Dinner,  Turkey

Turkey Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Sauce

I spent two days visiting my daughter at college.  It is so amazing to see my little girl living on her own, so organized and responsible!  I am so proud of her!  I still can’t help wanting to take care of her and take over as she is so busy with her school, her sorority and jobs!  We did some shopping and some dining; she lives in a great area for both!  She has become quite the cook, creating up new dishes as her budget allows and turning her staple ingredients into healthy meals. 

I noticed her package of frozen ground turkey and thought I’d give her a quick dish to pull together.  I do buy ground turkey knowing that its healthier than ground beef, than I try to figure out what different ways I can prepare it so my son won’t get turned off by the same dish over and over.  These are quick to make turkey meatballs and an even quicker sauce, especially if you have these ingredients on hand.  I do believe, Gina, you will need to stock up on your pantry items for this, but it’s all quite inexpensive!  She’s a girl who likes her Asian dishes, so I do think she will like this one!

Turkey Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Sauce

For the Turkey Meatballs:
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes or chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped bell pepper (green, red or yellow) save remaining for the sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

For the Sauce:
1 can 20 ounces crushed pineapple
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water or chicken stock
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Remaining bell pepper, chopped or thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In medium bowl, combine turkey, bread crumbs, egg, onion, chopped pepper and hoisin sauce.  Mix well.  Shape into meatballs, about the size of a golf ball.  Spray a broiler pan or baking sheet with nonstick spray.  If using a broiler pan, pour in about 1 cup of water in bottom pan.  Arrange meatballs in an even layer on pan; bake for approximately 20 minutes or until meatballs are no longer pink in the center.

For the sauce:  Combine the crushed pineapple with juice and cornstarch in a medium to large skillet.  Begin to heat the mixture stirring well.  Add the bell pepper, water, vinegar and soy sauce.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and stir until sauce thickens.  Add in the meatballs and gently stir and allow to simmer an additional 5 minutes to marry the flavors. 

Serve over white rice or a saute of mixed veggies; such as those Asian mixed veggie bags in the produce section.

I love being in the kitchen. Early mornings, soft music, a hot espresso. Easing into the preparation of delicious meals. Glancing through cookbooks, gathering inspiration and planning my day. I look forward to the cycles of the seasons, the pleasures of tasting and savoring and sharing this with those dear to me. Weekends are special to me as my week days are often rushed, but still I create the ambiance, light the candles, set the table and uncork the wine.

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