Tag: tomatoes

Huge Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs RECIPE (Slow-Cooker) Oozing With Melty Cheese (Gluten-Free Option)

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs RECIPE by Give It A Whirl Girl (Slow-Cooker)

 

I have a special recipe to share with you all today! This past weekend I invited my mom over for a special Sunday dinner. I love having family over and preparing a tasty dish for them. So today I am sharing my Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs recipe to my loyal readers. This recipe is a family favorite and this meal will surely fill you up! These meatballs are stuffed with oozy mozzarella cheese pearls and they are mighty huge meatballs! This Italian meatball recipe might just become a family favorite in your home too. There is a gluten-free option for my gluten-free readers.

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs RECIPE by Give It A Whirl Girl
Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs RECIPE

This mozzarella stuffed meatball recipe is the perfect meal to whip up in your slow-cooker. Once you do all of the work to prepare the meatballs it is smooth sailing after that. The meatballs should take about 15-20 minutes to create. I have also included a pasta sauce recipe for these mozzarella stuffed meatballs, but you can feel free to skip that part and use the pasta sauce of your choice. I often avoid the jarred pasta sauces and create my own sauce with some crushed tomatoes.

If you want a great jarred pasta sauce I highly recommend Rao’s. They make an excellent marinara and if you like bit of heat in your sauce, Rao’s has a fabulous Arrabiata Sauce.


The pasta!

The best pasta to go with these mozzarella stuffed meatballs is the spaghetti noodle. You can go thick or you can go thin. We went thick!


The Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs homemade sauce

You have to have a great pasta sauce to go with your mozzarella stuffed meatballs. I have included a great pasta sauce recipe to go with the meatballs. The pasta sauce is simple and easy to create. If you want a sauce that tastes great you have to use good tomatoes. I used DeLallo’s crushed tomatoes and they were some of the best I ever had. Muir Glen is also another great brand to go with.

And a blend of ground beef and ground Italian sausage is essential to this dish. The mix of meats is going to give you a flavorful, zesty meatball. Ground Italian sausage always lends awesome flavor to Italian pasta sauces.


Gluten-Free Options

If you are following a gluten-free diet and still would like to enjoy this mozzarella stuffed meatballs recipe, simply swap the breadcrumbs out for some gluten-free breadcrumbs. You would then serve the meatballs over the gluten-free pasta of your choice.



Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs (With Gluten-Free Option)

This recipe is for my famous mozzarella-stuffed meatballs… a family favorite! These hearty meatballs are stuffed with mozzarella pearls. When you dig into these meatballs you will love the oozing melty cheese! This is a slow-cooker recipe that serves approximately 8 people. Serve with the pasta of your choice. We love spaghetti noodles with this recipe!

Meatballs

  • 1 pound Ground beef (I use grass fed beef)
  • 1 pound Ground Italian sausage
  • Mozzarella pearls (You can stuff each meatball with 1 or 2 pearls (depending on how large you make the meatballs))
  • 1 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs (Use gluten-free breadcrumbs if you are gluten-free)
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons Minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup Milk
  • 1/2 tablespoon Garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon Onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil

Pasta Sauce

  • 28 ounce Can of crushed tomatoes (I used DeLallo)
  • 6 ounce Can of tomato paste (I used Muir Glen)
  • 2 tablespoons Minced garlic
  • 2 Shallots (Diced)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • Salt (To Taste)
  • Black pepper (To Taste)
  • 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil

Meatballs

  1. Use a large mixing bowl for the meatballs. Place all ingredients (except for the olive oil) for the meatballs into a large mixing bowl. Use clean hands to mix and incorporate all of the ingredients. 

  2. Form large balls (approx 2 – 2 1/2 inches across) and stuff the meatballs with either one or two mozzarella pearls. Make sure the meatballs are tightly formed so the cheese does not melt out of them. Set aside the meatballs on a large cookie sheet.

  3. Warm two tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan. Once the oil has warmed place the meatballs in the pan and brown all sides of the meatballs.

