Dinner Tonight: Roasted Florentine Meatballs

Roasted Florentine Meatballs…sounds fancy, right?  It’s not.  These yummy little meatballs can be made in a snap and changed a million ways.  We love spinach in them but if you’re not a fan, leave it out.  If you prefer, shred carrots or bell pepper in yours…add chopped pieces of squash…whatever…just use the method and you’ll be moments away from roasted meatballs.  I serve mine with Parmesan-garlic noodles.  You’ll laugh when you read the recipe because it’s just that easy.

Shopping List

1 pound ground beef (or use ground chicken or turkey)

1/2 onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, chopped and divided

1 cup Panko (which is Japanese breadcrumbs but feel free to substitute with your favorite breadcrumbs)

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated and divided

2 eggs, beaten

1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess water

2 splashes milk

1 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

1 pound, cooked pasta (hot off the stove)

Lots of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, onion, 3 cloves garlic, Panko, 1/2 cup cheese, eggs, spinach, milk and lots of S&P.  Roll into balls (I do golf ball size) and placed on a lightly greased baking pan (I always line with foil for easy clean up!).  Drizzle about a tablespoon of EVOO over all of the balls.  Roast in the oven about 20 minutes or until brown.

To make the pasta, take your drained and cooked pasta right off the stove.  Add in butter, remaining 1/2 cup cheese, remaining 2 cloves of garlic and a few tablespoons of EVOO.  Stir until butter and cheese melts.

Serve meatballs over noodles.  Enjoy!