Italian Meats and Poultry Recipes - Grilled Meatball Kabobs

Ingredients                      

• 1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges

• 1 medium green sweet pepper, cut into bite-size strips

• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1/2 of a small eggplant, peeled and cut into I-inch pieces

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

• 3  doves garlic, minced

• 3/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed

• 1 recipe Sausage-Beef Meatballs

• 8 ounces dried linguine or fettuccini

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Method:

1. Soak six 12-inch wooden skewers in water for 1 hour. Tear off a 36 x 18-inch piece of heavy foil; fold in half to form an 18-inch square.

2. In a large bowl combine onion, sweet pepper, zucchini, and eggplant. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

3. Pour half of the oil mixture over vegetables. Reserve remaining oil mixture. Place vegetable mixture in center of foil. Bring up two opposite edges of foil; seal with a double fold.

4. Fold remaining edges together to completely enclose vegetables, leaving space for steam to build. Thread Sausage-Beef Meatballs onto skewers, leaving a V4-inch space between meatballs.

5. Prepare grill for indirect grilling. Test for medium heat above the drip pan. Place vegetable packet directly over coals.

6. Place skewers on grill rack over drip pan. Cover and grill for 15 to 20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and vegetables are tender, turning vegetable packet once. (Remove kabobs and vegetables as they are done.)

7. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta; return to hot saucepan. Carefully open vegetable packet; add to pasta along with reserved oil mixture. Toss to combine. Serve with kabobs.

Sausage-Beef Meatballs: In a large bowl beat I egg with a fork; stir in 1 slightly beaten egg, 1/3 cup seasoned fine dry bread crumbs, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons snipped fresh flat-leaf parsley, 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Add 12 ounces bulk hot or sweet Italian sausage and 8 ounces lean ground beef; mix well. Form meat mixture Into 30 meatballs.