Slow Cooker Meatballs for Spaghetti with Hot Rolls and a Salad!

I only wish you could smell these meatballs!

Slow cooker meals are just such a delight.  Meatballs and sauce might be the least original of them but that doesn't lessen the goodness!  If I purchase very lean beef, ground sirloin or ground round I feel very comfortable NOT browning the meatballs but rather just dropping them into the sauce and letting them slow cook away.  That is my game plan if I have a busy day and am looking for time savings.  Today was still a bit lazy, I used the higher in fat content ground chuck, so I roasted them in the oven at 400 degrees for about half an hour before dropping them into the waiting red sauce.  That way the most fat is eliminated before the meat goes into the sauce.

Between the aroma of the meatballs and these rolls it is heavenly in my home today!

I mixed up a batch of rolls and there are enough washed and ready greens from last night for salad so the menu is set!  Here is the link to a delicious recipe I like for a small batch of dinner rolls.    thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2010/12/yeast-rolls-for-dinner-tonight.html

Ingredients for Meatballs:

1 1/2 pounds lean (chuck) or very lean (round or sirloin) ground beef
1 1/2 C. soft bread crumbs
1 large egg
1/2 C. cream
1 T. parsley flakes
1 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. sweet basil flakes
1 t. onion flakes
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/3 C. grated Parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients and mix until well incorporated.  Form into meatballs about the size of a walnut.  Either roast in a preheated 400 degree F. oven for 20-25 minutes or drop into slow cooker with your favorite red sauce and simmer on lowest setting 4-6 hours.  Serve over your choice of hot cooked al dente pasta sprinkled with Parmesan Cheese.  If the meatballs are oven roasted just drop them into the prepared sauce and again slow simmer at the lowest setting until serving time topping with grates cheese if desired.

CONFESSION;   I hate to scrub pans if I don't have to and almost always line sheet pans with foil then just pitch the mess when roasting.  I admit to some guilt about this as we do recycle and have for a number of years.  Lazy is all I can say....just plain lazy.