I know such a weird name for them, and my dad picked it out, never asked him if it was an inside joke. Too Late now, so the name sticks.
This is the Larrick recipe I was taught watching my dad. He is the one who really taught me about spices. I never forget him telling me everything can do with just a little bit of thyme. Yes, he loved puns, and it stuck in my head.
So I clearly remember him the day he came up with this recipe. He was tired of me not eating the green peppers. But he knew I loved the flavor of them, so he stared at me thinking. And yes my dad could cook! His mother taught him.
He thought, and then told me to get the stuff out for stuffed peppers. I pulled out the rice, and got it cooking, (If you are wondering, he was teaching me Russian cooking, though I think this is the closest I ever got to it!) and pulled out the meat, eggs, green peppers and onions.
He told me to cut up the onions, and he started the meat. Raw, (2.5 lbs) but he added 2 eggs (I am going to use the measurements I used today) Added some Italian spices (A good amount of pinch, he always told me to rub dry spices together, releasing their scent. Now I use Italian spices blended by HEB, but he would make his own. I am not that patient.) And I cut up 2 onions. He then started cutting up the green peppers, and we mixed the stuff together until it look right.
He made the sauce and poured it over the little balls, and voila! a family recipe emerges.
Now I know I skipped a few steps, and it is because over time, I played with the recipe. Hey, it’s my family recipe, and made for me even! My mother in law uses uncooked minute rice, to help soak up the juices and stuff. And when I mix it, depends on what is going on. If I need it to stretch longer, I add more rice, if it is a normal dinner, I make it until the balls feel prickly. It really is to your preferences, which is why the thing was made. Below is the recipe:
2 1/2 lbs of ground Turkey meat
Minute rice (And I forgot to measure, but making it until it feels prickly is a good judge. Its not a little amount, I pour it out from the big box for a couple seconds, and then added more when the consistency was not right)
2 onions chopped
3 green peppers chopped
Natures Seasoning Salt For flavour
Italian seasonings for the same thing.
2 eggs
Mix all and form balls about baseball to softball size The larger the balls, the longer it takes to cook.
The sauce:
Easiest thing in the world. From My grandmother on the Larrick side: One can of tomato sauce to one can of tomato soup. Mix together. That is it. Pour over the balls.
Cook in 350 degrees for 45 minutes, check if done in the middle.
Now, for the stuff I have done over the years, I tried brown gravy over the balls. Good, but I prefer the original sauce. My step dad hates sauce, so I usually make a pan with just the balls. I cover both pans, like today, I made dinner, then hit the warm feature on the oven. They will still bake, but I made the balls largish, so this will work.
Now why did I make them so early? I’ve been sick all last week and then when I get better, I go and reorganize my mom’s office, and promptly sent me back to bed until today. No meals. None. So I made this in case I feel like shit again, they can eat. LOL
Enjoy!!!
Wendy