  4. Set aside the meatballs while you prepare the pasta sauce in the next step.

Pasta Sauce

  1. Warm a bit of olive oil in a saute pan and then add your minced garlic and diced shallots. Cook until translucent and fragrant. Add to the slow-cooker.

  2. Add the rest of the pasta sauce ingredients to your slow-cooker. Stir well.

  3. Place the meatballs in the slow-cooker and cook on low for 4 hours.

Final preparations

  1. Prepare the pasta of your choice. Spaghetti noodles work best with meatballs.

  2. Serve, eat, and enjoy your meatballs!

If you are gluten-free, sub the Italian breadcrumbs for a gluten-free breadcrumb. Serve over gluten-free pasta.

A big plate of mozzarella stuffed meatballs served over spaghetti noodles
A big plate of mozzarella stuffed meatballs served over spaghetti noodles
Mozzarella stuffed meatballs oozing melty cheese!
Mozzarella stuffed meatballs oozing melty cheese!



RELATED:

Zesty Spaghetti Sauce RECIPE With Ancient Harvest Pasta, Bell Peppers, & Italian Sausage

Final thoughts about the mozzarella stuffed meatballs recipe

These mozzarella stuffed meatballs were loved and enjoyed by all of us at the dinner table! You just can’t go wrong with a recipe like this. This recipe is a keeper! This is a fabulous meal to create when you have guests over for dinner. Because you use two pounds of meat to make the mozzarella stuffed meatballs there is a lot of food to go around! And these meatballs are huge! I could only pack in two of these gigantic mozzarella stuffed meatballs. How many will you eat? 3 might just be the limit with this dish. A lot of meat!

 

Question Time! Do you have a family favorite recipe that you would like to share? I would love to hear all about your family favorite meal!

 

Other posts that you might enjoy at Give It A Whirl Girl

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Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs RECIPE by Give It A Whirl Girl (Slow-Cooker)
Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs RECIPE by Give It A Whirl Girl (Slow-Cooker)

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Zesty Spaghetti Sauce RECIPE With Ancient Harvest Pasta, Tri-Color Peppers, Ground Beef, & Italian Sausage (Slow-Cooker)

Zesty Spaghetti Sauce RECIPE With Ancient Harvest, Tri-Color Pepper, Ground Beef, & Italian Sausage - Slow-Cooker by Give It A Whirl Girl

I am just going to come out and say it… this is some thick ass sauce right here y’all! This zesty spaghetti sauce recipe with Ancient Harvest pasta is nowhere near being skimpy and naked. We got it all going on over here with grass-fed ground beef, ground Italian sausage, three colors of bell peppers, oodles of minced garlic, half an onion, and a whole lot of basil and oregano! How does that sound? Keep reading to find out how I made this set-it-and-forget-it sauce. I will also talk about the Ancient Harvest gluten-free pasta that I used with this zesty spaghetti sauce recipe. I tried them out for Tried It Out Tuesday!

Tri-Color Pepper, Ground Beef, and Italian Sausage Spaghetti With Ancient Harvest Pasta
Tri-Color Peppers, Ground Beef, and Italian Sausage Spaghetti With Ancient Harvest Pasta – A very zesty spaghetti sauce recipe that you will love!

This zesty spaghetti sauce recipe does require a little bit of prep but it is essential. You can’t just toss raw ground meat products into your slow-cooker and expect good results. You gotta brown that meat. Next you are also going to want to saute your onions and garlic until they achieve a translucent appearance and become aromatic and fragrant. I also take the time to soften up the three peppers.

Continue reading “Zesty Spaghetti Sauce RECIPE With Ancient Harvest Pasta, Tri-Color Peppers, Ground Beef, & Italian Sausage (Slow-Cooker)” →

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Cheeseburger Casserole From SkinnyTaste – Tried It Out Tuesday

Cheeseburger Casserole From SkinnyTaste

I recently came across a Cheeseburger Casserole recipe from SkinnyTaste and I was intrigued so by it, I just had to give it a whirl! I would have never even thought of enjoying a cheeseburger in casserole form until I saw this brilliant recipe of hers. My family really enjoys their cheeseburgers and we love our pasta too so this seemed like a winner winner cheeseburger dinner!

