I have a secret, but I will tell you.
That’s how much I like you. If you want an amazing recipe, that is tried, tested and true, I know where to find it.
That’s right! Right here, on our blog. Tell your friends :).
Ok, ok, if you want to find recipes but can’t find them on here, I know a secret place to find them. It’s not online, it’s not from professional chefs (although both of these places are, obviously, amazing).
I have become a new believer in fundraiser cookbooks. Think about it, a group of people get together and submit their very best recipes. Who wants to put their name next to a recipe that is anything less than delicious? It will be printed for all eternity, and everyone will know if Mrs. Applebee from the knitting corner submitted a sub-par apple pie recipe.
See what I mean?
I have become a new believer in these types of cookbooks. I used to put them aside, or just give them a quick glance, because really, cookbooks with no pictures? Just not cutting it for me. Buuuut, this blog really inspired me to look in different places for new meal ideas. On top of that, I need meal ideas that are affordable, so when I have to make them multiple times simply to get a picture at the right time of day, I don’t break the bank :).
So, here is a recipe from a Church fundraiser cookbook I got from my mom for Christmas (hi mom!). These ladies truly did bring their game faces, and I’m so excited to share this recipe with you – easy, affordable, and completely delicious! I hope you enjoy it like I did! Cheap and chic… what’s not to love?
- MEATBALLS
- 1lb ground beef
- Sprinkle of seasoning salt
- Sprinkle of pepper
- Sprinkle of Italian seasoning
- Dash of Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- SAUCE:
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ⅓ cup hot water
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
- 1 cup rice
- Make the meatballs, combining the first 7 ingredients and shaping into balls with your hands.
- Bake at 400F for about 15 minutes, or until done.
- In small saucepan, combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Add vinegar and soy sauce. In a measuring cup, combine chicken bouillon and hot water. Add to sauce pan. Cook until thickened.
- Pour sauce over meatballs and keep warm while the rice cooks. (The more time the sauce and the meatballs spend together, the more the flavours will combine)
- Cook rice according to regular directions. (I used coconut jasmine rice, which even my hubby who doesn't like rice loves)
I use this recipe now for any time I want a quick sweet and sour sauce…even for a dip for egg rolls or spring rolls. And I have discovered that if I throw store bought frozen meatballs in the slow cooker with all the ingredients, turn it on low for a few hours, ta-dah! I have delicious sweet and sour meatballs ready for an appetizer or to serve over rice.
Had a big gathering for Easter and made a crockpot full of meatballs with this sauce on it and they were delicious! I tripled the sauce recipe because I had a lot of meatballs but I didn’t have to cook the mixture to thicken it because it thickened while cooking in the crockpot. I made my own meatball mixture because they had to be gluten free and exchanged gluten free sodium reduced tamari sauce for the soy sauce and gluten free chicken stock for the regular bouillon. They were a hit…could have had twice as many and they still would have been finished!
I made these tonight (doubled the sauce) and they were delicious!! Great recipe- thank you!
VERDICT IN: Meatball dish equals good.
Mom – I just doubled the sauce recipe to have enough to thoroughly coat my base rice and noodles :)
I tried these for dinner tonight and they were delicious! Next time I would add some soya sauce, green onions etc. to the rice to gussy it up because there wasn’t as much extra sauce to flavour the rice as I was thinking there might be but we thoroughly enjoyed the meatballs. I will definitely use this recipe next time I’m making just meatballs as an appetizer/party selection :)
Glad to pop in and this these asian meatballs, they look delicious. I am always looking for new ways to use ground beef and this one does look like a winner.
Sometimes fundraiser cookbooks have some real treasures in them!
Fundraiser cookbooks are the best. They have some great recipes. I have a church cookbook that has THE BEST pie recipes. These sound awesome too!
Great recipe! I wish I didn’t use my ground beef last night because these would be awesome to have for dinner!!
I love these kind of cookbooks! I have one all dedicated to apples, no pictures, ugly red color, but the recipes are so perfect!!
Hi Chelsea! I’m glad you’re testing these recipes and letting me know which ones are good since I am also one who is more drawn to cookbooks with pictures. One correction (sorry, it is the English teacher in me) in your instructions you are combining the brown with the cornstarch :). Coconut jasmine rice?…I never even knew there was such a thing. But the old dog is occasionally willing to try a new trick :). Looks delicious!
These sound awesome. I love all of the flavors you included here. I totally agree with you on the tested cookbooks. Most of the time they are winners.
It did make me laugh though, because a tried a horrifically bad recipe once that came straight from my own church’s book. :P