We’ve said more than once that the key to spending more time playing in the snow is to have a few quick and delicious meals that can be put together without too much effort.
This simple recipe fits that category. It’s nearly as easy as making store-bought meatballs and tastes so much better after a day spent outside.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 kg of lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon of Chinese Five Spices (optional)
Veggies
- 1 tbsp of oil
- 1 small onion diced coarsely
- 1 cup of mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup of green peppers chopped coarsely
- 3 cloves of garlic chopped
Sauce
- ¼ cup of brown sugar
- ⅓ cup of honey
- ½ cup of ketchup
- ¾ cup of water
Directions
This recipe works great on the stovetop for those last-minute dinners or in the slow cooker when you’re planning ahead, knowing that you’ll be coming back home hungry from your adventure.
Stove Top Option
- In a bowl mix the ground beef and Chinese five-spice and form balls. Cook in a frying pan over medium heat until they are cooked, about 10 minutes (this is completely dependent on the size of meatballs you chose to make).
- Drain the fat and add the meatballs to the sauce and veggies.
- While the meat is cooking, cook the veggies in a thick-bottomed pot over medium heat until the onions and mushrooms soften up. Add the ingredients for the sauce and mix well. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, adding the cooked meatballs. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until the sauce has reached the desired thickness.
Slow Cooker Option
- In a bowl mix the ground beef and Chinese five-spice and form balls. Sear in a frying pan, drain the fat and add the meatballs to the slow cooker.
- In your slow cooker, add the veggies and ingredients for the sauce and mix well. Add the cooked meatballs and set to cook for 4 hours.
- Sometimes it’s easier to set it up before heading out in the morning rather than at lunchtime. This recipe works well for this, just add an extra ½ cup of water and set to cook for 8 hours.
Serve with rice or mashed potatoes and enjoy!