Meatballs Rancheros

Truth? As I was envisioning this recipe, I wondered why nobody else thought of it first. Well, maybe they did, but they didn't write it down. Google it. You'll find "ranchero meatball soup", but nothing like this: Meatballs, simmered in a chunky, salsa-style sauce, topped with just-cooked eggs and melted cheddar cheese. It's a playground on the palate.

In case you don't know (and I'm sorry to bore you if you do), the classic "huevos rancheros" is a dish often served for breakfast. It originated as a hearty meal for farmers on the ranch (hence "rancheros") and consisted of some sort of salsa-type sauce and fried eggs (the eggs are cooked IN the sauce or fried separately and served on the side). I prefer the dish when the eggs are nested in the simmering sauce.

So, back to how this recipe came to be. We love huevos rancheros in my house. But I wanted something more. And something suitable for dinner. We also love meatballs. So why not combine the two? Here's what came out of that thought: Southwest-seasoned meatballs, first roasted to shed some fat, then simmered in a zesty sauce of tomato, bell pepper, onion, and more Southwest seasonings. Once that concoction was bubbly and beautiful, I cracked some eggs over top. One for each of us. Then I smothered everything in cheese. Because, well, everything is better with cheese. As you can see, it all worked out pretty darn well.

When I served this (I brought the skillet right to the table), both boys said, "WOW". Just "WOW". Then, when they started eating, they were surprised by the abundance of flavor and texture. In fact, Kyle said, "This isn't what I was expecting". And that was a good thing. There wasn't a drop left, in the skillet or on our plates. We were lapping up every last drop of sauce and runny egg after the meatballs were gone. I barely needed the dishwasher.

At the last minute, I decided to serve corn tortillas on the side. I did that because things were happening quickly - dinner was being devoured too fast - and I wanted to slow things down. I'm glad I did that because (1) it's traditional with huevos rancheros anyway and (2) the boys nestled meatballs, eggs and sauce in the tortillas and rolled them up like soft tacos. They totally dug that. I used soft corn tortillas, but flour tortillas would have worked too.

About the sauce: I added picante sauce - and mine was chunky, with medium heat. Add whatever salsa or picante sauce you like - at whatever heat level makes you happy.

Meatballs Rancheros

1 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoons chili powder, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup picante sauce or salsa of choice
4 large eggs (or one for each person you're serving)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Chopped green onions for serving
Soft corn or flour tortillas for serving, warmed if desired

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, 1 teaspoon of the chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon of the cumin, onion powder, and about 1/2 teaspoon each salt and ground black pepper (cut back on the black pepper if you don't like a lot).
Mix well and shape the mixture into 16 meatballs. Transfer the meatballs to the prepared pan and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomato sauce, picante sauce, remaining chili powder, and remaining cumin and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes (or until the meatballs come out of the oven).
Add the meatballs to the simmering sauce. Crack the eggs over the sauce (plan on 1 egg per person). Cover the pan and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, until the whites of the eggs are fully cooked and the yolks are cooked to your liking. Don't worry if some of the egg sinks under the simmering sauce  (and you can't see it anymore). It's cooking and getting glorious down there.
Remove the lid and top everything with the cheese. Cook for 30 seconds, until the cheese melts.
Top with green onions before serving.

Serves 4