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4 from 2 votes

Meatball Madness USDA Recipe for Child Care Centers

In our Meatball Madness recipe, lean ground turkey, spices, and vegetables are shaped and baked in a muffin tin, and then topped with a dollop of mashed potatoes.
CACFP CREDITING INFORMATION
Two meatball cups provide 2 oz equivalent meat/meat alternate and 7⁄8 cup vegetable.
Course: Main Course
Keyword: Child Care Centers, CACFP
Age Group: Ages 6-18
Serving Size: 25-50
Program Type: CACFP
Program Meal Type: Lunch, Supper
Conventional Meal Category: Main Dish (Entrée)
Program Meal Component: Meats, Vegetables
Vegetable Subgroup: Starchy Vegetables
Meal Service Temperature: Hot
Cooking Method: Bake, Boil
25 Servings
Calories: 272

Ingredients

25 Servings

    Weight

    • - - Water
    • - - Nonfat milk
    • 1 lb 5 oz Instant potato flakes
    • 3 oz Margarine, trans-fat free
    • - - Salt
    • 1 lb 13 oz Raw ground beef (no more than 15% fat)
    • 14 oz Raw ground turkey (no more than 15% fat)
    • - - Instant nonfat dry milk
    • 1 lb 1 oz Egg whites
    • 1 lb Oats, rolled, quick, dry
    • 4 oz Canned no-salt-added tomato paste
    • 6 oz *Fresh onions, finely chopped
    • 5 oz *Fresh celery, diced
    • 8 lb *Fresh green bell peppers
    • 5 oz *Fresh carrots, shredded
    • - - Ground black or white pepper
    • - - Salt
    • - - Garlic powder
    • - - Celery seed

    Measure

    • 2 qt Water
    • 1¾ cups Nonfat milk
    • 2 qt 2½ cups Instant potato flakes
    • ⅓ cup 2 tsp Margarine, trans-fat free
    • 1¼ tsp Salt
    • 3½ cups 2 Tbsp Raw ground beef (no more than 15% fat)
    • 1¾ cups Raw ground turkey (no more than 15% fat)
    • ⅛ cup Instant nonfat dry milk
    • 2⅛ cups Egg whites
    • 1 qt 2 cups 1 Tbsp ¼ tsp Oats, rolled, quick, dry
    • ⅓ cup 1 Tbsp 1¾ tsp Canned no-salt-added tomato paste
    • 1 cup 2 Tbsp 2¼ tsp *Fresh onions, finely chopped
    • ¾ cup 3 Tbsp 2 tsp *Fresh celery, diced
    • 1½ cups *Fresh green bell peppers
    • 1½ cups *Fresh carrots, shredded
    • ¼ tsp Ground black or white pepper
    • 2 tsp Salt
    • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Garlic powder
    • 1 Tbsp 1½ tsp Celery seed

    50 Servings

      Weight

      • - - Water
      • - - Nonfat milk
      • - - Instant potato flakes
      • - - Margarine, trans-fat free
      • - - Salt
      • 3 lb 10 oz Raw ground beef (no more than 15% fat)
      • 1 lb 12 oz Raw ground turkey (no more than 15% fat)
      • - - Instant nonfat dry milk
      • 2 lb 2 oz Egg whites
      • 2 lb Oats, rolled, quick, dry
      • 8 oz Canned no-salt-added tomato paste
      • 12 oz *Fresh onions, finely chopped
      • 10 oz *Fresh celery, diced
      • 1 lb *Fresh green bell peppers
      • 10 oz *Fresh carrots, shredded
      • - - Ground black or white pepper
      • - - Salt
      • - - Garlic powder
      • - - Celery seed

      Measure

      • 1 gal Water
      • 3½ cups Nonfat milk
      • 1 gal 1 qt 1 cup Instant potato flakes
      • ⅔ cup 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Margarine, trans-fat free
      • 2½ tsp Salt
      • 1 qt 3¼ cups Raw ground beef (no more than 15% fat)
      • 3½ cups Raw ground turkey (no more than 15% fat)
      • ¼ cup Instant nonfat dry milk
      • 1 qt ¼ cup Egg whites
      • 3 qt 2 Tbsp ½ tsp Oats, rolled, quick, dry
      • ⅔ cup 3 Tbsp ½ tsp Canned no-salt-added tomato paste
      • 2¼ cups 1 Tbsp 1½ tsp *Fresh onions, finely chopped
      • 1¾ cups 3 Tbsp 1 tsp *Fresh celery, diced
      • 3 cups *Fresh green bell peppers
      • 3 cups *Fresh carrots, shredded
      • ½ tsp Ground black or white pepper
      • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Salt
      • 2 Tbsp 2 tsp Garlic powder
      • 3 Tbsp Celery seed

      -

      25 Servings

        Weight

        • - - Water
        • - - Nonfat milk
        • 1 lb 5 oz Instant potato flakes
        • 3 oz Margarine, trans-fat free
        • - - Salt
        • 1 lb 13 oz Raw ground beef (no more than 15% fat)
        • 14 oz Raw ground turkey (no more than 15% fat)
        • - - Instant nonfat dry milk
        • 1 lb 1 oz Egg whites
        • 1 lb Oats, rolled, quick, dry
        • 4 oz Canned no-salt-added tomato paste
        • 6 oz *Fresh onions, finely chopped
        • 5 oz *Fresh celery, diced
        • 8 lb *Fresh green bell peppers
        • 5 oz *Fresh carrots, shredded
        • - - Ground black or white pepper
        • - - Salt
        • - - Garlic powder
        • - - Celery seed

