Thursday, August 23, 2012

Porcupines With Mary Connealy!

I love Mary's quick recipes and here's one that's amazingly easy, popular and makes everyone happy:

And I don't have fancy pics today because I'm tied up at the bank this morning and working this afternoon and editing Wednesday night...

So forgive me, 'Kay????

Porcupines:

1 lb. raw hamburger
1/2 cup uncooked rice (I use Basmati or Wild rice mix, both are delicious and great texture!)

Ruthy note: I add salt and pepper and a tablespoon of dried onion from the BIG dried onion thingamabobbie I buy at Sam's Club. And a sprinkle of granulated garlic. Other than that, this is Mary's recipe. Really.  ;)

Mix together. Shape meatballs. Put in casserole dish. Expect them to look NOTHING like porcupines. Add:

Tomato Juice to cover meat/rice balls. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes in covered casserole dish at 375 degrees. It takes every minute of that time or the rice isn't tender.



I like to serve these with grilled summer squash and zucchini. Or grilled corn. Or I just eat them by the handfuls, LOL!


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54 comments:

  1. Missy TippensAugust 23, 2012 at 12:15 AM

    Are these like bite sized meatballs?? Or larger?

    Very simple! I love the idea.

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    1. Ruth Logan HerneAugust 23, 2012 at 4:43 AM

      I make them regular-sized, Missy. And aren't you supposed to be sleeping? You've got a cold! Off to bed with you, young lady! :)

      But you could make these bite-sized to use for hors d'ourves. (spelling is probably WRONG, but I'm not going to Google it... Still on first coffee.)

      Delete
    2. Missy TippensAugust 23, 2012 at 7:29 AM

      I went to bed right after my comment, Ruthy, dear. :) Had a rough night. The antihistamine kept me in a weird kind of half-sleep state. Pretty miserable until about 3:30 am. Then I think I finally conked out for good.

      I'm thinking I may have the ingredients for this recipe to make this evening! Keep your fingers crossed that I find tomato juice in the pantry.

      Delete
    3. Mary ConnealyAugust 23, 2012 at 4:31 PM

      I make them the size of an adult porcupine, Missy

      Delete
  2. Mary Jane HathawayAugust 23, 2012 at 1:35 AM

    Do you think this could work in a slow cooker? Probably only if they were completely covered with the sauce?

    I' trying to figure this one out. Raw hamburger and uncooked rice, and then they come out as sort of rice-filled meatballs?

    I think my kids would totally go for this. And if not, I will just have to suffer and eat them all myself.

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    1. Ruth Logan HerneAugust 23, 2012 at 4:46 AM

      Ginny-Lou-Who, I don't know. I would think they might not cook right, and probably take forever, but it could work.

      And yes, tomato juice. You need the water in the juice to have them cook nicely as the rice soaks it in. I found other recipes online, but this one is the simplest, it's from Mary Connealy and I never argue with Mary Connealy because she's handy with a GUN, and these are great as is... although I love throwing the extra seasonings in!

      I also like them with lightly cooked green pepper on the side, so it's more like a stuffed pepper which no one around here eats except me.

      Mmm... stuffed green peppers. Now there's a fall dish for you!

      Delete
    2. Missy TippensAugust 23, 2012 at 7:30 AM

      Virginia, maybe if you browned them first in a skillet???

      Delete
    3. Mary Jane HathawayAugust 23, 2012 at 12:16 PM

      Well, I don't have a covered casserole dish and was just wodnering how to sue this huge new crockpot my neighbor gave me.

      Maybe if I used a glass pan and covered them with foil?

      And I have tomato juice! yay me!

      Delete
    4. Ruth Logan HerneAugust 23, 2012 at 12:32 PM

      Oh, yes, goofball... it doesn't have to be a fitted cover. I use foil.

      I have big roasters with cover, but those cutesie covered casseroles, pre-seventies????

      none!

      :)

      Yes, just a 13 x 9 pan with foil. Sorry, I should have specified, but I blame Mary Connealy.

      Always.

      Delete
    5. Mary ConnealyAugust 23, 2012 at 4:34 PM

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    6. Mary ConnealyAugust 23, 2012 at 5:06 PM

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    7. Mary ConnealyAugust 23, 2012 at 5:08 PM

      I deleted those comments about because of a typo, except I only posted it ONCE, so why is it deleted twice? I'm very confused. Anyway, here is my non-typo comment:

      Virginia, if you do it just right in a slow cooker, the porcupines will actually come to life. but be careful to only make girl OR boy porcupines because otherwise they will have babies and that makes the mama porcupines feisty, defendong their babies. You might get stuck.

