Broccoli Wrapped Meatballs

Some years ago mom made up this recipe to make use of the abundance of broccoli leaves we had in the garden that year. When I started my own winter garden I couldn't wait to make this, it's now a staple I must make every year! Broccoli leaves are a great alternative to other greens such as collars, mustard, and turnips which have much stronger flavor. Broccoli leaves can be prepared all the same ways but they have a milder and more familiar flavor, making them quite acceptable to finicky palates.

To go along with our meatballs this evening, the kids helped me pick carrots and broccoli from the garden. It's been pretty neglected out there because I don't care to venture out in the cold. That's the great thing about winter gardening, it really just kind of takes care of itself.

Broccoli Wrapped Meatballs

10 Medium Broccoli Leaves
1 lb ground beef
1 onion chopped fine
Italian bread crumbs
Minute Oatmeal
Tony Chachere's to taste

Prepare the broccoli leaves by blanching them in water for a few seconds to make them pliable. Cool and cut out the large center stem without cutting the entire leaf in half. Mix together ground meat, chopped onion (you can use less if you prefer), fair dash of breadcrumbs and oatmeal to bind the mix (I sometimes add an egg too). Season to taste.

Roll a small chunk of the meatball mix into a ball and lay one leaf with the cut ends slightly overlapping. Start rolling and tucking the leaf around the meatball to the end. Place seam side down in a casserole dish. Repeat with remaining leaves and meat. Pour half a can of prepared spaghetti sauce over the meatballs and bake at 375 degrees F for 40-50 minutes until done. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.

I would venture to say you could probably feed 3-4 people with the meatballs, but between the kids and I we ate 5. I probably could have kept going but I decided I should leave some for Brandon when he gets back from Dallas. He went to watch the BYU/Tulsa bowl game.

The kids love eating vegetables from the garden that they got to help grow and pick. Ian is a huge broccoli fan and zoey loves carrots, but she prefers them raw instead of steamed. I seriously love these Danver 156 carrots, they're so sweet and their flavor is so intense!