Rice Meatballs Recipe

rice-meatballsWhen my husband and I were dating, would would sometimes eat at my now in-laws house for dinner.  I remember one night my mother-in-law made rice meatballs for dinner and they were yummy!  After we were married, I have collected a number of recipes from my mother-in-law and this is one of our family’s favorites!  It’s one of my go to recipes when I need something that’s quick to fix.  I serve it over noodles or rice with a side of veggies.

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Rice Meatballs Recipe
Author: 
 

Easy Rice Meatballs recipe
Ingredients
  • 1 cup uncooked minute rice
  • 1 lb ground beef (I use 93/7)
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • 2 t. grated onion
  • 2 t. salt (I cut this in half)
  • ⅛ t marjoram
  • dash pepper
  • 2½ cups tomato juice (or two 8 oz cans tomato sauce mixed with ½ cup water)
  • ½ t sugar

Instructions
  1. Combine rice and all other ingredients except tomato juice and sugar. Form balls and arrange in skillet.
  2. Pour tomato juice & sugar mixture over meatballs. Bring to boil.
  3. Reduce heat & simmer uncovered 20 minutes.

 

 

Menu Planning Monday: my menu plan for the week of 3/10

SUNDAY:  Grilled cheese and tomato soup  – Complete with Goldfish crackers in the soup, which I think is my kids’ favorite part!  I have been sick and didn’t feel like cooking, so this was a quick fix!

MONDAY:  Rice Meatballs – This is a recipe from my mother in law and it’s always a hit when we make it.

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked minute rice
1 lb ground beef (I use 93/7)
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 t. grated onion
2 t. salt (I cut this in half)
1/8 t marjoram
dash pepper
2 1/2 cups tomato juice (or two 8 oz cans tomato sauce mixed with 1/2 cup water)
1/2 t sugar

Combine rice and all other ingredients except tomato juice and sugar. Form balls and arrange in skillet. Pour tomato juice & sugar over meatballs. Bring to boil. Reduce heat & simmer uncovered 15 minutes.

Rice Meatballs – This is a recipe from my mother in law and it’s always a hit when we make it.

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked minute rice
1 lb ground beef (I use 93/7)
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 t. grated onion
2 t. salt (I cut this in half)
1/8 t marjoram
dash pepper
2 1/2 cups tomato juice (or two 8 oz cans tomato sauce mixed with 1/2 cup water)
1/2 t sugar

Combine rice and all other ingredients except tomato juice and sugar. Form balls and arrange in skillet. Pour tomato juice & sugar over meatballs. Bring to boil. Reduce heat & simmer uncovered 15 minutes.

TUESDAY:  It’s my dad’s birthday and my mom is cooking!

WEDNESDAY:  Slow Cooker Garlic Pesto chicken – I found this one on Pinterest and it looks SO YUMMY!  I can’t wait to try it!

THURSDAY:  Taco Pasta Bake This is another recipe I found on Pinterest.  It sounds easy enough and has ingredients that sound kid friendly, too!

FRIDAY:  Slow Cooker Beef & Broccoli – I pinned this awhile ago and tried it a few weeks ago and it was an absolutely disaster.  I’m thinking it was because it cooked for too long!  The meat had basically disintegrated by the time I got home from work!  I’m going to try it again and see if it works out better with fewer hours of cooking.

SATURDAY:  A-mazing Chicken Avocado Enchiladas – this recipe is simply AMAZING and the sauce is so good that you’ll want to lick your plate clean!

See my menu plans from previous weeks here–> Menu Planning Monday

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Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe

easy-chicken-enchilada-casseroleWhen it comes to cooking, I love recipes that are easy and kid friendly and this one definitely fits in both areas!  We love enchiladas, but sometimes I don’t have time to actually roll them and wait for them to cook.  This is a great quick fix for busy nights!  I sometimes will cook the chicken overnight and assemble the casserole before I go to work in the morning so I just have to throw it in the oven when I get home!

See more recipes here–> Recipes

Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 6
 

Quick and easy enchiladas!
Ingredients
  • 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 large can red enchilada sauce
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • shredded cheese – I use reduced fat

Instructions
  1. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker and cover with enchilada sauce. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  2. Shred chicken breasts.
  3. Pour some enchilada sauce along the bottom of a casserole dish.
  4. Cut corn tortillas in quarter-size pieces (I use a pizza cutter to do this). Place a layer of corn tortillas along the bottom, cover with the sauce and chicken mixture, and then add cheese. Continue layering until you have used all of your tortillas and cheese.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. When you remove it from the oven, allow it to set for about 5 minutes and then cut and serve.

 

 

Menu Planning Monday: My Menu Plan for the week of 3/3

Last week I got back on track with menu planning!  This week is going to be a busy one, so I mainly chose my tried and true quick fix and slow cooker recipes!

If you’re new to menu planning or would like tips for getting started, check out this post here–> Tips for menu planning

See my menu plans from previous weeks here–> Menu Planning Monday

You can also view hundreds of meal plans each week at Orgjunkie.com

slow-cooker-chicken-noodle-soup

SUNDAY:  Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Noodle soup – This is the PERFECT comfort food and it’s super easy to make!

