It's Another Meatball Thing - An Easy Appetizer

I don't know why the girls like meatballs so much - but they do! And I do too, although I always try to skip the extra carbs in pasta. However, one thing I have a hard time turning down is a toasted meatball sub. There is nothing like biting into warm crusty bread and then into a meatball covered in a great tomato sauce and melted cheese.  What a reward for saving leftover meatballs for lunch instead of on their own in a midnight snack! The appetizer featured here is a variation of a sub; I took the idea from the small plates menu of a restaurant that called them "Meatball Sliders". Because of our family's love for meatballs, we don't have just one recipe we like but several.  Click Here for a link to a post with traditional, Spanish, or Mediterranean varieties or Click Here to link up to a summer time recipe where the sauce is made from fresh tomatoes and, if desired, the meatballs can be grilled.  Whatever type of meatball made, the recipe posted here is yummy for the left overs. Or - just buy pre-made frozen ones and a jar of sauce for instant appetizers.

Here's What You Need For a Dozen Meatball Appetizers 

1 dozen leftover meatballs with sauce

1 baguette

4 ounces goat cheese

1 clove garlic, peeled

6 "sandwich" sized slices of mozzarella cheese, each cut into fourths

3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped

Directions for Assembling the Meatball Appetizers

Cut the bread into 12 slices, each about 1 inch thick. Lightly brush one side of each slice with olive oil. Place on a foil lined baking sheet.

Bake in a 350 degree oven  for about 12 minutes or until the bread the bread is just starting to brown.  Take it out of the oven and gently rub the top of each piece with the peeled garlic glove.

Now spread about a teaspoon of goat cheese on each toasted and garlic rubbed bread slice.

Top each bread slice with a meatball and some sauce.

Cut each "sandwich sized" cheese slice into four equal squares and place two squares on top of each slice.

Place the cheese covered slices back into the 350 degree oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the mozerella cheese is nice and melted and the edges of the bread look golden brown. Yum!