Make Ahead Meatballs

Make Ahead Meatless-Meatballs

1 pound protein crumbles
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs (any flavor)
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper


1 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup cold water
1 jar (12 ounces) tomato pasta sauce (any variety)
1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1.Heat oven to 400ºF.

2.Mix protein crumbles, onion, bread crumbs, milk, egg, salt and pepper. Shape mixture into thirty 1-inch balls. Place in ungreased rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches.

3.Bake uncovered about 15 minutes or until no longer pink in center and juice is clear. (To serve immediately, continue as directed in step 5--except decrease simmer time to 15 minutes.)

4.Place meatballs on ungreased cookie sheet. Freeze uncovered about 20 minutes or until firm. Place partially frozen meatballs in heavy plastic bag or freezer container. Seal, label and freeze no longer than 3 months.

5.About 25 minutes before serving, mix chili sauce, water, pasta sauce and mustard in 2-quart saucepan. Add meatballs. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until meatballs are hot.

Tips:

Partially freezing the meatballs before putting them in a plastic bag ensures that the meatballs won’t stick together and lose their shape when thawed.

These meatballs don’t have to look the same the second time around. Crumble leftovers and stir into chili, pasta sauce or a sloppy joe or taco mix

Meatless Chili for Chili Dogs

We ate this tonight over hot dogs, toasted up the bun with some "butter" on top of the stove, served it with a little mustard or mayo, whichever everyone liked.

1 pound protein crumbles
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, undrained
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions
1. In a 3-quart saucepan stir protein crumbles, 1/2 cup chopped onion, and the garlic over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat.

2. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, undrained beans, undrained tomatoes, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

A variation:

Cincinnati-Style Chili: Prepare as above, add 1 to 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper with the tomato sauce.

To serve, place 1/2 cup hot cooked spaghetti on each of 4 serving plates; make an indentation in center of each portion. Top each serving with some of the chili, 1 to 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese, 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped onion, and/or 1/4 cup additional kidney beans.