I am the lazy one when it comes to meatballs. I just buy the frozen from the store, and I have for some time. I admit they are not very good. Some brands are mushy and others are too strongly seasoned, or worse, not seasoned enough. They are a quick and easy way to add some protein to a meal. But you pay a price for the convenience.

So when I saw this recipe I had to rethink things a bit. Pulling something from a bag in the freezer would, I am sure, not produce anything as tasty as this recipe would make. Maybe it is time to try making my own.

The original of this recipe was from a cook book of brand name products. Since most of those products are more expensive and too 'gourmet' for me, I substituted with the products we all have on hand. And guess what, it made a very good meatball. Very flavorful, but not too highly seasoned. The seasoning blends I have chosen to use in this recipe are available from Penzeys Spices. Their store is located in the same shopping center as Trader Joes on the corner of 82nd and Allisonville Road. I used to work there and I still love all the stuff they offer. Check them out; just walking in the door is an experience in aromatherapy. If you can't make it to the store, go to www.penzeys.com to find all the goodies they offer.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine bread crumbs with the milk and set aside. Beat the eggs slightly and add the Parmesan Cheese, Italian herb mix seasoning blend, Tuscan Sunset seasoning blend, olive oil, salt and pepper in large bowl. Stir together the milk mixture and the egg-seasoning mixture. Add ground beef and mix thoroughly. Form mixture into 1 ½ inch diameter meatballs. I used a cookie scoop. Place meat balls on a large rimmed baking sheet and into the oven. Bake, turning once, till cooked through but not dried out, 15 to 20 minutes or more. Serve over pasta with lots of marinara sauce. Makes 8 servings