Line baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and spray it lightly with cooking oil; set aside
Cut mozzarella cheese into bite sized pieces; set aside
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
In a small bowl, lightly beat eggs
2 whole eggs
In a large bowl, add beef, onion, breadcrumbs, lightly beaten eggs, minced garlic, dried Italian seasonings, salt and pepper
2 lbs. lean ground beef, ½ cup onion, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoons garlic, 3 tablespoons Italian Spice Blend, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper
Use a scoop or spoon to measure the beef for the size of meatball you want
Roll the ground beef into balls; poke a dent in the middle of the meatball and tuck in a piece of cheese
Continue to roll meatball until cheese is centered, or not visible
Place finished meatball onto prepared pan; cover tightly with foil and bake on the middle rack at 350°F; See Recipe Notes Below
Allow to cook for about 20-40 minutes (this time will vary depending upon the size you make the meatballs)
Once meatballs are cooked thoroughly, and have an internal temperature of 160°F remove, plate and top with sauce
Notes
In this recipe, I used pre-mixed dried Italian seasonings. If you choose to use individual dried seasonings, (oregano, basil, parsley, marjoram, etc.), then I'd start with one teaspoon each (for 2 lbs. of beef) ; use 1/2 teaspoon of each for 1 lb. beef
If you use fresh herbs, use three teaspoons of each
Small cube-sized chunks of fresh mozzarella cheese works best
Yield:2 pounds of ground beef makes 14 meatballs (1/3 cup each). Texture of meatballs:If you want a tender meatball, cover them with foil when you bake them. If you want a semi-crisp exterior, do not cover them with foil when you bake them.