Football Friday: Stuffed Meatballs

We're not sure why, but meatball subs have become the official Football Sunday food of the Wisconsin Test Kitchen. It's an easy meal to throw together, and we always make a double batch so we have enough to freeze for a meal later in the week. 

Recently, we found a recipe for cheese stuffed meatballs, and decided to put a new twist on Meatball Sunday. And bonus points for the fact the meatballs cook in the slowcooker- which gives us more time for football and less time for cooking. 

Stuffed Meatballs
Recipe courtesy of: http://lecremedelacrumb.com/2014/10/slow-cooker-mozzarella-stuffed-meatballs.html

1 pound ground beef (we used pork instead)
1 cup bread crumbs (panko or regular, Italian seasoned or plain)
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon minced garlic (or 2 teaspoons garlic powder)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3-4 mozzarella cheese sticks (string cheese)
1 jar marinara sauce

Chop each cheese stick into half inch pieces (about 6-8 pieces for each cheese stick). Place on a plate and chill in the freezer until ready to use.

Add ground beef, bread crumbs, egg and egg yolk, garlic, onion powder, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper to a bowl. Mush the ingredients together with your hands until everything comes together.

Remove cheese from freezer. Scoop out about 4 tablespoons of meat mixture and roll into a ball. Gently push a piece of chilled mozzarella into the middle of the meatball. Roll the ball in your hands to cover the hole where the mozzarella cheese was pushed in. Place inside a greased slow cooker and repeat with remaining meat and cheese.

When all meatballs are in the slow cooker, pour a jar of marinara sauce over the top of meatballs, cover and cook on high for 1-2 hours or on low for 3-4 hours until meat it cooked through (no longer pink). The cheese may start melting out of the meatballs, that's okay.

Serve on warm hoagie rolls with extra marinara sauce. 

And now for some Football Friday picks! We've been off a few weeks, but Tristan is still holding onto his 4 point lead with 56 correct predictions this season.

Minnesota vs. Arizona
Sawyer: Cardinals
Tristan: Cardinals

Buffalo vs. Philly
Sawyer: Eagles
Tristan: Eagles

Tennessee vs. NYJ
Sawyer: Jets
Tristan: Titans

Pittsburgh vs. Cinncinati
Sawyer: Bengals
Tristan: Bengals

Indy vs. Jacksonsville
Sawyer: Jaguars
Tristan: Jaguars

San Diego vs. KC
Sawyer: Chiefs
Tristan: Chiefs

Washington vs. Chicago
Sawyer: Redskins
Tristan: Bears

Atlanta vs. Carolina
Sawyer: Falcons
Tristan: Panthers

New Orleans vs. Tampa Bay
Sawyer: Buccaneers
Tristan: Buccaneers

Detroit vs. St Louis
Sawyer: Rans
Tristan: Lions

San Francisco
Sawyer: 49ers
Tristan: Browns

Seattle vs. Baltimore
Sawyer: Ravens
Tristan: Seahawks

Oakland vs. Denver
Sawyer: Broncos
Tristan: Broncos

Dallas vs. Green Bay
Sawyer: Packers, baby
Tristan: Packers

New England vs. Houston
Sawyer: Patriots
Tristan: Patriots

NYG vs. Miami
Sawyer: Dolphins
Tristan: Dolphins

Here's hoping for a weekend full of football, fun and family!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew