Turkey Meatball Night

On the menu:

Turkey Meatballs in a red wine tomato sauce

Spaghetti Squash with diced tomatoes

Kicked up string beans

*Average side salad

Turkey meatballs are warming, easy and delish. These are three of my favorite things involving food. I need the food I make to be delicious, I like when it’s easy because on the weeknights I don’t have much time and I love when food warms a person’s insides. Not just hot food on a plate, but it makes you feel at home, relaxed and loved, it is what truly defines a home cooked meal and is why I’m convinced that people can taste love in food. I think turkey meatballs do just that, or at least I hope they do!

RED Tomato Sauce

• 1 jar plain tomato sauce
• 1 onion – chopped
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil
• 5 garlic cloves – chopped
• ½ cup red wine

Combine all ingredients into a Pyrex square baking dish (13 x 9) and mix well.

Turkey Meatballs

• 2 lbs. ground turkey
• 2 eggs
• ¼ – ½ cup breadcrumbs – depending on if they turkey needs more breadcrumbs to hold them together
• 3 garlic cloves – chopped
• ¼ cup finely grated pecorino romano (or parmesan if you have ti on hand)

*Yields 13- 15 LARGE meatballs

Preheat Oven to 375 Degrees

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together with your hands (yes using your hands)

Form into large balls using your hands to form 13 – 14 meatballs (about 2 inches in diameter). If you rather have smaller meatballs it will only change the cooking time. Lay the meatballs on top of the sauce and spread some of the sauce on top of the meatballs (see above for sauce recipe) and cook for 45 minutes or until no longer raw inside.

Spaghetti Squash

• 1 ½ – 2 lb. Spaghetti Squash
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil

Chop the ends off of both sides of the squash and then slice lengthwise in half.

Using a fork scrap out the seeds. Lay the squash cut side down on a glass Pyrex filled with a layer of water on the bottom (this helps steam the squash). Peirce the squash with a fork in about 3 places and place in the oven for 45 – 60 minutes depending on the size. You will know when it is done when you can pierce the squash easily with a fork.

Let the squash cool so you can handle it and remove from the baking dish. Scrap out the squash using a fork which will make it have a stringy consistency (and it’s crunchy too!). Add in all the other ingredients stir and serve.

Kicked Up String Beans

• 1 lb. String Beans
• 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 3 Garlic Cloves chopped
• 1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan and once heated add the chopped garlic and sauté until brown. Add the string beans and cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat. In the last 2 minutes add the red pepper flakes and toss around to combine. Remove from heat and serve.