Suggested meat:

2 pounds or about 30 frozen meatballs (recipe listed below)

How to freeze and cook:

1. Add frozen meatballs to freezer bag.

2. Massage bag until sauce evenly covers meatballs.

3. Close bag removing as much air as possible.

4. Freeze flat or in shape of your slow cooker.

5. Let meatballs sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

6. Put frozen meatballs and sauce into slow cooker breaking them into chunks if needed. Cook on low until meatballs are heated through, about 2-4 hours depending on size. Internal temperature of meatballs should be 165°F. Do not overcook.

7. Serve with hot cooked rice or pasta and sliced celery, if desired.

Shopping List:

Rice or pasta, celery

Homemade Meatballs:

• Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef

• 1 lb ground Italian sausage

• 1 bag of seasonings from Freezing Thyme event

Instructions:

Thoroughly combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Using hands, shape mixture into balls consistent with how you want to use them – smaller ones will cook faster and give more balls if you are going for the appetizer feel; larger balls will make a great entree or sandwich filler and will take longer to cook.

Place raw meatballs on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for a few hours until firm. Once frozen, the meatballs may be added to the bag of marinade and returned to the freezer until cooking day.