Meatballs with polenta

What's one to do on a Sunday while pondering on dinner and waiting for cupcakes to bake? Make meatballs and find new way of making breadcrumbs! I didn't have breadcrumbs of the supermarket variety and I was too lazy to put bread in a food processor after using it for cupcakes. I thought 'Hmm toasting the bread will make it easy to crumble.' and as with most things in life, I was right! Make sure you toast the bread until its really dry (else you'll get soggy bits), let it cool, put it into a plastic bag and start smooshing the bread around. Instant breadcrumbs! I also added butter beans and mushrooms for that something extra. With the bouquet garni, I picked up a packet of the stuff in satchels which you just drop into the pot. This is an easy, convenient and it does the trick!



Meatballs
Ingredients (feeds 4 or 2 + 2 lunches the next day)
500g mince beef
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 onion chopped finely
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 can butter beans (optional)
1 handful mushrooms, quartered (optional)
bouquet garni

Method
1. In a large bowl combine mince, oregano, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and egg. (The best way to do this is by hand, I tried the 'eww, I don't touch meat' way with a wooden spoon and it doesn't work as good.) Then shape the mixture into balls using tablespoons or by hand.

2. Heat some oil in pan and brown the meatballs in batches. Don't cook it all the way at this stage.

3. Add a bit of oil in large pot and soften the onion. Then add the canned tomatoes and chicken stock and turn in on medium heat until boiling. Turn to low heat, add the meatballs and bouqet garni cover a simmer for 15mins.

4. Add mushrooms and simmer uncovered for another 10mins. Season to taste, add the beans and cook further for 5mins until sauce reduces.

Soft Polenta
Ingredients
1 cup polenta
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cup water

Method
1. Put liquids into a pan and as soon as it boils, turn to low heat, gradually add in polenta stirring as you go. The polenta is ready with it absorbs the liquid and the mixture thickens, just falling off the wooden spoon. Season to taste. Cover with a lid to keep warm and serve with meatballs.