Creole Meatballs

My husband wanted a spicy meatball and teases me for my zaar addiction and so he searches through my shelves of cookbooks. This dish is from 365 ways to cook hamburger by Doyne Nickerson and is absolutely delish, so I just add to share.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2  lbs hamburger
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped onion
• 2  eggs, slightly beaten
• 1  cup tomato juice
• 1  cup  dry breadcrumbs
• 1  tablespoon chili powder
• 2  tablespoons salt (try 1 tbsp first)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon thyme
• 1⁄3 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon msg
•  flour
• 1⁄3 cup  cooking oil
• 1  cup  sliced onion
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped green pepper
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped celery
• 3  cups  sliced mushrooms
• 5  cups canned tomatoes
• 1  crushed bay leaf
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄3 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1⁄4 cup sweet wine

Directions

1. Mix first 10 ingredients and form into 1 inch meatballs.
2. Roll in flour and set aside.
3. In cooking fat, saute onions, green pepper, celery and mushrooms.
4. Remove to large kettle.
5. Brown meatballs in same pan, then add to kettle with remaining 5 ingredients.
6. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
7. Thicken with 2 tbsp flour in 1/4 cup water.
8. *(I have suggested using less salt in the meatballs since I found the dish to be on the salty side).