      Delete
    8. Mary ConnealyAugust 23, 2012 at 5:09 PM

      Okay, I figured it out, I had TWO comments and I somehow deleted both of them.
      I used ........ oh forget it. I'm getting tired of myself....I have a Corelle baking dish with a lid. I use that, but foil is fine.

      Delete
    9. Missy TippensAugust 23, 2012 at 7:24 PM

      Mary, you KNOW you always mess up by doing everything twice. So of course, you put up a typo-full comment twice. You just "pulled a Connealy"!!

      ;)

      Delete
  3. Mary Jane HathawayAugust 23, 2012 at 1:36 AM

    Tomato juice or tomato sauce?

    ReplyDelete
  4. KavAugust 23, 2012 at 8:01 AM

    In my vegetarian world porcupines are what you make to get a d
    child to eat veggies. Start with a veggie base like a stick of celery. Add peanut butter and then stick bits of veggies in all over the place until it looks like a porcupine. LOL.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousAugust 23, 2012 at 9:01 AM

      Kav that sounds more appetizing LOL! of course I know ugly food usually tastes the best! :-)
      man I'm tired..work kept us busy last night but at least the time went by pretty fast.

      Missy I'm reading one of your love inspired's now..read one last week too - thought after I read Faith's book a year or so ago that I'd start from the beginning but I've been off the whole way - the one I read last week had a story before it(it was the one where the rich girl broke up with him and wanted him to wait til she finished college and he knocked up her best friend and married her instead) man and I thought that hero and heroine held grudges - the hatred's just jumping off the pages in this one and I ain't that far into it! don't remember titles because its' on my kindle and I look at the title once then start reading but the guy was a bad boy and must've done something to the heroine's sister 'cause she hates him on sight and his dad doesn't want to see him..sheesh. I feel sorry for the poor guy! I can handle it so long as you don't kill off any dogs like someone else here did!! not sayin' names...
      anyways enjoyed the books! :-)

      Susanna

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    2. Mary Jane HathawayAugust 23, 2012 at 12:14 PM

      *rifles through my manuscripts to make sure I don't kill any dogs*

      Delete
    3. Ruth Logan HerneAugust 23, 2012 at 1:51 PM

      Susanna, I love that book! Keep reading because it's totally worth it!

      And Susanna, I didn't kill Rocket!!! He just...

      died.

      He was OLD. And Sarah gave Craig a puppy, right???? A cute little Border Collie he named "Lady"...

      :)

      I love that story. So many fun animals. Kids. Great romance.

      I'm working on a farm book now, and LOVING IT, SUSANNA!!!! :)

      There's a pet goat. Cows. Cats. Kittens (oh, those folks will scold me for lettin' this cat have kittens, but country cats hunt critters best when they've got babies!!!)

      Let us know what you think of A House Full of Hope when you're done. I think that it's just charming...

      And those little kids??? Awwww..... :)

      Delete
    4. Missy TippensAugust 23, 2012 at 2:54 PM

      LOLOL!!! Way to scold Ruthy, Susanna. :) Yeah, that first one you mentioned was A Forever Christmas. And Ruthy is right, this one is A House Full of Hope.

      Thanks for reading! Yeah, I had fun with the tension in that story. And thanks, Ruthy, for your sweet comments. I'll quit laughing about your getting scolded now. :)

      Delete
    5. AnonymousAugust 23, 2012 at 7:37 PM

      Rocket could've easily lived another couple of chapters and the dude lived in the boondocks- easy to get another puppy WITH Rocket! of course that gave her a great excuse though if someone tried to substitute my sweet mellow dog with a wild border collie..sigh...though she could've given him one of those kinds she raised that I've never heard of - the ones that get mean and protective...shudder! a german shepherd is as far as i'm going in that area! prefer my lab's personality- the 2 together are a good team! :-)

      I'm totally out of order with these but oh well i gave up LOL. if work cooperates I'll hopefully finish House Full of Hope tonight! I read the christmas one in one night I think or 2 at the most! yep Christmas in August..just finished debra clopton's mule hollow and have brenda minton's latest..I'm a happy camper in love inspired world then the next round should be coming out with Ruthy's!
      Susanna

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    6. Missy TippensAugust 23, 2012 at 7:42 PM

      We appreciate you, Susanna!

