Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs Recipe

Meet your new best friends, the slow cooker, and meatballs. Save some time, and enjoy the convenience and great taste of this tender, easy, slow cooker Italian meatballs recipe! Read on for directions and ingredients.

Ingredients:
To cut the fat in this recipe, use 90% ground beef or higher, and use 1 egg with 2 egg whites.
* 2 pounds ground beef, 85% or higher
* 1 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
* 3/4 cup grated cheese
* 5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
* 3 eggs
* 2 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes
* 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
* 1 small can tomato paste
* 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

Directions:

1. Combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, grated cheese, and basil into a large mixing bowl. Thoroughly combine with a wooden spoon.

2. Roll the combined meat mixture into 1.5"-2" balls. Roll thoroughly to smooth the meatball into a perfect sphere, so it won't crumble during cooking.

3. Pour the minced garlic, crushed tomatoes, and diced tomatoes into the crockpot slow cooker. Heat the crockpot on medium heat. Add the meatballs to the sauce, covering entirely with the sauce. Cover and cook 8 hours, or until the middle of the meatball reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

4. Add a tablespoon of the tomato paste to the sauce if it needs to be thickened. (Grease from the meatballs will enter the sauce). Also add grated cheese, salt, and pepper to taste.

Other recipes you might like:

* Chicken Parmigiana Recipe
* Spaghetti with Bell Pepper Marinara
* Healthy Eggplant Parmesan
* Homemade Italian Balsamic Fennel

Homemade Italian Sausage and Peppers

Homemade Italian sausage and peppers is one of the most satisfying, flavorful meals, with robust texture. It's a comfort food you can rely on to warm you up in the fall and winter months without fail. Read on to learn how to make this Italian favorite in just 25 minutes!

Ingredients:

* 4 Tablespoons olive oil
* 3 white onions, diced
* 4 peppers, cut into strips and deseeded
* 1 cup tomato juice
* 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
* 5 sausage links, cut into 1" slices
* 2 whole fresh tomatoes, diced
* 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, adding the onions and peppers. Saute the peppers and onions until softened, then add the tomato juice, sausage, and garlic.

2. Add the remaining spices. Stir and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens up. Add salt and pepper to taste. If necessary, drain off some of the sauce and reheat to thicken the sauce.

3. Add the sausage and peppers mixture to freshly cooked pasta, or serve it up in a fresh sub roll for a delicious sandwich! Top with grated cheese. Double the recipe for easy sandwiches for the weekends!