Speaking of Turkey...

My mind (and yours, I'll bet) is now on turkey.
I ordered my free-range, Maine-bred, well-educated, organic grain-eating, happy-living bird from Rosemont Market.
I have folded down corners and ripped out recipes from every food magazine I could get my hands on.

Cider-brine or dry brine?
Breast up or down?
Butter-soaked cheesecloth or baste?
There's a lot to think about.
I wish I could remember what I did last year. Why didn't I write to down?
Oh yeah...too exhausted.

Let's step back for a moment from the roasted Thanksgiving turkey thing.
Here's a meal involving turkey that can be made any time, with much less effort required.
No: stuffing, brining, basting, hours.
Yes: big flavor, ease, happy cook, weekday dinner.

Asian Turkey Meatballs with Vegetable Rice
adapted from Everyday Food

1 cup white rice, long-grain or jasmine

1 large carrot, shredded

3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs or panko

1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey breast

1 egg white

5 scallions, chopped

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tsp. fresh grated ginger

4 tsps. fish sauce

4 tsps. hot pepper sauce, such as Sirarcha

4 tsps. sugar

sea salt

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

sweet chili sauce, for serving

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups salted water to a boil. Add rice, stir once and return to boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until water is fully absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in shredded carrot, 1/2 of the chopped scallions and 1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro. Cover until ready to serve.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs and 3 Tbsps. water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add turkey, egg white, scallions, cilantro, ginger, fish sauce, hot pepper sauce, sugar, garlic and 1 tsp. sea salt. Gently mix to combine and form into golf ball size meatballs
In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Brown meatballs in batches, on all sides. Transfer meatballs to a rimmed baking sheet and bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Serve meatballs with rice and sweet chili sauce.

A very happy Thanksgiving to all my Mignardise friends! I'm grateful for your continued support.

Very Tasty Turkey Meatballs

It's Monday and it's snowing again.
Really, it's the third Monday in a row. At least the kids made it to school. You should see the cute dog team and sled that picks them up!

Just kidding...

Since it's still so wintery, I am still very much into comfort food. But remember, it's Healthy Eating Month here at Mignarise, so the comfort food will be slimmed down.
There's nothing to warm your heart and tummy like spaghetti and meatballs.  I would eat whole wheat pasta, but the kids won't.  Barilla Plus makes a great compromise, because even though it's made with all kinds of healthy grains, fiber and protein, it tastes a lot like the regular old white pasta.
And please don't be horrified, but I often use sauce from a jar. Doctored up of course (did you honestly think I'd just serve it straight from the jar? Not that there's anything wrong with that).
Chop up, very small, half an onion, 2 carrots and some red bell pepper (or any other vegetable you like). If you dice the vegetables small enough even picky children won't notice them. Saute the vegetables, along with a clove or 2 of garlic, in a little olive oil. When it's soft, pour your jar of sauce over it. Tastes like you made it all by yourself. Which you did.
And when the meatballs are done, plop them into the sauce too, then simmer about 15 minutes before serving.

Very Tasty Turkey Meatballs

1 lb. ground turkey breast

1/4 cup panko or fresh bread crumbs (use the dried only as a last resort)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 egg + 1 egg white

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

1 Tbsp. tomato paste


1 Tbsp. dried minced onion

1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Place all ingredients, except turkey, into a bowl and mix well, making sure eggs are well incorporated.
Add turkey and using your hands or a fork, combine with ingredients very well.
Form meatballs, about the size of golf balls, with wet hands. Place on parchment paper.
Bake for about 20 minutes. You can cut one open to make sure it's cooked through (it'll be completely white). Drop into spaghetti sauce, if desired.

 Buono appetito!