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Cheesy Easy Meatball Subs

Cheesy Easy Meatball Subs

When you live with boys conversations are pretty weird and can fast get even weirder.

Yesterday over dinner my kids were discussing the realities of a zombie apocalypse. It was a serious real live debate complete with speculation about military tanks roaming the streets and how the zombies could never penetrate them therefore zombies could never actually invade the world.

Sometimes I just listen to the conversation and cover my face to hide a laugh when Evan states that squirrels can leap from a ten story building and come out of it okay because that’s science.

Sometimes I totally glaze over when Andrew tells me some long winded Union Pacific Railroad stats and am only halfway listening when he tells me that “high-balling” is when a train goes extra super fast (because I actually thought that was a drink?). SIDENOTE: Andrew has been obsessed with trains since birth.

Cheesy Easy Meatball Subs

I definitely do not contribute when the conversation gravitates towards Minecraft because… I do not understand Minecraft.

What I do understand is that my kids were CRAZY about these sandwiches. This was a conversation I could get behind. Warm, cozy, filling, mommy-these-sandwiches-are-amazing kind of talk. AND they had no idea that I lightened things up with chicken meatballs, part skim cheese, and a sauce that was loaded with vegetables. That makes these kinda healthy, right?

Don’t bother arguing that point because I have decided that these meatball subs are guilt-free.

Here is the recipe, in case you need something to talk about.

Cheesy Easy Meatball Subs
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Big fat flavorful chicken meatballs covered in tomato sauce and part-skim mozzarella cheese on toasty buns.
Author:
Serves: 6 BIG sandwiches
Ingredients
  • For the Meatballs:
  • 2 pounds ground chicken
  • ½ cup quick oats (OR seasoned bread crumbs)
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 medium onion, very finely minced (1/2 - ¾ cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • For the Subs:
  • whole wheat sub loaves (6 if you are making large meatballs)
  • olive oil for brushing the bread
  • your favorite tomato sauce
  • 6 ounces part skim mozzarella cheese, grated
Instructions
  1. To make the meatballs preheat the oven to 375 and lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil.
  2. Combine all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl until everything is evenly incorporated (kind of like when you make meat loaf).
  3. I divided the mixture into 14 large meatballs and spaced them evenly on the prepared baking sheet, flattening the bottom just slightly so that the meatballs didn't roll around in transport.
  4. Bake the meatballs for about 40 minutes (less if you make smaller meatballs). You are looking for an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
  5. While the meatballs bake, slice the sub loaves and brush the inside of each with just a little olive oil.
  6. When the meatballs are done place 2 on each prepared loaf. Cover the meatballs with sauce, add about an ounce of cheese to each sandwich, and place them on the same baking sheet you used to cook the meatballs (chicken is very lean-- I never have any trouble with my baking sheet being greay but wipe it down if you need to!). I leave my sandwiches open when baking.
  7. Bake until the sauce is kind of bubbly and the cheese is melty. The edges of the bread will toast and become brown.
  8. Serve hot!
Notes
These meatballs freeze very well. If you are not feeding a huge amount of hungry people like me, feel free to halve the recipe or wrap the cooked AND cooled meatballs tightly in plastic to freeze.

Cheesy Easy Meatball Subs
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Chicken and Greens Sandwich | Sugar Dish Me

Tuesday 5th of November 2013

[…] day with a hot bowl of minestrone soup it really doesn’t get much better (unless there are meatball subs […]

thoughtsappear

Tuesday 15th of October 2013

I made these over the weekend. We all loved them!

Heather

Tuesday 15th of October 2013

Awesome!! Thanks Thoughtsy!!! :)

tanya

Friday 11th of October 2013

Haha, my so will drone on and on about some battleship or sub or plane that I really don't care about. I can only retain so much of that stuff! I am loving this cheesy meatball sub! Just the way it should be!

Heather

Friday 11th of October 2013

Right? Boys talk about the weirdest things. BUT! If you feed them sandwiches they stop for a minute.

Ruthy @ Omeletta

Thursday 10th of October 2013

1000% guilt-free, especially when they're this cheesy and yummy. And I wish I could say that boys grow out of weird conversations, but I've been overhearing my husband and his two visiting brothers all week, and... boys are weird even in their thirties and beyond, #fact.

Heather

Friday 11th of October 2013

Yeah you're right. When I was trying to write this post my other half was playing zombies on the Xbox with the kids and they had some mathematical kill:death ratio they were trying to explain to me. Whyyyyyyyyyy.

Marie @ Little Kitchie

Thursday 10th of October 2013

WOW, these are incredible!! And I know what you mean about those crazy conversations... I don't have kids yet, but I do teach 5th grade, and the topics they bring up never ceases to amaze me!

Heather

Friday 11th of October 2013

Ahahahha. I bet they say weird things all day! 5th grade is such a strange and funny age.