We’re fans of Grandpa’s Meatball Mix by 3LonettiSisters out of St. Paul, which makes cooking meatballs easy.

Just add 3 pounds of meat or a vegetarian replacement, a splash of ketchup and mustard, and you have a big batch of bold, flavorful meatballs that can serve a crowd.

We chatted with Stephanie Lonetti, who founded 3LonettiSisters with sisters Katie Gunderman and Ann Lavorato, about how the brand, which launched earlier this year and can be found at Seasoned Specialty Food Market in St. Paul, got its start and more.

What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a nurse and a teacher. I ended up becoming a teacher.

What’s your favorite childhood food memory? When the microwave first came onto the scene. My grandpa Jim Lonetti, who created the meatball recipe, would come over with sticks of pepperoni — he used to walk with them like they were a cane and we would see him coming up the driveway as he brought it over to us. We used to put chunks of pepperoni in the microwave and fry them.

What was your first job in food? Bridgeman’s Ice Cream on White Bear and Larpenteur avenues.

How did the idea for your product come about? We had talked about it over the years, not just meatballs but other things that we could do together. I started giving jars of the meatball mix — it’s our Grandpa Jim’s recipe — to friends the last four years for the holidays, and every year they would say they can’t wait for the holidays to get more of the mix.

Just knowing how much people raved about the meatballs, we thought we should market these. We made a commitment to each other in January — we toasted each other and said let’s do it. And nine months later we were on the shelf at Seasoned. I think because the jars are so beautiful it’s such a great gift item. We have friends buying 12 at a time for those hard-to-buy-for people on their lists.

If you had to eat or drink only five things for the rest of your life, what would they be? Red wine. Grandpa’s meatballs. Kombucha. I love sauteed vegetables. Cake.

What’s next? We’re planning on meeting in January after the dust settles to figure that out. We’d like to be in Kowalski’s later or maybe some co-ops. We have a dream of being at the Minnesota State Fair, serving deep-fried meatballs on a stick with a side of marinara.

Grandpa’s Meatball Mix by 3LonettiSisters

Details: And 11-ounce jar costs $16.95

Where to find it: Seasoned Specialty Food Market, 1136 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-348-6291; seasonedspecialtyfoods.com

For more information: 3lsmn.com