help! I know I could learn if I had the right tools!
Can’t wait to try the meatballs and I hope I win your book as I’m sure you havelots of awesome tips!
Sure would love to learn how to save money feeding my family. There are only four of us and I spend $500/month or more!
Wow Kate! That’s amazing. Thanks for sharing your wisdom & would love to win the book. =)
Thank you for the recipe. Can’t wait to try it. I think the KEY is the hours of simmering. Yum………
Would love to be entered into the draw, thank you.
This is a great drawing…book sounds great. Can’t wait to fix these meatballs!!!
This looks great, I want to try it. Book sounds like something I could really use!
I would love this book! I currently use coupons but would love to save even more than I do and still be able to feed that many people.
Those meatballs sound delicious! I will definitely be trying them. I would also love to win a copy of this book. I like the idea of couponing but realistically it hasn’t worked out well for me so some tips on how to save money without coupons would really help. Thanks for the chance to win!
Wow those meatballs look sooo gooood! I’ll try that recipe for sure!
I would love ton win that book, I’am allways looking for ideas to save money on groceries!
Thanks! 🙂
I would LOVE to know how to do that without having to cut coupons!
I want to win!
What a great giveaway. Thank you!!!!
Would love to have a copy of this book!
I would love to win this! Meal planning and grocery shopping are an area I need improving on.
Wow, these look amazing! Need this book!!!! Need help! lol!
I would really like to read this book to learn how to feed my family if 8for $500. Please enter me in the giveaway.
those meatballs look amazing! I’d love to learn how to reduce my grocery costs without using coupons. It sounds like there are some great ideas in the book and I would love to get a copy.
I have never been able to make decent meatballs, yet my daughter loves the ones Grandma makes. I will follow your recipe and I might have a chance to redeem myself. Thank you for entering me in the book giveaway.
I’d love tips on saving without coupons, since very few of the products we buy seem to have them.
Sounds like a really interesting book! I think I could learn something from it…
Spaghetti sauce is ALWAYS better the next day – if there is any left over! I’d love a copy of your book, because I can never get coupons for the items I typically buy. I’m ready for a more organized way of budgeting my grocery dollars!
We’re only a family of 4, but still have a lot to learn about grocery shopping on a budget. Please enter me in this competition!
Those meatballs look delicious! Perfect for Sunday dinner, when I have time to cook something for 2-3 hours! Thanks for the receipe. Crossing my fingers for the book.
Can’t wait to try to meatballs. I need every help I can to budget food for my family of 4 boys and husband!
This looks so good, can’t wait to try it. Also the book looks awesome.
I’ve been on a kick lately to spend less at the grocery store and it’s not working!! I need this book!
Your recipe sounds yummy and I beleive will make appearance in my kitchen soon:-) I am also always looking for ways to save a little extra money at the store!
Book sounds great.need all the help we can get to save on groceries!
I would love a copy of this ebook. Need to get organized and save $$$. Thanks for the meatball recipe too!
Thanks for the meatball recipe (which I’ll be trying later) as well as the ebook giveaway! Please enter me in 🙂
Thanks for the recipe, Kate! looking forward to serving these to my family. My goal each month is to feed my family of 8 for under $500. It’s getting tougher these days. I’ll be checking out your book for some inspiration, thank you!
Yes, I would love this ebook. I need all the help I can get!
I’ll take any help I can get to reduce my grocery bill. Thanks!
My husband and I are on a debt reduction plan and would love to have this book to help us reduce our grocery spending! Thank you so much for the opportunity!
I would love to have this book!
I would love to feed my family of 7 for 500 a month. I hope to try the meatball recipe this week,sounds neat cooking them in the sauce.
I am always looking for new ways to save money. Anything helps with the price of groceries skyrocketing now.
Thanks for the recipe. It looks wonderful. I’ve hesitated to try meatballs for fear they would be underdone or overcooked. The long simmer should prevent both.
Thanks too for the e-book offer. Think we could all use that!
I would love to win! Really need to start saving $$ on groceries. . .
Meatballs look awesome and would love to win your book to learn more….can always use knowledge!!
