Gobble It Right Up!

Spaghetti and Smoky Cheese-Stuffed Turkey Meatballs
In about a month turkey will take center stage for Thanksgiving, but I was in the mood for a preview of fall's favorite fowl. Meatballs are a great dinner idea for fall and winter They are inexpensive to make, quick to throw together, and the flavor combos are endless. I turned up the taste factor on this meatball riff with a generous combination of spices, flavorful smoked mozzarella cheese, shallots, and diced pancetta. The flavor combination on the meatballs is bold, so I decided to go with my Simple and Delicious Marinara Sauce but feel free to use your favorite- either from a jar or from scratch. Either way, you won't be disappointed with this hearty dinner.

Ingedients

- 1 lb ground turkey

- 4 oz. diced pancetta

- 2 Tbsp. finely minced Italian parsley

- 2 tsp. red pepper flakes

- 2 oz. smoked mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2" cubes

- 1 shallot, finely minced

- 1 egg

- a splash of milk

- 1 tsp. herbs d' Provence

- salt and pepper

- 1/3 c. dried breadcrumbs

- 16 oz. dried spaghetta

- 1 Tbsp. butter

- 6 c. marinara sauce

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and preheat the oven to 350˚F. Spray a 9x13" baking dish with a generous coating of cooking spray.

While things are heating up, place ground turkey, pancetta, parsley, red pepper flakes, shallots, egg, milk, herbs d' Provence, and breadcrumbs in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle mixture with about a tsp. of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Gently combine ingredients with bare hands, until the mixture is well incorporated. Form one meatball at a time in fingers, rolling gently in the palm to create a golf-ball sized sphere. Gently push a cheese cube into the center of the ball and roll around so that the cheese is totally covered. Place finished meatballs in the prepared baking dish. Once meatballs are formed, bake in oven for about 25-30 minutes until they are cooked through and beginning to brown. Remove from oven.

While meatballs are baking, heat the marinara sauce in a medium sauce pan. When the salted water comes to a rolling boil, cook pasta to al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1/4 c. pasta cooking water. Place the hot drained noodles in a large serving bowl and toss with butter and reserved pasta cooking water. Pour heated sauce over the pasta, then top with cooked meatballs. Serve with bread and salad!

Vodka: What Can't It Do?

Mascarpone Vodka Sauce with Turkey Meatballs
Maybe it's something floating around the autumn air, but lately Angie and I have been on the same food wave-length when musing over our dinner plans at the office. The other day I mentioned, "Do you know what I've been in the mood for? Spaghetti and meatballs!" Angie exclaimed, "Me too!" And we began comparing notes for potential pasta and ground-meat permutations. Mascarpone cheese is always a good idea and I have recently been gifted a fantastic bottle of vodka- this variation on vodka sauce seemed like a natural fit. Enjoy a heart bowl on a chilly October night. Keep in mind, the delicious herb-laden marinara base to the sauce makes more than enough for leftovers. Whip it up, save all about about 3 cups and freeze the rest for a future lasagna recipe.

Ingredients
- 2 medium yellow onions, finely diced
- 1 c. carrots, finely diced
- 4 stalks celery, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 c. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 c. Italian parsley, chopped, divided
- 1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped
- 1 c. good quality vodka
- 4 oz. mascarpone cheese
- 1 tsp. sugar
- salt and pepper
- 3 lengths Italian turkey or chicken sausage, removed from casings
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 2 slices whole wheat bread, torn into small pieces
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tsp. herbs d' Provence
- 1 tsp. poultry seasoning
- milk
- 1 c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided

DELICIOUS HERBY MARINARA SAUCE
Heat 1/4 c. olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic for about 3-4 minutes until they become soft and fragrant. Add carrots and celery, cook until vegetable begin to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add fresh thyme, 1/4 c. Italian parsley, and fresh basil. Stir to combine. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until sauce begins to thicken.

At this point, you have a delicious and complete marinara sauce. Enjoy with pasta, chicken, eggplant, or anything or use as the base for about a thousand other sauces.

VODKA SAUCE
To make the vodka sauce, take 3 cups of the Delicious Herby Marinara Sauce in a Dutch oven and add 1 c. good quality vodka. Simmer over medium-low for about 20 minutes for sauce to thicken. Add 1/4 c. mascarpone and 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheeses. Stir warm sauce until cheeses are melted and well combined. Season with additional salt and pepper and pour over cooked pasta to serve.

TURKEY MEATBALLS
Preheat oven to 350˚F and spray a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray, set aside. In a large bowl combine ground turkey, chicken sausage, torn bread pieces, herbs d' Provence, poultry seasoning, 1/4 c. chopped Italian parsley, 1 egg, a splash of milk, and 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese. Mix with hands until ingredients are thoroughly combines. Form meat mixture into 2" balls and arrange in prepared baking dish. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, until meatballs begin to brown. Serve over prepared pasta and vodka sauce. It's good stuff!

A Spicy Meatball!

Spaghetti and Mega-Meatballs

As far as comfort food goes . . . is there anything heartier and more comforting than spaghetti and meatballs? Today the sun was out, but the air was crisp and cold- it was a delightful December 1st. I wore my mittens as I walked the dog this morning and thought of a warm and filling dinner to enjoy later with a friend who would be joining me.

I put up my holiday decorations today and was definitely in the mood to have a tomato-based sauce simmering on the stove-top for over an hour. "What ever shall I do with all this marinara sauce?" I asked myself. The answer was, of course, obvious. Save some for later and use the rest tonight for a filling cold-weather meal. Classic spaghetti and meatballs came instantly to my mind.

You can throw these meatballs into any old marinara sauce you have handy. I used my Simple and Delicious Marinara Sauce (see "Feelin' Saucy"- September 27, 2009 for recipe) for these babies and it was a delightful dinner. I call them "Mega-Meatballs" due to the mixture of beef and pork. The ground pork sausage adds to a richer flavor and a delicious twist on an old classic and the red pepper flakes gives it just the right amount of bite to differentiate it from the same-ol' spaghetti and meatball rut.

Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- l lb ground sweet Italian pork sausage
- 1/2 c. plain toasted breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 large handful chopped Italian parsley
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
- 6 c. marinara sauce
- 1 lb. cooked pasta

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spritz a 9x13" glass baking dish with cooking spray. In a large mixing bow, combine all ingredients. Work together with hands until all ingredients are well combined.

Form into 15 2"-sized round meatballs and place in prepared baking dish. Bake in oven for 30 minutes until meatballs are cooked through. Toss together with 1 lb. cooked pasta and 6 c. warmed marinara sauce. It makes for a very filling meal, but I think it's something you'll enjoy on a chilly evening.

Top with extra grated Parmesan cheese. Eat! Enjoy! It's a cold-weather classic . . . and so freakin' tasty! I think you'll love it. This recipe makes enough to feed an army. Seriously . . . it will easily feed four . . . probably six- plus leftovers!