Porcupine Meatballs

My kids (and husband) LOVE this quick meal. It is quick and simple and fills the tummy, even on a budget! I used to eat this all the time as a little girl, but it wasn't until I got married that my mother-in-law taught me the art of the pressure cooker. This recipe can be made in the pressure cooker or the oven! I will give you both methods, but remember that the pressure cooker cooks your meal a LOT faster!
Porcupine Meatballs
Ingredients

1 pound ground beef 
½ cup rice, uncooked 
1 T onion, minced 
1 tsp salt 
¼ tsp pepper 
1 can tomato soup (sometimes I use 2 cans, depending how saucy I feel!) 
¾ cup water

Combine meat, rice, onion, salt, and pepper. Form into balls. Mix soup and water in a 4 qt. pressure cooker.  Drop meat balls in pan. Cover and heat until control jiggles (or in my pressure cooker's pressure gauge locks). Then continue to cook 8 minutes.  Cool normally for 5 minutes, and then cool under faucet. It works great doubled too! 

If you don’t have a pressure cooker spray a 9x13 pan and preheat oven to 350*.  Follow directions for the recipe above and instead drop into the pan. Cover with tin foil. Cook for about an hour or until the rice is cooked.

Giada's Minestrone and Navy Bean Soup

Giada's Minestrone and Navy Bean Soup Revamped (6 servings- 7 WWP+)  adapted from Weeknights with Giada
 

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and diced into 1/4 in pieces
1 onion, diced into small pieces
1 celery stalk sliced into pieces
1 pound ground beef (she only used 8 ounces...I guess it would be less points, but she also only had 4 servings!)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 28oz can petite diced tomatoes
4 cups beef broth
1 can navy beans rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf
1 cup small noodles (I added this, but can be omitted for one less point)
salt & pepper
Parmesan Cheese

Heat oil in a dutch oven or a large pot over medium heat. Throw in the onion, carrot and the celery with some salt and pepper. Heat vegetables for five minutes stirring frequently. Turn heat to high and add the ground beef and minced garlic. Brown beef with the vegetables for another 5 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink. Add the tomato paste and incorporate it into the beef mixture. Then add all the other ingredients. Bring these all to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. The last 7 minutes of simmering add the noodles and cook until they are al dente.
Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

I think next time I will add more beef broth and make it 8 servings! Mmmmm...

This is a great cookbook! BUY it!