If you are not familiar with SkinnyTaste be sure to check out her website for some brilliant recipes that will help keep you on track with a healthy lifestyle. I made a gluten-free version of her Cheeseburger Casserole and my family enjoyed this recipe. I will be whipping up this dish again in the near future. Keep reading to hear more about this unique casserole dish.

Cheeseburger Casserole is a simple & easy recipe

What I really loved about this recipe from SkinnyTaste was the simplicity of creating it. The recipe was easy to follow and the ingredients were very simple to prepare. I started out by boiling the pasta and browning the beef. There was very little prep involved. I used two shallots in this recipe and had to slice those, easy peasy! The recipe calls for garlic as well and I just use my trusty Spice World squeeze bottle. I love simple recipes… who doesn’t?? They are wonderful on busy weeknights or when you are feeling too lazy to cook.

 

Ingredients I used for the SkinnyTaste Cheeseburger Casserole
Ingredients I used for the SkinnyTaste Cheeseburger Casserole

Gotta have my grass-fed beef in my Cheeseburer Casserole!

I recently made the switch to grass-fed beef. Grass-fed beef is not only more beneficial to your health but I believe it tastes better than regular beef. The grass-fed beef that I purchase at Kroger is also organic. That means that the cows graze on pesticide-free grass. Grass-fed cows also mean that the meat is free from added hormones that are typically given to cows. Sometimes I think of my body as an automobile. Your body needs good to fuel to run. You don’t want to put crappy fuel into your car so why would you want to put bad fuel into your body? Grass-fed beef costs a bit more than regular beef but I believe that the added benefits are worth the extra cost.

A few modifications to the Cheeseburger Casserole recipe

I made a few modifications to her recipe for my family. Instead of using an onion I used two sliced shallots. I discovered shallots earlier this year and prefer their taste and often swap onions for shallots now. I also incorporated some onion powder to the meat while browning it. I love the added flavor that onion powder lends to ground beef. Also, instead of using Dijon mustard I went with my favorite mustard by Boar’s Head. The mustard is a Delicatessen style and it gave the dish a wonderful flavor.

Browning the grass-fed beef
Browning the grass-fed beef
Grass-fed beef, tomatoes, shallots, and minced garlic
Grass-fed beef, tomatoes, shallots, and minced garlic

 

Gluten-free eating

Another swap that I did with this dish was that I used gluten-free noodles. I use Kroger’s ClickList and wanted some rotini pasta but they were out of stock and they gave me penne pasta instead. That was fine with me but I do think that rotini would have been best. I used Ronzoni brand and I believe that they do make a very tasty gluten-free noodle. I don’t think they taste much different than regular pasta. This dish would have been great with Banza’s chickpea pasta as well. They are another one of my go-to brands for gluten-free pasta.

Getting cheesy

A great cheeseburger has to have great cheese. I love Tillamook’s shredded cheese and I ended up pouring the entire bag of cheese all over this Cheeseburger Casserole. The recipe calls for 2 cups of cheddar and the one bag of cheese was equivalent to two cups. I used a sharp cheddar and this was a great choice for the casserole. Tillamook creates some damn good cheese. It is my go-to brand for shredded cheese. I also use their mozzarella on my homemade pizzas. They take great pride in creating their cheese and I can always rely on Tillamook to deliver a quality product.

Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese
SkinnyTaste Cheeseburger Casserole before going in the oven
SkinnyTaste Cheeseburger Casserole before going in the oven

Pickles on a casserole?

Who would have thought that pickles would be an acceptable topping on a casserole dish? I’m telling you guys, this works and the pickles actually turned out to be my favorite part! Any type of pickles will work well with this casserole. I ended up going with bread and butter pickles. Dill pickles would we splendid on this as well!

