I think I’m starting to understand the desire grandparents
have to spoil their children. My brother Quinn is living in St. Louis for the
summer while he does an internship and I feel compelled to spoil him. Suddenly
I’m buying cans of Dr. Pepper and extra junk food on my weekly grocery trip.
I’m afraid I’m setting him up for future (wrong) expectations about dinner (and
a can of Dr. Pepper) magically appearing anytime you walk in the house and your
dishes being taken care of without you even having to lift a finger. I can’t
help it, I love the boy. In his defense, he never ever fails to say thank you!
These meatball sandwiches were the first meal I made for him
when he arrived in town earlier this month. I made them because I thought they
were something Quinn would like but surprised myself when I fell in love with
them. Although they take several steps (forming the meatballs, browning the
meatballs, making the onion mixture, broiling the sandwiches), each step is
easy and it came together fairly quickly. The sandwich elements worked so well
together—you could sub a milder cheese but we all loved the spicy pepperjack.
These are a little bit messy to eat, but when you’re eating with family no one
really minds!
One Year Ago: Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Strawberry Syrup
Two Years Ago: Strawberry Cream Puff Cake
Saucy Onion Meatball Subs with Pepperjack
slightly adapted from Taste and Tell
For the meatballs-
-1 egg, lightly beaten
-1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
-1/4 cup finely chopped onion
-1/4 cup grated Parmesan
-2 tbsp beef broth
-1 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp pepper
-1/4 tsp dried thyme
-1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
-2 tbsp olive oil
For the sauce-
-3 cups sliced onions
-2 tsp olive oil
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-1/2 tsp dried thyme
-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
-3 cups beef broth
-3/4 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp pepper
-1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
For the sanwiches-
-8 sub buns
-1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Directions:
1. In a large bowl combine all of the meatball ingredients except the turkey and the olive oil. Crumble in the turkey, mixing well with the other ingredients. Shape mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls (I got around 30). Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and brown the meatballs in batches. Remove from skillet and place on a paper-towel lined plate.
2. In the same skillet, add the onions and saute until tender. Add the garlic and thyme, cooking for 1 minute. Stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute, and gradually whisk in the broth. Stir in the salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring mixture to a boil and cook for about 2 minutes, until slightly thickened.
3. Add the meatballs and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, until meatballs are no longer pink.
4. While meatballs are simmering, cut the buns in half lengthwise. Place (cut side up) on a baking sheet and broil on high until toasted.
5. Top buns with meatballs, onions, and cheese. Broil until cheese is melted. Serve immediately, with remaining sauce for dipping.
