Homemade or frozen meatballs sauced with a cranberry barbecue sauce.

Cranberry Meatballs

Who doesn't love a sauced party meatball?

I know my husband (aka "The Cajun") sure does! You really have to reel him in to save some for other guests when he finds them on the table at any gathering. He does tend to get carried away when it comes to meatballs!

These Cranberry Meatballs are pretty popular around the major holidays when cranberries are in vogue. You certainly could make your own fresh cranberry sauce and yes, even chili sauce if you'd rather. I've actually got recipes up here for both.

We're going a little shortcut here!

Meatballs and Marinara - Meatballs, tossed in a quick, homemade marinara sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese and served over rotini pasta. Add a side salad and some crusty bread for a fantastic meal!

Meatballs and Marinara

The Cajun loves meatballs. I swear his eyes literally light up when I say we're having meatballs for supper, without him knowing a thing about how we're having them. Just the word meatballs makes him happy!

Of course, I'm pretty sure he could also finish off a full 3 pounds of them in one sitting, if I let him. He is definitely your quintessential meat and potatoes man, so I do try to "fill in" with things like sauce, maybe some pasta, a little bread and a salad.

 

A beef broth and tomato based, meatball and vegetable soup with bowtie pasta, made super easy with frozen Italian-style meatballs.

Meatball and Vegetable Bowtie Soup

Christmas is upon us y'all and once we slip past the Thanksgiving holiday, well... the days, they seem to come and go faster than ever, until before we know it, Christmas is here!

Shopping and wrapping, planning and decorating, and all the hustle and bustle take over, multiplying our already busy lives... and in the midst of it all, we still have to eat and sometimes there are house guests on top of the usual crew.

Those quick drive through windows can sure look tempting during this busy season, but something from home is on the way with a little help from a few common pantry items, and a bag of frozen meatballs.

Bacon Cheeseburger Meatball Bites with Burger Sauce

Party meatballs in a delicious meatball sauce.

As we speak, football season is in full swing... finally if you ask The Cajun.

Our television has barely left the SEC and NFL Networks since preseason started - and, of course, along with the season, comes the fabulous food!

Meatballs surely must be the quintessential football party food don't you think? Whether you're tailgating or homegating, it'd be rare to be at a party without a crock or three going and meatballs destined to be in at least one of them. Frankly, it's where most everybody seems to gravitate. I know my husband sure does!

Meaty, garlicky, beef and pork meatballs served on po'boy or sandwich rolls, dressed with a Creole sauce made from The Trinity and tomatoes, and topped with shredded Mozzarella cheese.

Creole Meatball Po'boy

Seriously, who doesn't love a good meatball? I have a stand-by, no-frills, meatball recipe that I've been using since the beginning of time, but when I had the chance to review Emeril's newest cookbook, Sizzling Skillets, awhile back, I saw this gargantuan beef and pork meatball he had in there for a recipe called Big Boy Meatballs and Spaghetti. You can see those pictured in my sneak peek review post with the Chicken Sauce Piquante I featured back in October. The meatballs looked and sounded so good, I knew that I had to give them a spin, well, with my own spin on them of course!

The original recipe was very heavy on garlic, like 12 cloves heavy, or what would amount to 1/4 cup of minced garlic. While I do love me some garlic, I just had a feeling that would be way more garlic than even this girl could handle, so I cut that way back. As the meatballs were baking, a very distinct smell of garlic filled the house, and so, I was sure glad I did! One tablespoon provided more than enough garlic flavor, and, in fact if you are not a big garlic fan, feel free to reduce that even further. On the other hand, if you're adventurous, hey, go all full out with garlic gusto I say!

Although I chose to oven bake the meatballs, you can certainly pan fry them - you'll need between 2 and 3 tablespoons of olive oil or a vegetable oil. I also rolled mine to get an even twelve meatballs, four for each po'boy, but you can roll them larger or smaller, depending on what you intend to use them for. In fact, these will make amazing, little slider bites for the Super Bowl game this weekend. Men will love them for their meatiness, women will love them because they are small and a little neater to eat than say, a whole meatball sandwich, which I will tell you I certainly did eat. For party po'boys, just put the meatballs on individual pistolette rolls or use small dinner rolls, dress them in the same manner and I think you'll have a winner on your hands!

A casserole of meatballs, topped with green peas, a cream soup gravy and stuffing.

Meatball and Stuffing Bake

This is a family pleasing meal and this dish will disappear so quick, you'll barely remember makin' it!

It's a super delicious casserole dish and something different to do with those pre-cooked, frozen meatballs everybody loves having on hand. The Cajun absolutely loved this dish - meat and stuffing? What is not to love??

A great, no-frills, meatball that can be used in casseroles, on sandwiches, for spaghetti and meatballs, and of course, our fabulously loved grape jelly meatballs.

Basic Homemade Meatballs

This is my favorite basic meatball recipe that I have been using since I started cooking, and the same one I use when I make my spaghetti with meatballs, and those famous grape jelly meatballs that we southerners are so endeared to.

It is not, nor is it intended to be an "Italian-Style" meatball, though I've included the revisions I make when I'm leaning more toward those flavors. This, rather, is a very basic meatball recipe that you can use for sandwiches and even for casseroles, though you can certainly jazz them up by adding whatever extras you like.

For most meatball recipes, I prefer them simple with very basic seasonings.

Cajun Beef and Pork Boulettes with Brown Gravy

Cajun Beef Boulettes, a well seasoned beef and pork meatball, simmered in a roux based gravy, usually include a little surprise of garlic, button mushroom or even an olive tucked up inside.

Mary's Cajun Beef and Pork Boulettes with Brown Gravy

Boulettes is French for pellet or ball, and can be made with just about any type of ground meat or seafood. They are sometimes formed into patties instead of balls. Cajun Beef Boulettes include a little surprise of garlic, button mushroom or even an olive tucked up inside. Many Cajun cooks brown their boulettes in a pan first, then deglaze the pan with wine or stock and create a sauce, adding chunky peppers and onion to the stew.

Others flour and fry their boulettes. I prefer to finely chop up the veggies by hand, because I tend to turn them into mush with the food processor, and then add them in the meat mixture. I also prefer to stew the boulettes slow and long in a roux (what else?!) instead of precooking them. I think both of these produce a very tender and delicious meatball.

Grape Jelly Cocktail Meatballs and Smokies Sausages

 

Grape jelly meatballs, made with homemade or frozen meatballs, chili sauce and grape jelly, are classic south and always a crowd favorite for any gathering.

Grape Jelly Cocktail Meatballs

Cocktail meatballs with grape jelly sauce. As country as that may sound to some, these little meatballs - and sometimes little smokies (or Lit'l Smokies) sausages - drenched in a sauce of grape jelly with tomato based chili sauce is just outright loved down south. I think it will always be.

A quick stroganoff using cube steaks, sirloin or tenderloin, cream soup, sour cream and mushrooms. Serve over hot cooked egg noodles.

Beef Stroganoff

I decided to make some quick beef stroganoff for dinner tonight, and I truly can't believe The Cajun ate both mushrooms and sour cream without saying anything and exclaimed, "this is delicious!" Hehehehe... I just love when I can sneak in food he wouldn't otherwise touch with a 10 foot pole. Hey, don't judge me.