Giving it a whirl

I was so excited when my oven beeped and my casserole was ready to dig into. Check out that ooey, gooey melted cheddar, OMG! I love anything with melted cheese on it and this recipe did not disappoint. When the casserole came out of the oven I topped it with some bread and butter pickles. This dish was love at first bite. The cheeseburger really translated well into a casserole dish. I was amazed! This is a dish that I would gladly make for my family again since we all enjoyed it.

Cheeseburger Casserole from SkinnyTaste
Cheeseburger Casserole from SkinnyTaste

 

Kid-friendly meal

My daughter, Chloe, really enjoyed this recipe and she really got a kick out of those pickles that we topped the casserole with. Pickles are an ingredient that you wouldn’t normally use in a typical casserole. For us, the pickles were actually our favorite part of this dish! The more the merrier! The next time I whip up this recipe I will definitely be adding an abundance of pickles on top!

Who is SkinnyTaste?

SkinnyTaste was created by Gina Homolka. She is an author, recipe creator, and a photographer. She is a pro when it comes to the recipe world. SkinnyTaste began in 2008 and now has 3 million monthly viewers on her website… can you say goals?? I would love to someday achieve greatness like her. Her philosophy of eating is to eat seasonal, whole foods and to maintain portion control while eating. Her website has a wide variety of recipes for several different diets. I am sharing this with you today because her recipes are top-notch. Yes, I am a food blogger and yes she is a food blogger. I don’t see her as competition. When I fall in love with something I feel the need to share it with the world. I am sharing her recipe website because I believe in her philosophy and I like to encourage people to eat the right way.

Does this look like a recipe that your family would enjoy? What other SkinnyTaste meals sound great to you? Leave me a comment and fill me in!

You can see all of the recipes at SkinnyTaste on her website. The Cheeseburger Casserole recipe can be found HERE.

 

 

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Marley Spoon Review & Discount – $30 OFF Your First Box – Simple & Easy Meal Kit Subscription Box

I just recently had the pleasure of trying out Martha Stewart’s gourmet meal kit subscription box. I was so blown away by the quality of the ingredients and the easy to follow recipes so I want to share my experience with you in this Marley Spoon review! I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the quality and content of this meal kit delivery service.

How does Marley Spoon work?

Each week Marley Spoon has several different meals that you can select from. They have a huge archive of recipes… over 18,000!  Each week there are ten different meals you get to select from. They really do have a wonderful variety of meals and they all look and sound so amazing it is kind of difficult to narrow it down. I want it all!

You can choose the meal kit that suits your family needs. They offer boxes for two people and they also offer boxes that can feed 3-4 people. You can choose to get 2, 3, or 4 Marley Spoon meals per week. It is entirely up to you and you get to customize your plan.

Each week Marley Spoon offers an exciting menu featuring a variety of meats and a large selection of different vegetables. There are meals suitable for dinner as well as lunch.

Marley Spoon also has meals to suit a variety of dietary lifestyles. I choose to eat gluten-free so I received two meal kits that were friendly to my diet.

There are some quick dinners provided, one-pot meals, kid-friendly meals, and salad options.

Two Marley Spoon Meal Kits for four people: Steak & Oven Fries w/ Charred Tomato Salsa and Japanese Style Chicken w./ Bok Choy and Brown Rice
Two Marley Spoon Meal Kits for four people: Steak & Oven Fries w/ Charred Tomato Salsa and Japanese Style Chicken w./ Bok Choy and Brown Rice

Marley Spoon recipe cards

The shipment of Marley Spoon

My meal kit box was overnighted to me via FedEx. When I opened up my box I was very impressed with how well-packaged everything was. There were no leaks and there were no missing ingredients. Everything was kept cold with ice-packs. The meat that I received looked beautiful and the quality of the produce was perfect. There was not a single disappointment with my shipment. I have tried other meal kits boxes in the past and had missing ingredients, some not-so-fresh looking items, or leaky meats. Marley Spoon takes pride in their subscription box and it shows.

