Porcupine Meatballs

Porcupine Meatballs is something I grew up with. They're delicious and a nice spin on your basic meatloaf. I remember my mom making these so when I called with questions about the recipe she told me that she modified it almost every time she made it...whatever she had in the cupboards. So, I'll give you the version that I made and leave some comments at the end.


Porcupine Meatballs
makes 2 8x8 pans

1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 cup water
1 cup Minute Rice
1/2 cup chopped onion (I used both scallions and yellow onion)
1 1/2 tsp salt (I didn't measure)
1/4 tsp pepper (I didn't measure)
1 small can tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tbs mustard

Mix the beef, water, rice, onion, salt and pepper together with hands. After mixture is combined, form into 32 mini-meatballs. Place 16 meatballs in greased 8x8 pan.

Mix together the tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and mustard. Season to taste. Pour half of mixture over each pan of meatballs. (I freeze one pan to use later.)

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Variations:

• Meatballs can be made larger to fit into a 9x13 pan. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Can substitute 1 cup pre-cooked rice for the Minute rice and omit 1 cup water.
• You can use dry minced onion in place of the chopped onion.
  
• If you don't have a small can of tomato sauce, you can 1 cup ketchup - total 2 cups ketchup.
• If using from the freezer, thaw in fridge overnight and bake as normal.

Enjoy!!