Easy Cheesy Meatballs

Ingredients for a 2- to 3 1/2-quart slow cooker:
2 tablespoons Italian-seasoned tomato paste
2 tablespoons full-bodied red wine, such as a California Zinfandel
1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3/4 pound lean ground beef, preferably 93% lean
2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) provolone cheese, finely shredded
1/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds

Ingredients for a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker:
1/4 cup Italian-seasoned tomato paste
1/4 cup full-bodied red wine, such as a California Zinfandel
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 pounds lean ground beef, preferably 93% lean
4 ounces (about 1 cup) provolone cheese, finely shredded
1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds

TESTERS' NOTES
• There's very little sauce here, just some juices in the slow cooker. In fact, we designed these to be sort of a meatball version of meatloaf.
• Substitute other cheeses for the provolone—Asiago, Swiss, or even dried Pecorino-Romano for a more assertive taste. In fact, packaged shredded provolone may well have to be minced on a cutting board to get the larger threads into tiny bits. If you really want to go easy, try a shredded Italian cheese blend.

Serve It Up! Serve these meatballs over pasta—or stack them plus any bits of sauce in baked potatoes!

SHORTCUTS Substitute an equivalent amount of Italian seasoning for the oregano, thyme, and crushed fennel seeds. Use a blend with only herbs in the mix, no preservatives or chemical fillers—and perhaps no salt, given how much is in the cheese.

ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW To form meatballs, dampen your hands occasionally to keep the sticky meat from clumping to your fingers. However, don't go overboard; you can actually add enough natural moisture from your hands that the meatballs won't cohere.