Meatballs!

One of the things that sort of freaked me out about eating gluten free had to do with meatballs and meatloaf.  No, really!  I make them fairly often during the cooler months and, with mashed potatoes and gravy, it's one of my favorite comfort foods.  So, here I am unable to use bread crumbs in my meatloaf.  Damn.  I know the consistency of gluten free breads, and the price, so I wanted to use something else.  All I can think of is the possible SOGGINESS if I use the usual GF bread.  Blech.

Then I remembered that my mother-in-law used to make meatballs that she called porcupines!  Instead of bread crumbs she used cooked rice!  Since rice is my new BFF, I decided to try it!  They came out very well, as I remembered them!  Hooray for meatballs, and of course, meatloaf.

To make them just mix in all seasonings, milk, oil and egg and then add in cooked rice.  Make into meatloaf or meatballs (to be honest, I have yet to make meatloaf this way) and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes.  I try to turn the meatballs over once during the cooking.  I love making meatballs in the oven since it is so much easier than hovering over frying meat.  

My menfolk had pasta with it and I made a sauce to resemble cream of mushroom soup, without the mushrooms.  Didn't have any.  I started out with about three tablespoons of butter, melted in a pot, added about 1/4 cup of GF flour mixture from Eating Gluten Free, and then slowly poured in 1 cup milk and 1 cup of water.  I added some of the pan drippings from the meatballs and some beef bouillon and other seasonings.  Stir and cook until it thickens.  Came out very well and even my son liked it!  He's not big into gravy, but this sauce was really good. 

I've never had so much rice in my life but I am getting used to eating gluten free.