Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/3 cup dry brown rice
• 1 pint tomatoes

Instructions

1. Soak brown rice in warm water and whey overnight. Drain and then cook the brown rice for 45 minutes.
2. Combine the ground beef, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and cooked rice in a bowl and shape into meatballs. Brown in oven-safe skillet with some butter to prevent sticking.
3. Puree the tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt in blender. Pour over the meatballs.
4. Cover the skillet with its lid or with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Remove cover and bake for additional 10 minutes to thicken the tomato sauce.

Notes

• When I make this, I double the meatball recipe. After browning them in the skillet, I place half the meatballs on a cookie sheet and freeze. After they are frozen, I place in a Ziploc freezer bag. Later, when I want a quick dinner, I put the frozen meatballs in the baking dish and continue with the recipe (no need to thaw).