Still hanging out at my Dad's for another day, but it's time to start auditioning Cookie Exchange recipes for this year. Trying out some new appetizer recipes for serving after the actual exchange of cookies. DH really liked this one but thinks it should be served in a cream sauce instead of the tomato, so I will be making them into appetizer-sized meatballs and serving them in a cream sauce. I made them with very lean beef and found them a bit dry so I will use less of a lean beef or add some sausage next time. You need to be gentle with these when you cook them so the cheese doesn't escape. I used crumbled blue cheese and just put a few crumbles into each ball.

BLUE CHEESE MEATBALLS

1 pound ground beef
1 egg
2 teaspoons dry mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
4.4 ounces of blue cheese
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 can (14.5 oz.) chopped tomatoes
2 Tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (or basil)

Combine beef, egg and mustard; season with salt and pepper. Form into 12 balls.

Cut cheese into 12 equal-size portions. Flatten each beef ball; top with one piece of cheese. Form each flattened beef piece into a ball, covering cheese completely.

Heat oil in large skillet; gently saute onion until translucent; add meatballs, turning to brown all over.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste and oregano. Simmer meatalls, turning occasionally, for 20 minutes.

Servings: 4