Project Description

Recipe Ingredients:

  • 1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1/2 pound lean ground beef

  • 1/4 pound chorizo or hot Italian sausage

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1/2 teaspoon each salt, ground cumin and crushed oregano leaves

  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 3 cups cooked rice

  • 1 can (10-11 oz.) enchilada sauce

  • 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce

  • 6-8 sandwich size rolls

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Reserve 1/2 cup whole beans; mash remaining beans with a fork or potato masher. Combine mashed and whole beans, meats, onion, garlic, spices and eggs; mix well. Shape into 16, 1-1/2-inch balls. Place on a large greased baking pan; bake 20 minutes. Drain meatballs on paper towel.

Meanwhile, prepare red sauce: In medium saucepan, heat oil; sauté onion until soft. Add enchilada sauce and tomato sauce. Heat 5 minutes. Stir in cooked meatballs.

Cut a thin slice from one end of each roll. Remove soft centers to form cavities. (Reserve for bread crumbs, if desired). Spoon 2 or 3 meatballs and sauce into cavity of each roll.

Variation: Make meatballs half the size and fill pita bread halves with 3-4 meatballs. Serve with sauce. Makes 8-10 sandwiches. Makes 6-8 pita sandwiches.