MEATBALL STEW En CASSEROLE

MEATBALL STEW En CASSEROLE


2 lbs. frozen fully cooked meatballs
9-oz. baby carrots
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
8-oz. pkg. button mushrooms, sliced
10-oz. can low sodium cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic
½ can milk
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. dried marjoram leaves
1 tsp., onion salt
16-oz. frozen baby peas, thawed
1 container refrigerated mashed potatoes
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese


Bake meatballs as directed on package, or make and bake two batches of Easy Meatballs, set aside. In small saucepan, cook baby carrots in water to cover until barely tender. Drain and set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, sauté’ onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add mushrooms and cook and stir 3 minutes. Stir in canned soup, milk, nutmeg, marjoram, and onion salt. Gently stir in cooked meatballs, thawed peas, and cooked carrots. Pour into a 3-quart casserole dish.

Prepare mashed potatoes as directed on package, adding Parmesan cheese. Spoon dollops around the edge of caserole. Bake at 400^ for 25-35 minutes, until potatoes are browned and casserole is bubbly.

To freeze ahead, leave meatballs frozen or bake and cool homemade meatballs. Do not precook carrots. Sauté’ onion and garlic in oil, add mushrooms and cook, then stir in canned soup, milk, nutmeg, marjoram, and onion salt. Chill this mixture in refrigerator, and then stir in frozen meatballs, carrots and frozen peas. Place in casserole dish, wrap well, label, and freeze up to 3 months. Store mashed potatoes in refrigerator and Parmesan cheese in fridge.

To thaw and reheat, thaw casserole overnight in refrigerator. Bake, covered, at 400^ for 30-35 minutes or until casserole bubbles around edges. Uncover casserole, and then combine potatoes and Parmesan cheese and spoon around edge of casserole. Bake for 15-20 minutes longer until potatoes are browned and casserole is bubbly.

Yield: 8-10 servings.