Homemade, super delicious, make ahead frozen meatballs to make your weeknights easier, or to prepare for a new baby arriving soon!
Happy Monday! Or is it? Im hoping its a good one, because last monday, definitely felt like a monday…you know, lots of cleaning and playing catch up from the weekend, cranky kids, messes everywhere, tears all around, you know the drill. I’m aiming for a better one this week! It’s already off to a good start since I got some of my cleaning and laundry done over the weekend. yay!
If you’ve been reading lately, then you know Ive mentioned Ive slowly been building up some freezer meals and snacks for when the little babe gets here, which isn’t all that far off anymore! I have never done this is the past, but I also never really felt the need too. In the past, my husband was in school so he was always home around dinner time, so I didn’t really have to worry about trying to cook to often with a baby in my arms or kids at my feet. This time however, is a totally different story.
I’ll have two toddlers, plus a newborn, and if you’ve had a baby before, then you know dinner time can be ‘witching hour’, which means, cooking can be a miserable experience, if you even attempt it at all! So! until I adjust to being a mom of three, I’d like to make life as easy as possible, and I’m finding advanced preparation is key in all that. I’ve started my xmas shopping, I’ve already purchased most of the boys fall/winter wardrobe (along with my own!) so I don’t have to worry about shopping for that later, (though online shopping is a godsend to moms now!), and the most important, freezer meals!
Not having to cook dinners for those first few weeks or months, will be a lifesaver. My mom will be here for a couple weeks, then my husband will have two weeks off. So for those first four weeks, Ill have a good amount of help, but as soon as life resumes to normal, I know I’m going to want these meals on hand. And it will be fall! So I want cozy, comfort foods!
These meatballs are so flavorful, easy to whip up, and really versatile. You can throw them into the slow cooker frozen with some sauce and cook on low all day, you can thaw some out, and bake them in the oven, pan fry them, use them for pasta, subs, or whatever your heart desires. This recipe makes 60 meatballs, so I divided it up into two, so that will give us two separate dinners worth, and knowing our family, probably some leftovers!
Whether you’re having a baby or not, having some meals in the freezer ahead of time can really save you on those busy nights full of school, sports, and clubs, and I highly recommend these tasty meatballs!
p.s. sorry for all the pictures of raw meat, promise they’re sooooo much more appetizing than it looks! 😉
Homemade, super delicious, make ahead frozen meatballs to make your weeknights easier, or to prepare for a new baby arriving soon!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground turkey
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 TB worcestershire
- 1/2 cup panko
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded cheese (asiago, parmesan, or romano)
- 2 TB fresh parsley, minced
- 3 teaspoons italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients together, and use your hands to really work it all in.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (I forgot to do this, but I recommend it!)
- Start scooping and rolling, and place on the baking sheet close together. I used a small size cookie scoop, so each meatball is about 1 1/2 Tablespoons.
- Once you have rolled all the meat out, place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 2 hours, until firm.
- Label a couple gallon size bags with the date and the contents. Once firm, you can transfer the meatballs into the bags and freeze until you're ready to enjoy them!