I have been going through a de~clutter phase lately. Maybe because the sun is shining here in the Mitten state and I am having a terrible case of cabin fever, or maybe I’m feeling the need to purge and make life a little more simple. It is so easy to let things build up and before you know it, you get to the point where you feel overwhelmed.  Joe and I are at the “less is more” stage in our lives so, time to purge, and a great place to start is our basement~the keeper of all things “extra”, holiday, and stuff to be used at a later date. Amongst my treasures is a huge bakers rack tucked away in a corner that has most of my cookbooks that I have collected over the years.  Perched atop the stack was my  “photo~album~turned~recipe~card holder”.  I opened it up and started perusing through all of my treasures and started feeling a little nostalgic.  So many old, stained hand~written recipes from my mom over the years (does anyone write recipes on index cards anymore?).  And all of them, of course, were the “best ever” of whatever it was.  She could cook up a storm.  One meal that she made that we always loved was Porcupine Meatballs (no porcupines were harmed whatsoever in the making of this dish).  The ingredient that makes this recipe over the top, better than ANY meatballs ever (just stating the facts, in my opinion) is of all things, Rice A Roni. Yep. True. The way they cook together with the meatballs turns them into a feast for your taste buds that just simply cannot be described.  One must taste them to see what I’m talking about. Throw it all together in the crock pot after browning the meatballs, let them cook 4-8 hours, serve alongside a helping of creamy buttery mashed potatoes topped with the thick, creamy gravy from the meatballs and some warm crusty bread…comfort food at its very best. This recipe has been in our family since I~don’t~know~when and the delicious aromas that come from our kitchen while it’s cooking brings me back to my childhood and the special occasions when my mom made these. We hope you love them as much as we do!

Sláinte!

Porcupine Meatballs

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Rich, beefy meatballs that, when cooked also make a delicious thick gravy that is perfect paired with mashed potatoes or noodles.

• CuisineBeef

Servings	Prep Time
60 Meatballs (approx)	15 Minutes

Cook Time

8 Hours

Servings Prep Time 60 Meatballs (approx) 15 Minutes

Cook Time 8 Hours

Porcupine Meatballs Print Recipe Rich, beefy meatballs that, when cooked also make a delicious thick gravy that is perfect paired with mashed potatoes or noodles. CuisineBeef Servings Prep Time 60 Meatballs (approx) 15 Minutes Cook Time 8 Hours Servings Prep Time 60 Meatballs (approx) 15 Minutes Cook Time 8 Hours

Ingredients

• 3 pounds lean ground beef
• 3 1.1 oz. packets Beefy Onion soup mix
• 3 6.4 oz. boxes Beef Rice~A~Roni
• 8 cups water (enough to cover meatballs in crock pot)

Servings: Meatballs (approx)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To ground beef, add Rice~A~Roni powder AND rice vermicelli and mix well with hands. Roll into 1" balls and place on foil lined rimmed baking sheet.

   
3. Brown meatballs for approximately 15 minutes, until evenly browned.

   
4. Place in crockpot. In a separate bowl, combine 8 cups water and the three packets of Beefy Onion Soup, mix well and pour over meatballs. Add more water to crockpot if needed to cover meatballs. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed.
5. Serve with mashed potatoes or noodles, top with gravy.

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