{Recipe} Garlic-Stuffed Turkey Meatballs with Creamy Dill Dressing

This recipe came about while I was walking one morning. I wanted a fun appetizer high on protein, but low on guilt! The flavors in this dish  blend together so perfectly that it has instantly become a family favorite!

I am trying to eat more simple foods, so I decided to try a turkey meatball that didn’t have fillers in it like bread crumbs, egg, etc…  I didn’t know if it would work, or bind properly, but there was only one way to find out. Guess what? It worked!

 

Each meatball is stuffed with a garlic clove. That may sound overwhelming, but it’s not. I boiled the cloves for thirty minutes so they are tender and mild, not overpowering at all.

Garlic Stuffed Turkey Meatballs

• 2 ½ lbs. lean ground turkey
• 2 Tbsp. dried parsley
• ½ tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. grated pecorino romano (optional)
• 30-40 whole garlic cloves (unpeeled)
• 3-4 tsp. olive oil

Heat a pot of water to boiling. Separate garlic cloves and drop into boiling water for one minute. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon, and cool slightly on a paper towel. Now the peelings should remove easily. After all the cloves are peeled, return them to the boiling water for 30 minutes, then remove and again lay them on a paper towel.

Place all other ingredients (except oil) in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for several minutes. Meat mixture should be mixed very well.

Using a teaspoon, spoon some meat mixture into your hand, and make a well using your thumb. Insert a garlic clove and wrap mixture around it to form a ball. After all the turkey is formed into balls, heat a frying pan to medium heat and add oil. Add several meatballs and fry them in the pan, using a spatula to roll the meatballs for even cooking. Meatballs are done when the centers are no longer pink (165º).

   

The meatballs are delicious by themselves, but paired with this cool yogurt dressing, they are to die for! It’s completely fat-free, and high in protein as well.

Creamy Dill Dressing

• 2/3 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1/4  cup skim milk (more or less to desired thickness)
• 1/4 cup (1 pkg.) Spinach Dip seasoning mix
• 1/2 – 3/4 Tbsp. dill

Stir all ingredients together, and keep refrigerated. Serve as a dipping sauce, or drizzle over meatballs before serving.

This recipe also converts to a fantastic turkey burger. Form meat mixture into patties instead of balls, and insert 3-4 cloves before cooking. Use dressing as a condiment on the burger. Enjoy!

Fall Chili & Cornbread

Chili and cornbread go together like bosom buddies. One is always asking for the other, inviting it over for sleepovers, and giggling together under trees dressed in their autumn colors. So why try and separate what should be together? I know, I know, you’ve been burned before. Chili so hot you’ve had to pop Tums all night just to keep from breathing fire, or cornbread as thick and dry as a hay bale. If you’ve ever suffered from such moments of culinary disaster, let me give you some free dinner therapy. It starts with a quick and easy chili so warm and delicious, you’ll ask for another bowl. It’s low on heat, but if you’re into that kind of thing feel free to add more. Then you’ll top it off with wedges of cornbread that will make you talk with your mouth full. When it’s warm, a slip of butter melts in like a memory, and my kids come away with yellow freckled crumbstaches. Mmm hmm! It’s that good. So grab your beans and corn and let’s get started!

In-a-Hurry Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

• ½ small onion chopped
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 28oz can stewed tomatoes, chopped
• ½ c. ready made salsa
• 1 T chili powder

Alright, now get out your knife and Master-Chef your onion into a nice dice. Put it into a pan with your ground turkey and brown it. Meanwhile, drain and rinse your beans, and then chop your tomatoes. This is where you might decide to do things differently. I’m not big on huge chunks of tomato swimming around in my chili, so I plop the entire can into the blender and do a coarse chop before dumping it into the pan with the rest of the ingredients.

