Meatballs in Cream Sauce

This is a Taste of Home recipe that I adapted somewhat. These are delicious--a real comfort food. I like to serve them with mashed potatoes.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  egg, lightly beaten
• 3⁄4 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1⁄4 cup milk
• 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 2  tablespoons ketchup
• 1  tablespoon  dried onion flakes
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 1  teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1⁄2 lbs ground beef
• 1⁄4 cup  oil
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 2  tablespoons flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 14  ounces chicken broth
• 2⁄3 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl put the egg, oats, milk, parsley, ketchup, minced onion, salt, worcestershire sauce and ground black pepper. Mix well.
2. Add the ground beef and mix again until everything is well blended.
3. Make around 35 meatballs, being careful not to compact the balls too much or they can become hard.
4. Fry the meatballs in the oil over medium heat until just cooked through. I like to use a spachula to turn them. Remove the meatballs and set aside. Drain off the oil in the pan.
5. In the same frying pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Cook for about one more minute so that the flour gets cooked.
6. Stir in the thyme.
7. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring nonstop with a spachula. Next, slowly stir in the cream. Keep stirring until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for two minutes, or until sauce thickens. Keep stirring.
8. Reduce heat to low and add the meatballs. Heat until warm. Check to see if more salt and pepper are needed in the sauce. Remove from heat and serve at once.