Hooray for Fridays! I was really ready for some of my Greek Meatballs last night but realized I was out of the main ingredient, feta cheese. 🙁 So I decided to just use the cheese I did have, which was some crumbled gorgonzola cheese. The meatballs turned out great and the creamy orzo is one of those tried and true recipes in my book. I’ve made it so many times that I stopped using the recipe, but tonight I followed it closely (minus the peas..I didn’t have any) and it made me realize what made me like it so much in the first place.
ps. the orzo recipe makes a ton! If you are making it for four people or less, cut the recipe in half.

Gorgonzola Meatballs with caramelized onions and mushrooms

1 lb ground beef (I use chuck)
1/4 large onion diced
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 egg
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon of crumbled gorgonzola (or any blue cheese)

Preheat oven to 375
Heat oil in a medium-sized pan over medium low heat, add onions and mushrooms. Saute 7-10 minutes until onions and mushrooms begin to caramelize. Set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl grate garlic into ground beef using a microplane or use a garlic press. Add breadcrumbs, egg, ketchup, Mrs. Dash, thyme, salt, egg and gorgonzola cheese. Next add onion and mushroom mixture and using your hands incorporate all ingredients. Do not overmix. Check for proper consistency to make a meatball, if meat is too wet add more breadcrumbs.
Roll out meatballs and place on a broiler pan that has been sprayed with non stick cooking spray. This will drain the grease away from the meatballs. Batch should make between 16-18 large meatballs (which is what I made) or 20-24 medium-sized meatballs. For the large meatballs, bake for 18-20 minutes, for the medium sized start checking at 15 minutes. Remove from pan using tongs, lift carefully so they do not stick.
Enjoy! 🙂