A special Marley Spoon discount for you – $30 OFF YOUR FIRST SHIPMENT

You can receive $30 off your first Marley Spoon shipment by clicking this LINK.

Sign up for Marley Spoon today and taste the gourmet!

Continue reading “Marley Spoon Review & Discount – $30 OFF Your First Box – Simple & Easy Meal Kit Subscription Box” →

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Paleo Pot Roast With Parsnips RECIPE Gluten-Free, Slow-Cooker – When Comfort & Simplicity Collide

Paleo Pot Roast With Parsnips (Gluten-Free, Slow-Cooker)
Paleo Pot Roast With Parsnips (Gluten-Free, Slow-Cooker)

The fall weather is approaching and that means meals like pot roasts and soups will be in full swing in my kitchen. For cool weather meals, I also like to bust out my slow-cooker. The slow-cooker is a perfect tool to use for when you want a meal with minimal effort. It is great for busy workdays or school days. All you need to do is a little prep, set it, and forget it. Today I will share with you how I made my paleo pot roast slow-cooker and the recipe for it.

The meat and veggies are the stars of the show. Simple ingredients and effortless steps to obtain an incredible meal.

This was our first time trying out parsnips. I wanted to be adventurous with this roast and add something new to it so we went with that. My daughter, Chloe, actually loved them and my husband was on the fence about it (he is somewhat picky). I really enjoyed them and would continue to use them in my roast recipe. I would actually probably add another one or two next time I make pot roast with them.

Continue reading “Paleo Pot Roast With Parsnips RECIPE Gluten-Free, Slow-Cooker – When Comfort & Simplicity Collide” →

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Paleo Turkey & Turmeric Chili – Gluten-Free – A Healthier Approach To Chili

Paleo Turkey & Turmeric Chili simmering in the Staub
Paleo Turkey & Turmeric Chili simmering in the Staub

It seems a bit early in the year still for chili but temps are cooling down a bit here in Michigan and I so ready to make my first batch on Sunday night. This version that I created was totally paleo (gluten-free) and this time around to keep it paleo I avoided kidney beans, which I usually do love to use in my chili. I also usually use ground beef and I switched it up and went for a lean ground turkey. I had a craving for some paleo turkey chili and I had to make it to satisfy my craving! The added turmeric was a nice touch as well. My husband and I reveled in this bowl of comforting chili. There is just something so comforting about eating chili. It is always satisfying and it is also so simple to make!


How I created this paleo turkey chili

This chili will make quite a few servings. I would say anywhere from 4-6 servings, depending on how much you place into your bowl. It started off with garlic and onion sauteed in the Staub until it reached a nice translucent, golden color. You will need a large pot to prepare the chili in. I love to use my Staub dutch oven for meals like this. The Staub is a heavy-duty piece of cooking equipment. It is very durable and built to last a lifetime. I always enjoy cooking with it.

Then came the lean ground turkey. I broke that up with a wooden spoon and continued to brown it. I seasoned the turkey with some organic chili powder, turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. This was my first time using turmeric in my chili so I was not sure how we were going to like it.

While the meat was browning I also added in some diced red and green bell peppers. Every chili needs to be chock full of peppers for me. Peppers in every bite! For this chili, I also decided to add some chopped zucchini pieces.

Once the meat was cooked and browned I added in an entire can of Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes. This is my favorite brand of tomato products that I currently use. Muir Glen is an organic line of tomato products and they always lend an extraordinary flavor to the dish I am preparing. You can read more about Muir Glen HERE and their principles as a company. They are outstanding!

I allowed this chili to simmer for a couple of hours. This can also be prepared in a slow-cooker and simmer all day in there. Just be sure to brown/cook the meat before putting it in there.

Continue reading “Paleo Turkey & Turmeric Chili – Gluten-Free – A Healthier Approach To Chili” →

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