MONDAY:  Steak stroganoff (slow cooker) – My family LOVES this recipe!!

Ingredients:
2T flour
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1 3/4 lb. boneless round steak
2 cans 10 3/4 oz cream of mushroom soup (I use 98% FF)
2 c. water (or 1 can 100% FF beef broth for more flavor)
1 envelope beef stew mix
4 oz can mushrooms, sliced and drained
1/2 c. sour cream
1 T minced parsley

Combine flour, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika in slow cooker. Cut meat into 1 1/2 inch strips. Place in flour mixture and toss until meat is well coated. Add soup, water, and stew mix. Stir until well blended. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours. Stir in mushrooms, sour cream, and parsley and then cook on high 10-15 minutes until heated through. Serve over egg noodles. (Depending on the consistency of the sauce, you may need to add cornstarch to thicken or add more water/broth to thin)

To freeze: Pour into gallon freezer bags (I used Ziploc containers for this one). Allow to cool before freezing.

To reheat: Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Warm on stove and serve over rice or egg noodles. (Add sour cream when warming if you left it out of the initial recipe)

TUESDAY:  Slow cooker chili  – It doesn’t get any easier than this dump and go recipe!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (brown in skillet and then place in crockpot)
1 can dark kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can Ranch style beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 packet chili spices

Mix all ingredients in crockpot and cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours. Sprinkle cheese on top.

WEDNESDAY: Chicken enchilada casserole – This is a recipe that my sister came up with. She uses canned chicken when she makes it. I came up with a little bit of a variation.  It is so easy and kid friendly, too!

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts (shredded) – or 1 can chicken
1 large can red enchilada sauce
corn tortillas
shredded cheese – I use reduced fat

Directions: (this is what I do) – I put my chicken and the enchilada sauce in the crockpot the night before and then shred it when I get up in the morning. If you are using canned chicken, you can just shred it as you are making the casserole. I spread some of the chicken/sauce mixture along the bottom of the casserole dish so it doesn’t stick. Break corn tortillas into four pieces and layer across the bottom of the casserole dish. Spread a layer of the chicken/sauce mixture and cheese. Add another layer of corn tortillas. Continue until you are out of the chicken/sauce mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

 

THURSDAY:  Melt in Your Mouth Meatloaf  – Yes, it’s meatloaf and yet it’s a hit every time I make it…one of those recipes I can never go wrong with!

FRIDAY:  Country Style Macaroni Casserole – Every time I ask my family to help out with menu planning and give me recipe suggestions, this is always one of the things they choose.

Ingredients:

1 lb country ham slices or regular smoked ham in one piece (I just use whatever leftover ham we have on hand)
1 large onion, diced
1 lb elbow macaroni (whole wheat)
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz) – I use reduced fat
1 cup sour cream (I use reduced fat)
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use 98% fat free)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine, melted (I don’t use this when I make it)
1 cup dry plain bread crumbs

1. Heat oven to 400º.
2. Bring 4 quarts water and ham to boiling in large pot. Once water begins to boil,
remove ham to a plate. Add onion and macaroni to pot. Return water to boiling; cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Coarsely chop ham, discarding any fat and bones.
4. Drain macaroni and onion and return to pot. Add ham, cheese, sour cream and soup. Scrape into a 13x9x2 baking dish. Pour melted margarine over top. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
5. Bake in heated 400º oven 30 minutes or until heated through and top is golden brown.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Note: Prepare in two 8×8 casserole dishes, bake one and freeze one (unbaked) for another day. If freezing, top with crumbs and margarine right before baking.

SATURDAY:  Slow Cooker Lasagne – I’ve had this on my “to try” list for awhile, and since I’m off work today, I figured it would be a good day to try it!

See my menu plans from previous weeks here–> Menu Planning Monday

Looking for more quick fix menu ideas? Sign up for Ready, Set, Eat by clicking on the image below! It’s completely free and you’ll get recipe ideas delivered to you by e-mail!

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*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information.

 

Slow Cooker Mondays: Creamy chicken noodle soup!

slow-cooker-chicken-noodle-soupWhenever one of my kids gets sick, this is one of their top picks.  I have to admit that I love it when I’m sick, too!  It’s great because you can throw all of the ingredients in the slow cooker for the day and it basically cooks itself!  The last thing you want to do when you’re sick is have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so this is the perfect comfort food!

See more recipes here–> Recipes

Creamy chicken noodle soup!
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup, slow cooker
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 6-8
 

An easy, creamy slow cooker chicken noodle soup recipe!
Ingredients
  • 3 cans chicken broth
  • 3 cans cream of chicken soup (I use 98% fat free)
  • 3-4 frozen chicken breasts
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 2-3 celery stalks, diced
  • parsley, to taste
  • onion powder (you could also use “real” onions, but I don’t like them, so we use the powder for flavor instead)
  • garlic powder, to taste
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • egg noodles (1/2 bag)

Instructions
  1. Place the frozen chicken breasts on the bottom of your slow cooker.
  2. Add the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and seasonings.
  3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  4. About 30 minutes before you’re ready to eat, shred the chicken. You can either cook the noodles separately and then drain and add them to the slow cooker or you can add them to the slow cooker and cook everything on high for 20-30 minutes.