1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup finely crushed saltine cracker crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 5×9 inch loaf pan.

2. Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread the ketchup over the sugar.

3. In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the ketchup.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.

Serves 8

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats, uncooked
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine first 7 ingredients; shape into 1-inch balls.

Combine all-purpose flour, paprika, and salt. Gently roll meatballs in flour mixture, and place on a lightly greased rack in a foil-lined 13- x 9-inch pan.

Bake at 400° for 25 to 30 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve with your favorite sauce.

NOTE: To freeze, cool completely, and seal in an airtight container. To serve, place in a single layer on a baking sheet; bake at 400° for 10 to 15 minutes.

Yield: Makes 4 dozen

1/2 cup quick-cooking rice cereal (1/2 minute to cook)
1 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons long-grain white rice
3/4 pound ground lean (7% fat or less) beef
About 1/2 teaspoon salt
About 1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Mix rice cereal with 1/3 cup cold water; let stand at least 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a 5- to 6-quart nonstick pan, stir half the onion and 1 teaspoon garlic over medium-high heat until limp, about 4 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, broth, and rice. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender to bite, 12 to 15 minutes.

3. As rice cooks, mix beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

4. Mix half the beef mixture with one-fourth of the rice cereal mixture, remaining onion and garlic, 1 tablespoon mint, and parsley.

5. In a food processor, whirl remaining beef mixture and remaining rice cereal mixture until it is a sticky paste.

6. Shape each of the meat mixtures into 4 oval pieces. In your palm, flatten 1 piece of the beef paste until it’s 1/4 inch thick. Lay a coarse-beef oval over the thin piece and fold paste around it, shaping into a 3-inch-long football.

7. Repeat to form each meatball, and as shaped, drop into simmering broth.

8. Simmer over low heat, covered, turning meatballs once, until no longer pink in center (cut to test), about 10 minutes.

9. Add lemon juice, remaining mint, and salt and pepper to taste. Ladle meatball soup into bowls.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
or – 16 ounces frozen, fully cooked meatballs
8 oz. uncooked penne pasta
3 cups (12 oz.) frozen Italian vegetable mixture
1 jar (26 oz.) prepared spaghetti sauce
2 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese

Recipe Directions
Heat oven to 375*F. In large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, salt and pepper; mix lightly but thoroughly.
In 8-inch square baking dish, press beef mixture into 1/2-inch thickness. Bake at 375*F for approximately 20 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 160*F. Carefully pour off drippings. Cut beef mixture into 16 squares. (Or, substitute fully cooked meatballs.)
Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions. Approximately 6 minute before pasta is done, stir in vegetables. Drain; keep warm.
In large saucepan, combine “meatballs” (squares) and spaghetti sauce. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat 6 to 8 minutes or until heated through; stir occasionally. Serve over pasta and vegetables. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 large celery stalk, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 pounds meat-loaf mix (1 pound lean ground beef, 1/2 pound ground pork, 1/2 pound ground veal or lamb)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
black pepper
1 3/4 cups light cream
1 cup water

Recipe Directions
Heat oven to 350° F. In a medium skillet, over medium heat, heat the oil with the onion, celery, and garlic, and cook until the vegetables are tender but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons salt, allspice, and nutmeg. Remove from heat.In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then blend in the milk and bread crumbs. Add the meat and cooked vegetables and stir or work with your hands to combine. Shape into 1-inch balls. Sauté over medium-high heat, in tablespoon olive oil, a few meatballs at a time, removing them when well browned on all sides. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Whisk in flour, 1 teaspoon salt, sugar, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits. Whisk in light cream and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, at least 1 minute. Return the meatballs to the skillet and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Yield: 8 servings

2 pounds lean ground beef
2 pounds ground pork
1 medium onion, minced
2 slices soft bread, crusts removed and torn into pieces
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups ricotta

Recipe Directions
Preheat oven to 400° F. In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients, 1 cup of the Parmesan, and 2 teaspoons of the pepper. Mix just to combine. Shape the mixture into 16 to 18 large meatballs (each should be about ¾ cup of meat). Place on a baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta with the remaining Parmesan and the remaining pepper; set aside. Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes in upper third of oven. Remove from oven and turn on broiler. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture onto each meatball. Broil 3 to 5 minutes or until the ricotta just starts to brown. Serve the meatballs with jarred marinara sauce.

Yield: Makes 16 to 18 large meatballs

1 pound lean hamburger
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/3 medium onion, finely cut
garlic powder to taste
1 egg

Recipe Directions
Mix thoroughly in large frying pan. Then flatten evenly in pan. Cut into four segments. Cook six minutes each side.

1-1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
5 ounces fresh spinach, finely chopped
2 carrots, grated
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup vegetable or tomato juice (divided)
1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup ketsup

Recipe Directions
Preheat oven to 350*F.
In a small bowl, combine 1/4-cup of the vegetable or tomato juice and the catsup. Set aside.
Combine all other ingredients and mix well. Form into a loaf and place in a 1-quart loaf pan.
Bake for 50-55 minutes or until center of meat loaf reaches 160*F on an instant read thermometer. Top with reserved catsup mixture during last 5 minutes of cooking.

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg
3 slices bread, torn into small pieces
1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
1/2 cup ketchup, chili sauce or barbecue sauce

Recipe Directions
1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix all ingredients except ketchup. Spread mixture in ungreased loaf pan, 8 1/2×4 1/2×2 1/2 or 9×5x3 inches, or shape into 9×5-inch loaf in ungreased rectangular pan, 13×9x2 inches. Spread ketchup over top.
3. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in center of loaf. Bake uncovered 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until thermometer reads 160°F.

8 slices bacon
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 chopped large mushrooms (cremini, button)
1 onion, minced
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 cup shredded Havarti cheese
1-1/2 lbs. extra lean ground beef
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Recipe Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large heavy skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain and cool. Crumble bacon and set aside. Drain bacon fat from skillet but do not wash. Add olive oil, mushrooms and onion to skillet and saute until tender, stirring frequently. Let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, mix the cornflake crumbs, egg, evaporated milk and cheese. Add the mushroom and onion mixture and the crumbled cooked bacon. Add the ground beef and mix gently just until combined.

Shape into a loaf and place in a large loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain fat from the pan and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing. 4 to 6 servings.