Add the salsa and chili powder, stir and let it come to a bubble. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Now on to the cornbread. I often make an 8x8 pan instead of 9x13 so there will be less for me to indulge on as the night goes on. I’ve included the half measurements in parentheses for your convenience:

Gimme More Cornbread

Adapted from Myra’s Corn Bread

• 2 c. (1 c.) flour
• 1 c. (½ c.) cornmeal
• 2 ½ t. (1 ¼ t.) baking powder
• 1 t. (½ t.) salt
• ¾ c. (6 T.) butter
• 3 (2) eggs
• 1 c. (½ c.) milk
• 1½ (¾ c.) sugar
• 1 t. (½ t.) vanilla

See that vanilla? It gives you the hint of the deliciousness you’re about to embark into. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Sift together your flour, cornmeal, powder, and salt, and set aside. Beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy (about five minutes).

Once your batter is fluffy, begin mixing in the dry ingredients and milk by fourths, alternating dry and wet (beginning and ending with flour) until smooth. Pour into a well greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

If possible, cool in pan ten minutes before cutting into fat squares and serving with butter, or better yet – honey butter.

Now dust off your upper lip and tell me that didn’t make you smile.

Taco Cupcakes

You know as well as I do that most children are picky eaters. My little ones are the exception to the rule! My kids routinely ask me for sushi, mushrooms, white clam linguine, and Greek Dolmas (grape leave wrapped seasoned rice. Looks disgusting but tastes amazing!)

But when I have other children visiting my home, I make this fun meal that everyone is sure to love.  It tickles them pink that they are allowed to eat "cupcakes" for dinner! The best part about this meal is that it’s complete. No side or veggie required, as it already has all the food pyramid requirements!

 

What you will need,

• 1lb meat of your choice. I prefer ground turkey
• 1 can of corn, drained
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 cans of beans, semi drained. I usually use kidney & chili beans.
• 1 packet of taco seasoning
• 1 bunch of cilantro. Rinsed and chopped head to toe.
• 1 box of corn bread
• 1 cup of shredded cheese
• Sour cream optional
• 1 sleeve of cupcake wrappers

Directions

Make the corn bread as directed on package. Set aside.

Brown your beef with the onion. Stir in water and taco seasoning as directed on packet. Toss in corn, beans, and cilantro. Mix well.

Fill each of your cupcake wrappers half full with the meat and bean mix, and pour corn bread mix on top until it is 3/4 full. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of each and bake for 20 minutes or until the mix is golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Dollop some sour cream on the top of each if the kids like, and it looks like a real cupcake!

Erin

Greek Turkey Meatball Pita

Greek meatballs or traditionally called Keftedes are typically made with lamb or beef.  This recipe from Skinnytaste.com is made with ground turkey and (shhh, don’t tell the kids) zucchini.  I took Gina’s meatball recipe and paired it with her Skinny Tzatziki sauce and put it in a pita for dinner the other night and it was divine!  Here’s Gina’s recipes with a few modifications from yours truly.

Greek Turkey Meatballs

• 1.25 lbs 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 cup zucchini, grated and liquid squeezed out
• 2 sliced whole wheat bread (I used the Natures Own Sandwich Thins)
• 1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 2-3 cloves garlic, grated
• 1/4 red onion, grated
• 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped (less if using dry)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh spearmint, chopped
• kosher salt and fresh pepper
• about 1 tsp worth of olive oil cooking spray (I use my Misto)

Tear bread into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Combine with turkey, egg, zucchini, breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, mint, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper.


Using a 1/4 cup measure, form each meatball 1/4 cup in size. For best results, refrigerate before cooking to help hold their shape. Spray olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan and cook over low heat or on the grill. Makes about 17 meatballs.

Skinny Tzatziki

• 8 oz fat free greek yogurt (I used Fage)
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and seeded (1 cup grated and drained)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
• kosher salt and fresh pepper

Strain the yogurt using a metal strainer or a coffee filter for a few hours to remove as much liquid as possible. Set aside.

Scoop seeds out of the cucumber with a small spoon. Place cucumber in a mini food processor or grate with a box cheese grater. Drain the liquid from the  cucumber in a metal strainer and sprinkle with a little salt (this helps release the liquid). You may want to use the back of a spoon to help squeeze out any excess liquid.
Combine strained cucumber, garlic, yogurt, salt, pepper, lemon juice, dill, chives and refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
Makes about 2 cups. Store in refrigerator for about a week.

In a whole wheat pita, put two meatballs, lettuce, tomato, red onion, tzatziki sauce, and fat free feta cheese.

Heather