Name: BBQ Meatballs with Pepper and Cheese Animal Cut-Outs
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 2 slices bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces; 0.5 cup whole milk; 1 egg, beaten; 1 tablespoon dried parsley; 0.5 teaspoon salt; 0.125 teaspoon garlic powder; 0.125 teaspoon onion powder; 0.5 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning; 0.25 teaspoon sugar; 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 1 pound ground beef; 0.25 cup grated sweet onion; 1 cup barbecue sauce, plus additional for serving; 1 green bell pepper; 1 orange bell pepper; 1 red bell pepper; 4 (1/4-inch) slices Colby-Monterey Jack cheese; 4 (1/4-inch) slices mild Cheddar cheese; Animal vegetable cutters; 25 4-inch toothpicks

BBQ Meatballs with Pepper and Cheese Animal Cut-Outs

5.0

(4)

4 Reviews

4 Photos

A whimsical after school snack which is sure to please hungry kids. Serve with extra BBQ sauce and a cold glass of milk.

Recipe by got milkR

Updated on June 19, 2020

Prep Time:

45 mins

Cook Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

1 hrs 15 mins

Servings:

Yield:

25 meatballs

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

2 slices bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces
½ cup whole milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound ground beef
¼ cup grated sweet onion
1 cup barbecue sauce, plus additional for serving

Animal Cut-Outs:

1 green bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
4 (1/4-inch) slices Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
4 (1/4-inch) slices mild Cheddar cheese
Animal vegetable cutters
25 4-inch toothpicks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Soak pieces of torn bread in the milk in a bowl for 5 minutes. Gently squeeze out milk. Add beaten egg to the soaked bread and mix well.
Mix garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, salt, Italian herb seasoning, sugar, and Parmesan cheese together in a small bowl. Add to bread-egg mixture.
Place ground beef in a mixing bowl. Add seasoning mixture and onions; mix together with a fork. If mixture is too dry, add up to a tablespoon of milk. Roll into 25 meatballs and arrange on rimmed baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven until browned and cooked through, about 18 minutes.
Drain meatballs on a paper towel. Remove grease from the baking sheet. Transfer meatballs back to the baking sheet. Drizzle 1 cup BBQ sauce over meatballs.
Return sheet to oven and bake 12 more minutes.
Use a small animal vegetable cutter to make animals out of green, orange, and red peppers. Cut animals out of Colby Jack and mild Cheddar cheese.
Drain meatballs on a paper towel and add more BBQ sauce if desired. Add cheese animal cut-out and then animal pepper cut-out to the toothpicks. Work quickly to add toothpick to each meatball.

Cook's Notes:

Pair with a glass of chilled, organic whole milk.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

413	Calories
24g	Fat
26g	Carbs
23g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 413
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 24g	31%
Saturated Fat 12g	62%
Cholesterol 113mg	38%
Sodium 1011mg	44%
Total Carbohydrate 26g	9%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 23g
Vitamin C 79mg	394%
Calcium 209mg	16%
Iron 3mg	14%
Potassium 410mg	9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.