But the thing is, I know I am not the only person in this country who is working such long hours every day. Not because I necessarily LOVE my job, but rather out of necessity. I haven't had much time to see friends, take a weekend breather, go on vacation. It makes me sad, it really does, but I feel fortunate to at least have a job, regardless of how I feel about the work or the fact that it doesn't help further my career goals. It doesn't pay much, and I do live paycheck to paycheck, but it has so far paid the bills, and that is what matters most, right?
So with the tight budget and the long hours I have been trying to come up with ways to make the most of my free time and make that time feel like a vacation. That's where this meatball and fries recipe comes in. It is super quick and easy to make. God knows the last thing I want to do after 12hrs of work is make an elaborate meal.. or spend a bunch of money eating out. And the cute baskets and lining paper make it feel like I just went out to eat at a ballpark or something, but instead I am watching the Packers get crushed by the 49ers at home. Disclosure: I am a huge Packer fan while my boyfriend is a 49ers fan. Football season certainly tests our relationship!
So here we go!
Ingredients for Clay Matthews (meat)Balls
(anyone see that tackle on Kaepernick? out of line but dang, the man is a beast)
1lbs of ground beef
4 garlic cloves
1 roasted red pepper
a bundle of parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
I mixed the garlic, peppers, salt and pepper and parsley in a food processor until finely chopped. I then put the meat in a mixing bowl and poured the ingredients from the processor in and mixed it all by hand while slowly pouring in the breadcrumbs. I sometimes add a little more breadcrumbs, depending on how hearty I want the meatballs. I also had some of the garlic and pepper mix left over for another batch of meatballs, so this is perfect if you are cooking for more than 4 people.
Once all of the ingredients are mixed well together, I formed medium sized balls and placed them on a lightly greased baking pan. I then placed the pan in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes I took the pan out and flipped the meatballs over and baked them again for 20 more minutes. Once done, I let cool.
For the fries
2 russet potatoes, finely sliced
1/4 of a yellow onion, finely sliced
a cup of mushrooms (any type you like, i used baby bella)
a drizzle of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
a drizzle of truffle oil
rosemary
I sliced the potatoes, onion and mushroom thinly. I then tossed them in a bowl with sea salt, pepper and olive oil and sprinkled some rosemary from my garden on them and placed them on a slightly greased baking sheet. I put them in the oven for 400 degrees for about 45min. I then turned the broiler on and let them cook until golden brown (about 15min or so). Once they were done, I drizzled some truffle oil on them and let cool.
I served them on a plastic basket and liner I bought at Sur La Table on clearance. The baskets were $1 and the liner was $3 for a packet of 40 or so. I also drizzled some ketchup on them as well. These weren't the very best meatballs I have ever made but they were the best meatballs to eat with french fries I have ever had. The other meatballs I make are perfect for hoagies. These meatballs work better on their own and with a simple carb on the side. Now that football season is here, I will be eating lots of meatballs with fries and drinking some fall beers.
Let's hope my fantasy teams don't crash and burn this season..
