Versatile Meatballs

Once upon a time, in a far away place, there lived well.. me. Okay, so joking aside, growing up my mother had one of the best friends in the world. This sweet lady was my step in mother when my own happened to be out of town, sick, or just trying to deal with four overly-active children. Carol, at the time didn't have any young kids at home, and was simply an angel in the community. She had the mildest manner and was a great seamstress. This recipe was inspired by a simple act of kindness she performed for my family when my mom had just come home from having surgery.
Carol, came to the house about dinner time (remember, this would be before any of the kids were old enough to be self-sufficient in a kitchen) with a big tray full of meatballs. To my surprise there was not a bit of pasta or marinara sauce in sight. Carol dished up a plate for each of the kids before leaving us with a hug each. each plate contained a few meatballs, and brown gravy, mashed potatoes, and green peas. Trusting that Carol was a good cook we each took a courageous bite of the unknown combo, and smiled. The meatballs were lite and tasty, savory like hamburger steak for little kids' appetites. It was a delicious meal sent by someone who knew how to push the envelope, by using great flavors in a new preparation.
Now, that I am married I often have kept a bag of homemade frozen meatballs ready to go for any preparation from pizza to, mashed potatoes. The key to keeping these versatile is using simple seasonings that will go with any sauce that happens to be on the menu.
Simple Meatballs
Preheat oven to 400 Degrees F. Line bottom of a broiler pan, or baking sheet with foil. Spray top portion of broiler pan or cooling rack with cooking spray and place on top of other pan. This is a trick from Cook's Country, that keeps the meatballs from getting greasy and cooking in their own liquid.
1 lb ground beef, chicken or turkey
2 eggs
1/2 c instant or quick cooking oats mixed with 3/4 c warm milk
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t salt, or to taste
1/2 t. group thyme
1/2 t. granulated onion
Optional mix in's. 1/2 cup of thawed chopped spinach, 1/2 c complimentary cheese, 1/4 c. finely chopped cooked veggies or fresh herbs.
Mix all above together in a medium bowl with clean hands until mixture is well combined and uniform. The mixture should be soft and loose, not heavy and laden. Shape with a light hand into walnut sized balls, and place on prepared rack. The less you compress the meat the lighter and juicier the final product. Place in hot oven for 12-15 min. Cool and use in whatever you want. Freeze leftovers for a quick fix meal, on a busy evening.
Variation: This mixture can be formed around cubes of cheese, or bread stuffing ( use your imagination, just make sure item in the center of meat is not raw) for a meatball surprise that readily gets high acclaim.
Keep Smiling
Ms. Brownie