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Saturday, February 6, 2010

Recipe: Meatballs Two Ways

Turkey Meatballs, Two Ways


Take One: Sundried Tomato and Feta in Phyllo Cups
To get to "Spicy Buffalo Turkey Meatballs," scroll past all my blabbing.



Giada DeLaurentis is probably my favorite food network gal. I mean, look at her. She's adorable! And, she has good recipes to boot. One day I was watching her make a turkey meatloaf with sundried tomatoes and feta. This was when I was completely obsessed with any sort of italian cuisine, and vampires were sure to stay far from my home due to the copious amounts of garlic that I added to everything.
Of course, I still love italian cooking, but it seems that during the winter months I've become more apt to make something spicy, or mexican-esque. 
Regardless - I knew I had to make this meatloaf. 
I called up my mom, and told her I was coming over and making them dinner. I was making them meatloaf!
Imagine her disbelief. I was going to make meatloaf? The daughter who, for the past 19 years, couldn't be force fed meatloaf? Oh, yes. I forgot to mention: I "hated" meatloaf. Meatloaf, to me, equaled weird onion soup mix, ketchup, and ground beef. Uh, thanks, but no thanks.
But Giada was onto something good.

Okay, enough, enough. How does this relate to meatballs? 
Well, the meatloaf went over with rave reviews, but that was eons ago. I haven't made it since, and tonight I was planning on making dinner for the fam, and wanted to change up the recipe a bit, and make them into turkey burgers! Well, I ended up being ditched (being the grandma that I am) and was on my own for dinner. Since I'd already defrosted the ground turkey, and tomorrow being the superbowl so the turkey won't get used then, I figured I'd just stick to my gameplan - but instead, I decided on making them meatballs (easier to add to lunches). So, here we go. I did try to measure most everything so I could relay it again, rather than just adding a bit of everything.

Ingredients:
-10 oz. 99% lean ground turkey
-4 sundried tomatoes, chopped
-1 oz. Crumbled Feta Cheese - I like to use the F.F. Mediterranean Herb kind by President - (Alternatively, I think a really good marinated mozzarella would be amazing - I wanted to use the feta I had, though.)
-scant 1/4c. chopped scallions
-2 T. almond milk
-1 egg
-2 T. rolled oats
-1 T. grated Parmesan Cheese
-1/4 t. minced garlic
-1/4 t. dried basil (I would have preferred fresh, but couldn't justify buying a huge pack at the grocery store today)
-salt and pepper
-dash nutmeg
-1/4 t. garlic salt with parsley
-pre-cooked mini Phyllo cups

Destructions:
Preheat oven to 400*.
Combine all ingredients except for the feta and phyllo cups:


Form by the small handful (uh...maybe...1/8 cup size?) into small patties, and press some crumbled feta into the mixture. Fold over and press into a ball.
Place on a greased cookie sheet or glass baking dish.

Sorry if raw meat grosses you out. It still grosses me out...I wouldn't touch it until a year or so ago! hah. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking first at 15. They didn't take very long.

The colors of Italy!

If desired, place meatballs in fun little pre-made Phyllo cups! I devoured these with a side of bulgur with spinach and carrots, and a spinach salad with that divine Raspberry Dijon Mustard. The Raspberry Dijon actually went quite nicely with everything else!
They would also be really good in a pita - Greek it up with some Tzatziki, perhaps?! That's my next plan.
I yielded 11 meatballs with these quantities.


Take Two: Spicy Buffalo Turkey Meatballs

Rather than make a whole bunch of meatballs in the same fashion for just myself (the rest of my family aren't as fond of leftovers as I am - go figure) I decided I'd just do half each...and I wanted some Frank's! Frank and I go way back. I was actually thinking about how long it'd been since my last Buffalo Chicken Wrap, and decided - why not make Buffalo Turkey Meatballs and have that in a wrap?! I winged it on this one, but they came out pretty well! Hopefully the measurements are accurate :P

Shown in the background, spotlight stolen by the Sundried Tomato & Feta Meatballs.

Ingredients:
-10 oz. 99% lean ground turkey
-1 egg
-1 T. Almond Milk
-3 T. Frank's Red Hot (If you don't like them too spicy - I, personally, will be adding more next time.)
-scant 1/4c. chopped scallion
-1/8 c. chopped red pepper (I used orange due to the fact that he was on his last leg.)
-1/2 t. minced garlic
-salt and pepper
-1/4 t. lemon pepper
-1/4 t. chili powder
-1/2 t. Dijon mustard
-1 cheese wedge, chopped up
-little bit o' crumbled feta cheese.

Destructions:

Combine all ingredients.


Form into balls, and place on sprayed cookie sheet.

Name that country! Orange, green, and white? Ireland, anybody?

Bake at 400* for approx 15 minutes.
Don't overdo them, like yours truly. 


Hey, I was busy loving those Sundried Tomato ones. It could have been worse.

Devour!

5 comments:

  1. Love the idea of the sundried tomato and feta meatballs. Her meatloaf recipe is one of my favorites of her and I never get sick of it!

    I'm not even going to attempt the buffalo meatballs because I could see that easily becoming an addiction.

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  2. I gotta make those--my hubs would love 'em. Giada rocks!

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  3. Your pictures are so amazing!! Those meatballs look absolutely delicious!

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  4. Lovely photos as always!! I love Giada too!

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  5. I will be making these soon ;) Great recipe!

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