        Measure

        • 2 qt Water
        • 1¾ cups Nonfat milk
        • 2 qt 2½ cups Instant potato flakes
        • ⅓ cup 2 tsp Margarine, trans-fat free
        • 1¼ tsp Salt
        • 3½ cups 2 Tbsp Raw ground beef (no more than 15% fat)
        • 1¾ cups Raw ground turkey (no more than 15% fat)
        • ⅛ cup Instant nonfat dry milk
        • 2⅛ cups Egg whites
        • 1 qt 2 cups 1 Tbsp ¼ tsp Oats, rolled, quick, dry
        • ⅓ cup 1 Tbsp 1¾ tsp Canned no-salt-added tomato paste
        • 1 cup 2 Tbsp 2¼ tsp *Fresh onions, finely chopped
        • ¾ cup 3 Tbsp 2 tsp *Fresh celery, diced
        • 1½ cups *Fresh green bell peppers
        • 1½ cups *Fresh carrots, shredded
        • ¼ tsp Ground black or white pepper
        • 2 tsp Salt
        • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Garlic powder
        • 1 Tbsp 1½ tsp Celery seed

        50 Servings

          Weight

          • - - Water
          • - - Nonfat milk
          • - - Instant potato flakes
          • - - Margarine, trans-fat free
          • - - Salt
          • 3 lb 10 oz Raw ground beef (no more than 15% fat)
          • 1 lb 12 oz Raw ground turkey (no more than 15% fat)
          • - - Instant nonfat dry milk
          • 2 lb 2 oz Egg whites
          • 2 lb Oats, rolled, quick, dry
          • 8 oz Canned no-salt-added tomato paste
          • 12 oz *Fresh onions, finely chopped
          • 10 oz *Fresh celery, diced
          • 1 lb *Fresh green bell peppers
          • 10 oz *Fresh carrots, shredded
          • - - Ground black or white pepper
          • - - Salt
          • - - Garlic powder
          • - - Celery seed

          Measure

          • 1 gal Water
          • 3½ cups Nonfat milk
          • 1 gal 1 qt 1 cup Instant potato flakes
          • ⅔ cup 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Margarine, trans-fat free
          • 2½ tsp Salt
          • 1 qt 3¼ cups Raw ground beef (no more than 15% fat)
          • 3½ cups Raw ground turkey (no more than 15% fat)
          • ¼ cup Instant nonfat dry milk
          • 1 qt ¼ cup Egg whites
          • 3 qt 2 Tbsp ½ tsp Oats, rolled, quick, dry
          • ⅔ cup 3 Tbsp ½ tsp Canned no-salt-added tomato paste
          • 2¼ cups 1 Tbsp 1½ tsp *Fresh onions, finely chopped
          • 1¾ cups 3 Tbsp 1 tsp *Fresh celery, diced
          • 3 cups *Fresh green bell peppers
          • 3 cups *Fresh carrots, shredded
          • ½ tsp Ground black or white pepper
          • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Salt
          • 2 Tbsp 2 tsp Garlic powder
          • 3 Tbsp Celery seed

          Instructions

          • Heat water to a rolling boil.
          • Pour water, milk, potato flakes, margarine, and salt in a commercial mixer (batch as needed). Using a paddle attachment, mix on low speed. Mashed potatoes should appear stiff. DO NOT OVERMIX.
            For 25 servings, mix for 2–3 minutes.
            For 50 servings, mix for 4–5 minutes.
          • Transfer 3 gal 1½ cup (about 6 lb 7 oz) mashed potatoes to a steam table pan (12" x 20" x 2½").
            For 25 servings, use 1 pan.
            For 50 servings, use 2 pans.
          • Critical Control Point: Hold for hot service at 140 °F or higher.
          • Set aside for step 13.
          • Place ground beef, ground turkey, milk, eggs, oats, tomato paste, onions, celery, bell peppers, carrots, pepper, salt, garlic powder, and celery seed in a commercial mixer (batch as needed).
          • Using a paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 2-3 minutes. DO NOT OVERMIX.
          • Lightly coat a muffin pan (20½" x 14") with pan-release spray. Using a No. 16 scoop, portion ¼ cup 1⅛ tsp (about 2²⁄5 oz) meatball mixture into each muffin cup. Flatten the top of each meatball.
            For 25 servings, use 3 muffin pans.
            For 50 servings, use 6 muffin pans.
          • Bake:
            Conventional oven: 400 °F for 25–30 minutes.
            Convection oven: 375 °F for 20–25 minutes.
          • Critical Control Point: Heat to 165 °F or higher.
          • Remove from oven.
          • Transfer meatballs to a steam table pan (12" x 20" x 2½") lined with parchment paper; 25 meatballs per pan.
            For 25 servings, use 2 pans.
            For 50 servings, use 4 pans.
          • Using a No. 20 scoop, portion ¾ cup 2 Tbsp 2 tsp (about 2 oz) mashed potatoes on top of each meatball.
          • Critical Control Point: Hold for hot service at 140 °F or higher.
          • Serve 2 meatball cups.

          Notes

          *See Marketing Guide for purchasing information on foods that will change during preparation or when a variation of the ingredients is available.
          Cooking Process #2: Same Day Service.

          Nutrition

          Serving: 2meatball cups | Calories: 272 | Total Carbohydrate: 36g | Protein: 17g | Total Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 437mg | Potassium: 219mg | Dietary Fiber: 5g | Total Sugars: 5g | Vitamin D: 14IU | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 3mg