I would love the help! I have five children, and you wouldn’t believe what my grocery bill is.
I would love to win the e-book! I’ve never really gotten the hang of price books and some more instruction would be helpful.
I would love a chance to win this cookbook! It sounds awesome!
Those meatballs look delicious! I would love to win a copy of that book.
I am always trying to use what foods I have with what is on sale at the grocery store. Your book sounds awesome, hope I win!!
Wow those meatballs look delicious! Hope to get that book soon, we have a hard time budgeting for groceries!
I would love to win a copy of this. There are six in our family and the coupon thing is frustrating me to no end!! It eats into so much of my precious time, so I would love to know how to save without them!
Thanks!
There are only 4 of us and I use coupons! This book would sure come in handy!
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Sounds awesome. You’re book sounds like just what I’m needing right now. 🙂
I would like to win. I would like the help with my grocery.
I’m always looking for more tips to cut our food budget. Thanks for the chance to win!
It sounds like such a useful book! It would definitely help me to keep my grocery budget under control!
This looks amazing! Thank you for sharing 🙂 always looking for ways to reduce the food shop, here in the uk food is so expensive and as a single mum of four, any help is needed!! Thanks 🙂
I just found your blog and I’m amazed at the amount of community, kindness, encouragement and generosity in this blog world. I’d love to win the giveaway book and will be staying in touch with your updates. You are awesome. Many thanks, Betsy
Finally! A book that does NOT involve coupons! Coupons rarely work for me. Would love to read this!
I have a family of five, and it is a constant struggle to feed my family healthy meals that don’t send the budget over the edge, and I’ve tried maximizing coupon use but I find it nearly impossible to do so and devote much needed time to cooking those meals and spending time with my family! Thanks so much for offering this!
This e-book is just what I need!!
I would love to win this! I spend more than that on my family of four! The recipe looks yummy!
My mouth is watering now! That book looks awesome too.!
Would love the book to learn how to plan/budget better. I am always missing ingredients or have leftovers I don’t know what to do with. I also love your organizing tips!
Oh what a great book! If I don’t win, I’m totally ordering one!
Wow, family of 10 for $500, that’s how much I spend for a family of 4, LOL. I could really use a copy of this ebook! For now, I will be trying out your meatball recipe, it looks delicious!
Your recipe for meatballs looks delish! Can’t wait to try it and many others in your book.
this book looks great, I would love to win a copy.
Would love to see your new book. Although I am vegan, I do find many of your recipes that I can use!
I’m eager to see your tips on how I can save my family money.
My small family spends over $700 a month n groceries. I would love a copy of your book because our grocery bil is out of control!
I would love to win this book! We’re a family of 5 but have recently “faced the music” regarding our finances and are looking to save wherever we can. Sounds like this would be helpful! Thanks for the giveaway.
no couponing?? NOW that is interesting to me!!! Fingers crossed:)
The thought of never having to clip another coupon makes me a very happy person!
I enjoy reading your blog! Please enter me in the giveaway for the ebook. That book would be a lifesaver!!!!
The meatballs look yummy! I could use some cost cutting suggestions for our grocery bills. I try to coupon but I just don’t think I’m good at it. And with the new baby needing to be on Neocate ($255.00 for 8 cans and NOT covered by insurance) I need to find some extra money and the grocery is the best place to cut costs.
This book looks divine!
Curions about the book!
Kate, I just LOVE to see how well your book is going. You are my hero! 🙂
I am an avid couponer, and would love to know more ways that I can reduce my family’s food budget. This looks like a wonderful resource.
I would love to win this book!
These meatballs look amazing! A definite must try.
Genius!! Id love to see how she does it! Pick me please 😀
I spend more than $500 a month for my family of 4 and I use coupons! Would love to win this book!
I ordered and read your book and have already started getting to work on some of your ideas! We are a one income family and there are 5 of us, I spend about $800 a month on groceries. I can’t wait to see my savings at the end of October!! Have you ever froze the meatballs and sauce? Seems like it would be fine, just curious. Thanks!!
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