* Slow Cooker Mexican Meatballs

OhMyGod I can't stop making (and eating) these meatballs. I think Neil is on the verge of leaving me for a vegetarian - if he can find one that will have him - that's how often I've made them! He's the main wage earner so I've stepped the meatballage back a bit (in case he leaves me and takes his wallet with him), but as soon he's not looking... we're having them again.

I'm not normally a huge fan of meatballs. They mostly remind me of bolognese... but lumpy, and making a straight forwards bolognese is a lot less hassle and a lot less messy. I'll eat 'em, but only because Neil likes them...

... not so with these ones!

They are tender, melt in the mouth, little spicy balls of heaven. Heh. I just read through that last sentence again. I like it. Little spicy balls of heaven. Lovely.

Because of that little bit of heat, we've chosen (I've chosen. I'm the one that does all the cooking. I'm in charge. I am THE BOSS. Evil laugh.) to eat ours with rice. It works really well with white basmati, but brown long grain adds a bit of gnarly nomminess to the dish.

They freeze incredibly well (probably too well... I'm tempted to put these on the menu daily) and are a great way of using up any bell peppers that you have lying around in your fridge, gasping for air.

Yet again, it' a recipe that I've adapted from The Slow Cook Book by Heather Whinney, and another rousing success for my slow cooker. Poor, poor dog sinks into a state of depression when she sees me get it out now, because she knows she's not even going to get to lick a plate.

I lick my own.

Addendum (love that word) - There's a great *link up* on a Friday at Simply Living and Eating and I've posted this recipe there. Check out the page to find more fab recipes, just click on the image or link above.

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Slow Cooker Mexican Meatballs Recipe

Serves 4

Prep time (including precooking) - 30 minutes
Cooking time - AUTO/LOW -  6 - 8 hours
Total time - 6.5 - 8.5 hours

You will need
A slow cooker
A large flat bottomed non stick skillet/frying pan

Ingredients
Meatballs
17oz/500g lean steak mince
1 red chilli - deseeded and finely diced
1 large clove garlic - crushed
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
3 heaped tbsps fresh white bread crumbs
1 egg - beaten
salt
freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp olive oil

Sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion - finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper - deseeded and finely diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper - deseeded and finely diced
2 fat cloves garlic - crushed
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground coriander
21oz/600g or 1.5 cans of chopped tomatoes
3.5fl oz/100ml hot vegetable stock
large pinch of granulated sugar

Method
Preheat slow cooker if desired

Meatballs

• Spoon the flour onto a plate.
• Combine all of the meatball ingredients - except the flour and oil - together in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, mix together using your hands (or use a fork if you are a pussy) and make 20 - 25 meatballs.
• Roll them in the flour.
• Heat the 2 tbsps of oil in the skillet and gently brown off the meatballs, for 6 - 8 minutes. You may need to do this in a couple of batches.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and place in the bottom of the slow cooker.

Sauce

• Wipe out the skillet with kitchen roll and add the oil.
• Add the onions and gently soften for 3 - 4 minutes.
• Add the peppers and garlic and cook for another 3 minutes.
• Stir in the cinnamon, coriander, tomatoes, vegetable stock and sugar.
• Pour the sauce over the meatballs in the slow cooker and give the slow cooker a very gentle shake to get the sauce in underneath them.
• Cook on AUTO/LOW for 6 - 8 hours.
• Serve with rice or pasta.

EAT

NOTE: I imagine you could make these with the "bung it all in the slow cooker and hope" method. But I haven't tried it that way myself so don't know for sure.

ONE YEAR AGO: Hearty Minestrone Soup