Modified from Fix, Freeze, Feast
Meatballs
1 tray (about 6 lbs) ground beef (we mixed in some ground turkey as well the first time, I recently did this with moose meat)
3 cups bread crumbs
2/3 cup milk
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup minced onion
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
Sauce
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 1/2 lbs fresh white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 cup flour
8 cups water
4 cups half and half
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp beef bouillon granules (1 cube is 1 tsp, so this is 6 and I just smash them)
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
Preheat oven to 500.
Using hands, combine the meatball ingredients. Shape into meatballs and place on baking pans (grease or parchment paper or the like). Bake for 15 minutes. Cool meatballs (they have a temp, we didn't check as we know we are recooking).
While meatballs are cooking, melt butter into large pot. Add mushrooms and cook, until soft. Stir in flour. Mixture will be lumpy. Cook, for 2 minutes, stirring. Gradually add water and half and half. Cook, stirring, until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes (we had to boil it). Whisk to make a smooth sauce. Add Worcestershire sauce, bouillon and pepper. Stir and cool.
Divide meatballs and sauce between freezer bags. We also stored some sauce/meatballs separately as the meatballs are good for general use.
Seal and freeze.
Makes about 120 meatballs, they did 6 entrees of 20 - we did smaller, like a dozen per bag.
Cook an Entree
Completely thaw one entree in fridge. You can prepare on stove or oven (I did oven). On stove, bring to a simmer and heat until fully warmed. Do not boil. In oven, preheat to 350. Put in baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until heated through.
Serve with rice or noodles (We did noodles).