      Delete
    7. AnonymousAugust 23, 2012 at 9:05 PM

      :-) I appreciate some good books! I had given up on christian romance - one used bookstore owner (now closed but still talk sometimes)talked me into reading a 'cute' love inspired by judy baer and I was like 'cr*p' but it was pretty good so I got back into them from there then got Ruthy's Winter's End because, um, I liked the cover and the description sounded good and I got sucked into that story - I think it's stil my favorite. then I won cheryl's on seekerville and love that series and discovered brenda minton and debra clopton and now yours..now there are too many to keep up with-almost! :-)just no doggies dying..puh-lease! people ok dogs no!
      Susanna

      Delete
  5. Jan DrexlerAugust 23, 2012 at 9:44 AM

    Quick prep, easy, stick 'em in the oven and forget them for a while... Looks like my kind of supper!

    And you can play with the seasonings, right? Add diced onion and/or green pepper, or you can turn them into southwest porcupines (would those be armadillos?) by adding chili powder and cumin and then serving them with salsa and sour cream...

    Not that Mary's recipe isn't wonderful as-is! (Never argue with a woman who has people like Seth living inside her head!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ruth Logan HerneAugust 23, 2012 at 1:52 PM

      Exactly. Her recipe had no seasonings, but I had to add onion. And garlic. And salt and pepper.

      :)

      It's just tweaking the base, right?

      Delete
    2. Mary ConnealyAugust 23, 2012 at 4:39 PM

      I keep mine really plain. AND THEY ARE DELICIOUS AS IS! Salt and pepper to taste on your plate. onions sound good, you can add them, but if you add cumin you have to rename it. I recommend calling them GROSSballs.

      Delete
    3. Mary ConnealyAugust 23, 2012 at 4:41 PM

      oh wait! I thought Ruthy said cumin. Ignore that rude woman who stole my identity and posted that horrible comment.

      Delete
    4. Missy TippensAugust 23, 2012 at 4:43 PM

      LOL!! Your words are out there forever, Mary.

      Delete
    5. Ruth Logan HerneAugust 23, 2012 at 5:32 PM

      Connealy, I can't even pronounce "Cumin" much less know how to use it!!!! :)

      And look at you YELLING AT ME! Stinkin' brat.

      Delete
    6. Jan DrexlerAugust 23, 2012 at 10:25 PM

      Girls, girls, girls.

      Do I have to come up there?

      Delete
  6. Mindy ObenhausAugust 23, 2012 at 10:34 AM

    Quick. Easy. Yummy. I'm all over this one, Ruthy.

    ReplyDelete
  7. J. Hilton SteeleAugust 23, 2012 at 1:42 PM

    Man O and I LIVED on these when we were first married. We bought a college survival cookbook when we started cooking together and fell in love with these meatballs.

    I wonder now with the hedgehog crazy if they go by that name in some new college cook book.

    Thanks for the memories.

    Peace, Julie

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    Replies
    1. Ruth Logan HerneAugust 23, 2012 at 1:54 PM

      Julie, I'd never heard of them before Mary told me! How funny is that?

      Did you ever make poor man's strogonoff? With little meatballs lightly seasoned with onion, garlic, nutmeg and salt? And done in a mushroom soup/mushroom sauce? You serve it over fettucine and pretend you're eating the real thing, but it tastes WONDERFUL! Meals-on-a-dime is a a wonderful thing!

      Delete
    2. Jan DrexlerAugust 23, 2012 at 4:27 PM

      Ruthy, those are wonderful! But we call them Balkan Meatballs. How funny!

      Delete
    3. AnonymousAugust 23, 2012 at 9:08 PM

      uh oh I thought your poor man's stroganof WAS the real thing! :-( I've been misled all these years..
      but I also thought spaghetti came in a red box with the canned meat sauce...
      and my mom told me a looonng time ago that most things require onion - or cheese- if in doubt add one or both..just 'bout anything.
      Susanna

      Delete
    4. Ruth Logan HerneAugust 24, 2012 at 6:45 AM

      Susanna, your mother is some smart people!!! :)

      Cheese, onion and garlic are mainstays! Combo??? All the better!

