Meatball Vegetable Bake

 Meatball Vegetable Bake 

serves 4-5 

This is a throwback to my 70's childhood.  It "stretches" a pound of ground beef and uses 'packets.'   My Mom said this was a dish her grandmother "Two" loved and asked Mom for the recipe.   I used to make it in the early 90's too.   Mom used a skillet to get everything going, and then transferred everything to a covered casserole.  I just do it all in a Dutch oven, after browning the meatballs in a skillet. 

1 to 1 1/2 pound ground beef 

1/2 to 1 C seasoned bread crumbs 

about 1/4 C milk

2-3 T dry onion soup mix

Ground pepper 

Combine those ingredients (mixture will be fairly bready) and shape into 2" meatballs.  Use your judgment and add or subtract bread crumbs.  It will depend on the fat content of the meatballs.  In large skillet, brown the meatballs on all sides.  Remove meatballs to a paper towel lined plate.  

Large can whole tomatoes (including juice) 

2 T flour

packet of brown gravy mix 

water to dissolve the gravy mix 

Add tomatoes with juice to a Dutch oven.  Use a spatula to cut each tomato in half.  Blend up the flour, some of the gravy mix, a little water, and add to the tomatoes.  Cook briefly over medium heat until mixture thickens and bubbles.  Last night I added the whole packet of gravy mix and some extra water.  You want a thick-ish gravy-like mixture.  The vegetables will add more moisture later. 

2 very large carrots (I used the big Japanese carrots from the Asian market), cut in half and then into large diagonal chunks.  Use more carrots if you are using regular carrots. 

2-3 stalks celery, thinly sliced on the bias. 

1 large onion, quartered 

Add the meatballs and vegetables to the tomato mixture.  Cover and simmer 15 minutes to get things going.  Stir.  Then bake covered in the oven at 350 degrees for about an hour.  

Nice with biscuits and honey.  When you take the Dutch oven out of the oven, just put it on the stove, possibly on low heat, while you bake the biscuits. 

YUM.  In a 70's kind of way;)