Baked Italian-Seasoned Meatballs Make Great Sliders

Whether you're cooking for a crowd or stocking your freezer, this is a great recipe to have on hand. These Italian-seasoned meatballs are easy to assemble and bake. When you're done, you'll be ready to turn out pasta, meatball sandwiches or party-pleasing meatball sliders in a flash.

I used an ice-cream scoop to portion out the meat, then shaped each into a slightly flattened ball so the cooked meatballs wouldn't roll off the buns. If you'd rather have meatloaf sliders, ratchet up the seasonings a bit, pat the meat mixture into a 1-inch-thick rectangle, and cut into squares. Cook the squares as you would the meatballs, reducing the time as needed. Serve with ketchup or your choice of condiments.

If you've never baked meatballs on a broiler pan, give my method a try. The fat drips into the bottom of the pan, making the meatballs more healthful. In addition, they require little attention while they bake, unlike pan-frying.

If you have time and a favorite recipe, make your own sauce. I took a shortcut, enhancing a good-quality marinara with a tablespoon or so of tomato paste.

MEATBALL SLIDERS
Yield: 24

3 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 medium onion, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 2/3 pounds ground beef (85 percent lean)

About 56 ounces marinara sauce (purchased or homemade)

24 small sandwich buns

Sliced provolone cheese, optional

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir in egg, mixing well. Crumble in beef; using your hands, mix lightly but well.

If desired, check the seasonings by making a small patty and cooking in a small skillet, about 5 minutes. (These meatballs are lightly seasoned because they also get flavor from the sauce. Add more seasonings to taste.)

For easy cleanup, line the bottom of a large two-part broiler pan with foil. Coat the top portion with nonstick cooking spray.

Form the meat mixture into 24 balls, using about 1/3 cup for each. If desired, flatten the meatballs slightly (so they won't roll off the sandwich buns). Arrange on the broiler pan.

Bake until meatballs reach 160 degrees, about 25 minutes. 

Heat sauce in a large skillet. Add meatballs, discarding any fat that clings to the bottom of the meatballs. Simmer gently until meatballs are heated through and have absorbed some of the flavor from the sauce, at least 10 to 15 minutes. (To serve at a party, keep sauce and meatballs warm in a slow cooker.) Serve meatballs and a little sauce on sandwich buns, adding  cheese if desired.

Pesto-stuffed mushrooms are perfect for a party

I went to a birthday luncheon last weekend at Maggiano's Little Italy. The first course included pesto-stuffed mushrooms, and after one bite, everyone started speculating about how to make them.

Fortunately, the recipe was easy to replicate. I bought a jar of basil pesto, spooned some into a bowl and added chopped parsley (for fresh flavor) and fresh breadcrumbs.  I used medium mushrooms, just the right size for one or two bites, and topped each with a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan.

You can assemble these a few hours before you bake them. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

(And don't discard those leftover mushroom stems. You can use them in stir-fries, soups or this moist and lean Bison Meatloaf.)

PESTO-STUFFED MUSHROOMS
Yield: About 18

1 slice bread 
12 ounces medium button mushrooms (about 18)
6 tablespoons purchased or homemade pesto
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley 
About 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking dish with nonstick foil or coat with nonstick cooking spray.

Cut the crust off the bread and discard. Whirl the bread in a blender to make crumbs. Measure 6 tablespoons crumbs; discard the remainder, if any, or save for another use.

Wash the mushrooms and pat dry. Carefully remove the stems and set aside for another use. Arrange the mushroom caps in a baking dish.

In a medium bowl, stir together breadcrumbs, pesto and parsley. Fill each mushroom cap with the pesto mixture, mounding it slightly. Sprinkle each cap with about 1/4 teaspoon Parmesan. Bake until the mushrooms are tender and the cheese begins to brown, about 20 minutes.