So we have returned from the last of our summer vacations.  It was a whirlwind tour back to New York to visit friends and family.  We returned home last night about 10 pm from:  in 86 hours we drove almost 2,000 miles in 24 hours of driving time;  slept in three different places; ate at 9 different places; went to a party; had a dinner with friends; visited with two different relatives and did a little shopping.  It was a busy time.

I am so glad to be home.  A little piece of me didn’t want to come back to Michigan but I know I have to.   I can’t wait to see all our friends and family again.

So, for today I am pulling out a recipe I made about two weeks ago.  This is Ree Drummond – The Pioneer Woman’s Salisbury Steak Meatballs.  As you know I substitute for what I have on hand or what seems to work for my family.  This recipe below is pretty close except I added more breadcrumbs as my meat seemed really “mushy” and didn’t want to stay in meatball form.  I also did not have beef bouillon so I substituted Chicken and it tasted fine.  The original recipe is in the link above.

My daughter had a friend over the night I served this meal.  It is tough serving dinner to people outside my family.  I am cooking for what I know my family likes and their tastes are unique.  Most of their friends pick at what I serve them but tonight it seemed to go over really well even with the friends.

Verdict:

My meatballs may not have stayed together too well so it didn’t look as pretty as I wish it did but it tasted AMAZING!  My kids had a friend over for dinner and between the 5 of us we ate every last drop of it.    It had a great savory flavor that went well with the buttery egg noodles.

I served this with a side of mixed vegetables.

For my mostly gluten-free son I made this dish with gluten-free breadcrumbs and served his over gluten-free pasta.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 1 cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup Gulden’s Brown Mustard
• ¼ cup Ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Powdered Chicken Bouillon
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• ½ teaspoons Black Pepper
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 Onion, Sliced Thinly
• 2-½ cups Beef Broth
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce (additional)
• 1 Tablespoon Ketchup (additional)
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch Mixed With A Little Beef Broth To Make A Thin Paste
• 1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet (optional)
• 1 pound Egg Noodles, Cooked To al dente And drained
• Minced Parsley

Directions:

1. To make the meatballs, combine the first ground beef, breadcrumbs, brown mustard, ketchup, chicken bouillon, 1 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce, and black pepper in a mixing bowl.   Blend ingredients together, using your hands,  until completely combined. Form into 1″ meatballs and place on a plate.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and then add 2 tablespoons of butter. When butter has melted, add the meatballs, be careful not to overcrowd the pan. Let the meatballs brown well on all sides.  When brown, remove them to a clean plate and repeat with the rest of the meatballs.
3. Once you have cooked all the meatballs add to the skillet the onions.  Turn heat down to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and starting to soften.
4. In a small bowl, mix ½ cup of beef broth with the cornstarch.
5. Next add to the skillet 2 cups of the beef broth, 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce, 1 TBSP ketchup.   Stir to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring to a gentle boil.   Add the cornstarch mixture. Return the meatballs to the pan, reduce the heat to low, and allow entire pan to simmer for 10 minutes or until meatballs are done and sauce has thickened.
6. Serve meatballs and sauce over egg noodles, tossed in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle with minced parsley.