My husband is an avid gardener. He absolutely loves being outside in the summer tending his plants. I think this is how he gets rid of his stress after work.
Three years ago I bought him the AeroGarden for Christmas. He was skeptical, but tried it anyway. It works very well, so now we have vegetables and herbs growing year round inside and out.
The latest vegetable assortment included Japanese eggplant. There were six of the long, slim eggplants ready to harvest. This recipe seemed like a good fit - I could use the eggplant.
The meatballs are pretty standard They taste good. They mostly stayed together.
I browned the balls, then placed them in the oven while I worked on the vegetables. They were nicely browned on the outside and done through.
The vegetables I had a little problem with. The were all way too soft for my taste. Simmering for 30 minutes is about twice as long as they should have cooked for in my opinion.
I also think the bell peppers could have been added to the first batch of vegetables. No need to continue to cook mush.
That being said, my family loved the dish. They aren’t quite as picky as I am I guess. It did taste good, I will say that.
COUNTRY MEAT BALLS AND VEGETABLES
1 1/2 Cups Bread Cubes
1/3 Cup Milk
1 Pound Hamburger
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
1 Egg, Beaten
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
2 Tablespoons Butter
1/3 Cup Fat
2 Cloves Garlic, Crushed
1 Cup Sliced Onions
4 Sliced Zucchini
1 Eggplant, Diced
2 Bell Peppers, Cut Into Strips
2 Teaspoons Salt
1/4 Teaspoon pepper
5 Tomatoes, Quartered
Mix bread crumbs with milk, squeeze dry. Combine with hamburger, onion, egg, salt and pepper. Form into 24 small balls and brown in butter. Remove from skillet. Heat fat in pan, then add garlic and sliced onions. Cook until onions are soft. Add zucchini and eggplant. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir frequently. Add bell pepper, salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes. Add meat balls and tomatoes. Cook 10 minutes.
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