      Delete
  8. Missy TippensAugust 23, 2012 at 2:58 PM

    I couldn't find tomato juice in the pantry, so I'm going to water down tomato sauce.

    Although when hubby came home for lunch and saw the beef thawing out, he started begging for spaghetti instead. He doesn't like meatballs and is trying to tell me the kids would prefer spaghetti as well. Ha. Nice tactic, huh? :)

    Grrr. They should consider themselves lucky to have food on the table at all while I'm sick!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jan DrexlerAugust 23, 2012 at 4:29 PM

      I'd order pizza and save the porcupines for another day!

      Delete
    2. Ruth Logan HerneAugust 24, 2012 at 6:47 AM

      Dorky men.

      Like trying something new is a huge inconvenience. SIGH!!!!!!

      Hey, Missy, the only difference in the tomato sauce/tomato juice thing is adding salt and a little sugar. Tomato juice has a higher sugar component, so that might make a difference, but I can't imagine it would be bad. The other online recipes all called for tomato sauce and water...

      So you'll be fine! Unless you CAVED LIKE A LITTLE GIRL!!!!

      Delete
    3. Missy TippensAugust 24, 2012 at 8:40 AM

      I did NOT cave! LOL In fact, he got stuck late at a meeting and then had to go back and finish work, so he missed dinner. I texted him a hilarious Rage Face telling him what a hit they were with the kids. :) He gracefully admitted defeat. :)

      Delete
    4. Missy TippensAugust 24, 2012 at 8:41 AM

      Oh, and yes, it did need salt. We just salted at the table, but next time I'll add to the sauce.

      Delete
  9. Mary ConnealyAugust 23, 2012 at 4:24 PM

    Missy, I've used whole tpatoes, tomato soup, tomato sauce.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Mary ConnealyAugust 23, 2012 at 4:25 PM

    duh--tomato not tpatoes

    ReplyDelete
  11. Mary ConnealyAugust 23, 2012 at 4:26 PM

    I prefer a full 2 quart can of tomato juice because there is lots of sauce

    ReplyDelete
  12. Missy TippensAugust 23, 2012 at 7:21 PM

    They turned out great! And now I see why you call them porcupines. LOL The rice pokes out all over the place like quills. :)

    Middle child loved them so well he ate half of them! That's a half pound of beef. 6'1'' and still growing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ruth Logan HerneAugust 24, 2012 at 6:48 AM

      I'm so proud that you didn't cave under pressure, my little Steel Magnolia!!!!

      Delete
  13. Mary ConnealyAugust 23, 2012 at 9:08 PM

    I fed these to my kids all the time. One 18 month old loved them so much I made a bunch and smashed them and froze them in ice cube trays and kept them in a zip lock bag, then thawed them out for her when the rest of the family would eat something she didn't like. Or couldn't chew.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mary ConnealyAugust 23, 2012 at 9:09 PM

      ps that last comment contains an error. They hadn't invented zip lock bags when my kids were babies.

      Delete
    2. Missy TippensAugust 23, 2012 at 10:31 PM

      ROFL! Yeah, Mare. You used TIN foil. And chipped off ice from blocks at the ice house.

      By the way, my daughter said they don't look like porcupines. She said it looked like worms coming out! :)

      Delete
    3. Ruth Logan HerneAugust 24, 2012 at 6:50 AM

      Ah, worms coming out... More like maggots, actually.

      Now I'll never be able to eat them again!!!

      Isn't it a wonderfully fun dish? And Jan, you can add whatever seasoning you want (even the dreaded ones!!!) and I bet we could Tex Mex this.... Pretty darn easy, I would say. Taco seasoning... Add salsa to the tomato juice. How easy-peasy would that be for a party appetizer on Super Bowl Sunday????

      Delete
    4. Mary ConnealyAugust 24, 2012 at 2:53 PM

      OH GOOD GRIEF, then ALL rice looks like worms and does she fear all rice?
      (ps, it looks more like maggots than worms, your child needs to get her disgusting, gross-out food comparisons right!)
      But when food reminds you of worms and maggots, and it still gets eaten, you KNOW you're onto something.

      Delete
    5. Mary ConnealyAugust 24, 2012 at 9:05 PM

      Ruthy and I agree on maggots. Why am I not surprised. And why is there a RAT in the post next down? So wrong for a food blog. What were you thinking?

      Delete

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