by Lizthechef
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my 73 recipes »
Lizthechef's Notes:
Expand2 pounds grass-fed, organic ground beef Ask a question about this ingredient
2 large eggs Ask a question about this ingredient
3/4 cups unsweetened, organic applesauce Ask a question about this ingredient
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
3/4 cups Panko breadcrumbs Ask a question about this ingredient
1/4 cup flat-leaved parsley, chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped Ask a question about this ingredient
1 teaspoon Kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 cup unbleached AP flour Ask a question about this ingredient
Beat the eggs slightly and mix in the rest of the ingredients, except for the flour. Shape into meatballs, roll each one in the flour and place on a sided sheet pan.
Ask a question about this stepPreheat the oven to 400 degrees while you prepare the sauce.
Ask a question about this step2 cups 365 organic ketchup Ask a question about this ingredient
1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce Ask a question about this ingredient
1 tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar Ask a question about this ingredient
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, such as Colman's Ask a question about this ingredient
2 tablespoons organic brown sugar Ask a question about this ingredient
zest of one lemon Ask a question about this ingredient
Mix all ingredients together and spoon over each meatball.
Ask a question about this stepBake for 35-40 minutes in 400 degree oven. Serve over buttered egg noodles.
Ask a question about this stepSign me up and please email me plus food52'ers where we go next. What a godsend!
Give me a couple weeks and it will be ready! I'm getting ready right now for a class I'm teaching this weekend on winter greens. Finalizing all those recipes now! the blog is up next!
I made these with ground turkey and they passed the taste test for our healthy heart campaign.
Yah team! In case you're interested, and there are certainly better ones out there than I, I'm starting a blog in the next couple weeks called the mostly vegetarian experiment. I'm in the process of building it now, but it will have a lot of recipes that are designed to be veg as well as ones that aren't but I've created them into vegetarian dishes. Part of an experiment I'm on right now - and some of these may interest you for that healthy heart campaign :-)
When I was first walking, according to my mother, my grandmother was absent from their apartment. I ran around, crying, "Moo Moo" and when my grandmother returned, I guess, as the story goes, I fell on her and said, "Moo Moo!" as she was so named in our family for the next forty -some years. Thanks for asking , Mare, I will spare you all the walking baby photos.
They were terrific, Moo Moo. Thank you, Love, Elizabeth
I made this recipe about a month ago...it is absolutely delicious...lots of flavors and I love the name too. (How did she become Moo Moo?)
I'm late to the party on this one as we were traveling this weekend, but wanted to add my 2 cents. This looks just great to me. I've never even thought of putting apple sauce in with the meat balls and the addition of the apple cider vinegar to the sauce sounds perfect. I know grass-fed beef can be dry when cooked completely, so I imagine the apple sauce plus baking the meatballs with the sauce in the oven keep them nice and moist. Yum!
Oh! And I meant to add that I really love the picture of Moo-Moo. Really just lovely. Thanks so much for sharing all of this with us.
Thanks for both your comments! I suppose all beef was grass fed when my grandmother made these. In any event, the applesauce was entirely her idea and my meatballs came out very moist.
Thank you for sharing this precious family recipe! What a grand woman, Moo Moo, too!
I love sharing old recipes and happy family kitchen memories - thank you!
Your Moo Moo is just lovely. These sound great!
C'mon over - guess what's for supper ;)
Liz, I love your history and your grandmother is beautiful!.....so are your meatballs!
Thanks, Mare - it's nice to remake old family recipes and remember loved ones.
Another great recipe when I am in the mood for sweet and tangy, thanks. Beautiful picture of your grandmother!
Oh, and I also meant to say thanks for the comment you posted on my meataball recipe the other day...due to my "computer operator error" (long story), I ended up deleting the post and re-submitting...which resulted in me losing your comment and my reply back...so Thanks again!
I think I commented on this on your recipe - yes, for certain...
Yum. Looks delicious and so easy! Great photos Liz! LOVE the one of Moo Moo. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
It is so fun to see/hear the nickname I gave my grandmother when I was age 1. She would so love food52!
Now this sounds like the midwestern all the way. Full of Eastern European touches. I love apple cider vinegar in sauces. I am going to make this when my son comes home from overseas. It is home on a plate.I was born about 40 minutes from Kalamazoo in Marshall, Michigan. My family's restaurant is still there after 100 years. I wonder if you Moo Moo ever ate there?
And I went to Kalamazoo College - know Marshall well.Thanks -
Oh Liz, another gorgeous photo! I love this recipe and look forward to making it for my family!
Thanks - I know you have had a busy weekend and appreciate your comment!
Moo Moo was a grandparent's name in our family too! For us, it was fractured Swedish for mor mor (mother's mother). Moo Fa for the grandfather. Our meatballs are closer to traditional Swedish than our language, without your spice. But I do like to substitute panko.