When it comes to the easiest dinner ever, pasta and sauce would naturally come to your mind, right?

Well, Cheese Stuffed Meatballs over pasta is far better. Don’t you agree with me?

Not only that, I’ve made these incredibly delicious and I must add easy, cheese-stuffed meatballs.

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However, I cooked them in this equally incredible Little Italy in the Bronx Marinara, which I found very well stocked on the shelves in the pasta sauce aisle at my local Publix.

I got to tell you that this meal never lasts long on our table. With that being said, I always have to make extra because I love these meatballs in my sandwich the next day.

This is my family’s absolute favorite dish. The meatballs came out so perfect. Especially when you have Italian bread to mop up all that sauce. It is pure comfort food that I’ve been making for years.

This sauce is made with simple and wholesome ingredients. They use imported Italian tomatoes, no paste.

Therefore, it is gluten-free and let’s not forget that Little Italy in the Bronx sauce is actually made in small batches.

Little Italy in the Bronx sauces comes in multiple varieties available at Publix, of course.

You can find Marinara, Tomato Basil, Alla Vodka, Arrabbiata and Alfredo sauce.

In addition, with every purchase made a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Little Italy in the Bronx sauce.

Which is passionately devoted to the Belmont Business Improvement District, a local nonprofit organization.

These funds tremendously help wonderfully preserve the traditions of the area by enthusiastically promoting business development.

Click here for more tasty Italian inspired recipes.

As well as cultural programming, and streetscape improvements so that Little Italy in the Bronx can properly preserve its unique charm for future generations.

Little Italy Arthur Avenue in the Bronx is designated as one of the “great streets” of America by the American Planning Association.

It’s a global destination known around the world for its restaurants, handmade local and imported goods.

The authentic Italian culture that’s been passed down by generations of families. They have lived worked and shopped there for well over a century.

If you make my tasty Cheese Stuffed Meatballs, please tag me on Instagram. @sandraseasycooking using hashtag #sandraseasycooking. Thank you so much in advance.

Yield: Makes about 16 meatballs

Cheese Stuffed Meatballs

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EASY AND TASTY DINNER IDEA

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 + pieces cheddar cheese cubed
• 2 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
• 1-2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste and a generous pinch of each
• 1 tablespoon olive oil plus a drizzle to coat the skillet
• 1 jar 24 oz. Little Italy in the Bronx Marinara

Cheese For the sauce:

• 1 large egg beaten
• 8 oz. container ricotta cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
• 2 ounces freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste a good pinch of both

Instructions

1. Cube cheese into 1” cubes or use store bought cubed cheddar cheese.
2. Combine all the ingredients for the cheese for the sauce, cover and refrigerate until ready to be used.
3. In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Scoop meatball mixture into a small ball (about 2 tablespoons, or a size of a larger golf ball) and press into a disk. Then place in the middle of the patty, 1 cube of cheese (you can use mozzarella string cheese as well) into the center, sealing meat tightly around cheese. Repeat with remaining meatball mixture and cheese.
4. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook to brown on all sides. When the meatballs have developed a nice crust, remove them from the skillet and wipe the skillet clean. Return skillet to stovetop over medium heat. Pour marinara into the skillet then add the meatballs to the sauce. Spoon sauce over the meatballs. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer meatballs for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through.
5. Lastly, add previously prepared cheese mixture for the sauce; a spoonful all around the skillet and in between meatballs. Cover and allow it to cook on low heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Serve warm over pasta. Garnish with more herbs and parmesan, if desired.

Notes

Leftovers: Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for a month.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Disclosure: This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Little Italy in the Bronx.  The opinion is mine.

Hello lovely people! 

Sometimes a girl just wants a nice slice of cake without feeling guilty. 

This is not a sponsored post by any means but I wanted to share a recipe using “Pereg Banana Flour.” I received a box of Pereg flour to try, and banana flour just called my name. I have never worked with Banana Flour so I was a bit skeptical, but I got to tell you guys that it smells absolutely amazing and it was such a pleasure working with it. 

About PEREG and quoting from their website:

Family owned since 1906, Pereg Natural Foods strives to provide our customers with the best spices and grains the world has to offer. We began as a small cart of spices at the open air market and to this day we have spices in our blood. Producing more than 60 varieties of spices, spice blends, and herbs, along with flavored ancient grain mixes, gluten-free quinoa pasta, couscous, basmati rice, spreads and breakfast cereals. All of the brand’s offerings are 100% pure, fresh and natural and never include any additives, preservatives, fillers, MSG, or food coloring. In addition, every product is OU Kosher certified, and many are Non-GMO Project verified, gluten-free certified, Whole Grain Council approved, and vegan.

I just love their message and the products as well so I decided to post a recipe. This cake is moist, delicious and most definitely addicting, but above all, you feel less guilty eating it. My family really enjoyed having a slice of their cup of Almond milk and I loved it with afternoon cup black coffee. The texture is more like you are eating brownies, maybe because I used mashed bananas which were not included in the original recipe, but I just like how the flavor of banana enhanced this cake even more. 

I hope you guys like this recipe, and if you do happen to make it please tag me on Instagram @sandraseasycooking and use hashtag #sandraseasycooking so I am able to see your delicious creations and share with my readers as well.

Happy Cooking!!!

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS:

3 from 1 vote

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Chocolate Banana Flour Cake

Gluten Free and Vegetarian

RECIPE adapted from Pereg 

Course Dessert

Keyword chocolate, cake, baking

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 9

Author Sandra | Sandra's Easy Cooking

Ingredients

• 11/2 cups Pereg Gourmet Banana Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 5 tablespoons Cocoa unsweetened
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 2 Ripe Bananas mashed (Optional)
• 1/2 cup Milk or dairy free
• 1/2 cup Strong Coffee chilled (decaf works well too)
• 1/2 cup Organic Coconut Oil melted
• 2 large Eggs lightly mixed
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Line the baking pan with parchment paper. You can also grease the pan with a bit of coconut oil.
3. In the large bowl combine dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, cocoa, sugar, and cinnamon
4. in the separate bowl combine wet ingredients: mashed baba, milk, coffee, coconut oil, whisked eggs and vanilla extract.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix just until combined.
6. Fold in the mixture chocolate chips.
7. Bake it for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Allow it to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then pull it out of the baking pan and let it complete cooling on the wire rack for an hour or so.

Recipe Notes

You may add chocolate ganache, frosting or just powdered sugar if you desire. We like the cake as it is so I just added a bit of sweetened cocoa on the top.