Slow Cooker Meatballs

     Below is my go-to meatball recipe for my slow cooker.  I found it in "Crockpot Recipe Collection." The meatballs are really tasty but I have found that if you don't chop the onions small enough, the onions can stick out so be sure to chop the onions very small.  Also, the key to having the meatballs maintain their integrity is to definitely brown them before putting them in the slow cooker.  That is one step that you can not omit.  
     The sauce, well, is just meh.  It's almost like a pico de gallo italian style.  I generally heat up some jarred sauce at the end.  This typically yields about 45-50 meatballs so it could definitely be served to a crowd.  Lastly, this is  a great recipe to make for frozen dinners.  I take the leftovers and divide them up into individual servings and seal them in my vacuum sealer.


Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce 

MEATBALLS 

2 pounds 90% lean ground beef 

1 cup bread crumbs 

1 onion chopped 

2 eggs, beaten 

¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley 

2 teaspoons minced garlic 

½ teaspoon dry mustard 

½ teaspoon black pepper 

Olive oil

SPAGHETTI SAUCE 

1 can (28 ounces) peeled whole 

tomatoes, undrained 

V2 cup chopped fresh basil 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

2 garlic cloves, or to taste, finely 

minced 

1 teaspoon sugar 

Salt and black pepper, to taste 

Cooked spaghetti 

Grated Parmesan cheese 

(optional) 

1. Combine all meatball ingredients except 

oil. Form into walnut-sized balls. Heat oil 

in skillet over medium heat until hot. Sear 

meatballs on all sides, turning as they 

brown. Transfer to 4 ½ quart slow cooker. 

2. Combine all sauce ingredients in medium 

bowl. Pour over meatballs, stirring to coat. 

Cover; cook on LOW 3 to 5 hours or on 

HIGH 2 to 4 hours. 

3. Adjust seasonings, if desired. Serve over 

spaghetti. Garnish with cheese, if desired. 

makes 6 to 8 servings