Tasty History

HISTORY...
WILL BE MADE IN THE TASTING! 

     

 Imagine for a moment if you would, what it would mean to step back into a favorite memory.  A memory captured in your heart... but had roots in someone else's imagination and began with someone else's creation. Just such a creation appeared at the April 11th, 2019 monthly meeting of the Jay Historical Society.  It was presented by our very own Teresa Dobson. She graciously has shared her recipe with me (good things come to those who ask 😋) for the purpose of starting this food blog. A special food blog for those interested visitors to our page that want to create their own favorite memory knowing that the

HISTORY... WILL BE MADE IN THE TASTING! 

   

Thank you Teresa for this memory making,

melt in your mouth creation!!!

Hickory & Brown Sugar Italian Meatballs – Teresa Dobson

Okay… so I don’t have some fancy “my mama’s mama who’s first cousin removed gave me this recipe” story, but I did stumble upon a great mix of two favorite ways to make Italian meatballs.   So here it is!...with a few variations.   Then of course I made it my own by adding a special finishing touch…BBQ!

INGREDIENTS

·         1 lb. ground chuck 85/15

·         ½ lb ground pork

·         2 eggs (whisked)

·         4 slices of Italian bread (5 oz)

·         1 cup bread crumbs (Italian seasoned or garlic flavored…take your pick)

·         4 TBSP grated parmesan

·         ½ tsp garlic salt

·         1 tsp salt

·         Pinch of black pepper

·         2 TBSPs chopped fresh parsley

·         Optional to add depending on your likes:  Red pepper flakes, Italian herb seasoning, Onions (finely chopped) The optional ingredients are preference, but for mine I use red pepper flakes and herb seasoning, sprinkled lightly in the mix.

·         1 to 2 large bottles of Sweet Baby Rays Hickory & Brown Sugar BBQ sauce (to your liking)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Soak the bread in cold water for about five minutes, ringing out the excess water and pulling the bread apart with your fingers.  Some people use milk as substitute for water, but I prefer water.  Again, it’s up to you! 

Combine the meat, eggs, and parsley in a large bowl.  Add the bread.  Then add the dry bread crumbs, parmesan, garlic salt, and salt. (And any optional ingredients from the list).  You want to mix it together until just combined.  Now to stiffen them up a bit if you need to you can refrigerate first for about an hour then cook.

Using a cookie/ice cream scoop, scoop out the meatballs onto wax paper and then roll them into consistent balls.  Using the ice cream scooper is just easier to have them be the same size.

Place them on a cookie cooling rack.  Place that rack on a baking sheet that is lined in aluminum foil.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until you can cut into a meatball in the middle of the rack and not see pink.   *Pour barbecue sauce over the meatballs and bake for 15 to 20 more minutes as oven temperatures may vary.

Prep time:  15 minutes / Cook Time: 40-50 minutes / Total Time:  About an hour / Servings:  24 meatballs

*Note:  If you want to freeze the meatballs leave out the BBQ sauce and thaw them (at a later date) in a crock pot.   Add the barbecue sauce and cook in a crock pot on medium for 3 hours. 😊

        And of course, a major hit at the meeting were

Wayne and Brenda Cook's pecans. 

Perhaps they will share the recipe in a future post.

Thank you everyone

 for your tasty contributions that made our

April meeting a glorious success!