Sticky Meatballs — A Quick and Easy, Sweet and Savory Dinner Idea

Who can resist a quick and easy dinner idea? Not me!! And probably not you. We tend to get so caught up in the "To Do's" of the day that by dinner time, the question is, "Where should we order dinner?" Not that I'm speaking from experience....Okay. I am.

But sticky meatballs are always a hit at our home and they are so easy to make! They don't take much time and they don't require any fancy ingredients. So, therefore they are a perfect weeknight dinner idea.

I began making these sticky meatballs when most of the kids were home and I needed something that would be quick and easy. I also made them for dinners with friends as I could make a lot pretty easily. A big pan of these, some sticky rice, and a veggie make a great meal for enjoying catching up with one another.

Why are they called Sticky Meatballs? Well. That's a great question! I don't really know how they became known at our house as "Sticky Meatballs," but I would have to say the hint of sweetness and the way they cling to your fork in a caramelized sort of way has something to do with it. And it's just more fun.

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True Confession: I'm really more of a savory girl. There. I said it.

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I love to bake, I love to try new things, but really I enjoy savory foods the best. However, there is a perfect blend of sweet and savory in these meatballs. So, whether you have a sweet tooth or prefer savory, these meatballs can be made and adjusted easily to your taste.

So, since this is a recipe for busy people needing a quick dinner idea,

I'll get right to it!

This recipe is so quick and easy! And it doesn't require very many steps. I like to use a large bowl to add my quick cooking oats into. I pour 3/4 cups of oats into the bowl and then add 2/3 of a cup of milk. It doesn't matter if you use skim, 2%, or whole milk, but just so you know, I use 2% milk. Let is set for a minute or two.

Add two eggs, a teaspoon of dried oregano, and a teaspoon of garlic salt. Stir together and mix the meat into the oatmeal mixture. I sometimes use a potato masher to help me mix it if I'm making a large batch, but for just a regular batch, I use a large fork.

At first it might look like it is not going to come together very well. Keep mixing - it will! But once it does, stop mixing! You don't want to over mix the meatballs so that they remain tender.

Does the oatmeal surprise you? It is like a secret weapon! If I need to make a few more meatballs (like if I find out someone is coming to dinner that I wasn't expecting) and I don't have as much ground beef as I wish, the oatmeal helps my meat mixture go a little further and make more meatballs. It also acts as a binder for the meatballs, and they come out tender and delicious. You actually don't taste the oatmeal.

I use a small ice cream scoop to portion out evenly sized meatballs. You can also just use a big spoon. I like to roll them into balls and place in a large pan. Sometimes I'll line a large sheet plan with tinfoil so I have a super easy cleanup! But if I'm just making a small amount, I'll use a 9x13 pan.

Once the meatballs are in the pan, I add the special sauce. Doesn't that sound mysterious?? Actually, it is ridiculously easy! You just mix 1 cup of ketchup with 1/4 - 1/3 cup of brown sugar. (Remember my confession earlier? Well, if I was just making these for me, I'd use less sugar. I'm outnumbered at home, though, so sweeter it is!)

Spoon the ketchup/sugar mixture over the meatballs. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the pan of meatballs into the oven. Bake them until they are cooked through — a good rule of thumb is 165 degrees in the center of the meatball. Here's the tricky part —it depends on how big you make the meatballs to tell you how long to cook them! I cooked the meatballs in this post for about 20 — 25 minutes. I just look for them to start looking more brown, and then check occasionally with my meat thermometer.

Make a big pot of rice, some veggies, a salad, and/or bread and you have a great meal — in very little time. I hope you enjoy them!

Sticky Meatballs

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats

2/3 cup milk

2 eggs

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 cup ketchup

1/4 - 1/3 cup brown sugar

Place quick-cooking oats and milk in a large bowl. Let set for a couple of minutes. Add eggs, dried oregano, and garlic salt. Mix in ground beef. Using a small scoop, roll mixture into meatballs. Place in a pan. Mix the ketchup and brown sugar together and drizzle over each meatball. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minute —depending on the size meatball you make — until meatballs are about 165 degrees. They will look more brown and delicious! Enjoy!