Homemade Greek meatballs in twenty minutes

There's nothing ordinary about homemade meatballs. They're the ultimate comfort food. But if you find yourself getting into a meatball rut, it's incredibly easy to tweak the flavor. Today's Greek Meatballs are a good example, bumped up with feta cheese, garlic and grated onion.

Until we started experimenting with meatball flavors a few years ago, we never realized how easy they are to make. Our favorite trick for shaping the meatballs is to use a cookie-dough scoop (like an ice-cream scoop, only with a smaller bowl). You can scoop up just the right amount of meat every time for consistency in size. This handy gadget is sold at department stores, cooking shops and even in some supermarkets for about $2.

Once you taste these mini-marvels, you'll never want to be without them. That's not a far-fetched idea. Double or triple this recipe to make a stash to keep in the freezer. Now you can satisfy your cravings on the spur of the moment. If you would like our recipe for basic homemade meatballs, visit our Web site at KitchenScoop.com.

Suggested menu: Greek Meatballs for Two with rice and a side salad

• Write Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross at Desperation Dinners, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016, or tellus@kitchenscoop.com. More at the Desperation Dinners Web site, kitchenscoop.com.