Looking for a quick, mid-week, family dinner? Now, do I have you covered here! With the fast work of a food processor, these meatballs can be whipped up, in the oven, and on the table in 30-minutes. While the meatballs are baking prepare some quinoa and toss together a simple salad, or maybe mashed red potatoes and maple, smoked baked beans are more your style.

This dish reminds me of my Great Aunt Darlene. Back in Iowa, when I was a little girl, my aunt would take the time to grind her own meat with an old school metal grinder that attached to the counter. I would be beckoned to her side, pulling up a stool only to turn the handle on the grinder. Sweat would bead on my brow depending how much meat there was to grind. 

This recipe doesn’t require hard physical labor, but it does produce that same quality, homemade, comfort food that fills the belly and the soul with delicious goodness.

Herbed Meatballs with Mushroom and Sundried Tomato

1-pound Ground Pork

2 Button Mushrooms, quartered

¼ Red Onion

2 Cloves Roasted Garlic

¼ cup Macadamia Nuts, toasted

3 Tbsp Quinoa Flakes

½ tsp Dried Thyme

½ tsp Dried Rosemary

½ tsp Dried Basil

½ tsp Dried Sage

½ tsp Fennel Seed

½ tsp Sea Salt

½ tsp White Pepper

¼ cup Sundried Tomatoes

½ cup Dry White Wine

Salt & Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 410˚F or 210˚C.

In a food processor combine mushrooms, red onion, roasted garlic, macadamia nuts, quinoa flakes, thyme, rosemary, basil, sage, fennel, salt, pepper, and sundried tomatoes. Pulse until nuts are ground and a meal like consistency is formed. Pour ingredients into a large mixing bowl and add the ground pork. Using a spoon, I like to use my hands, thoroughly combine all ingredients.

Roll meat into 1 ½ inch thick balls and place in a glass baking dish. Make approximately 12 meatballs.

Salt & pepper the outside of meat balls and pour the white wine into the baking dish. Bake in oven for 20-22 minutes until cooked through.