Penne with Mini Meatballs
Mini meatballs make the world go ’round.
ingredients:
1 pound penne pasta (or any other small sized pasta)
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon whole milk
1 Tablespoon ketchup
3/4 Parmesan cheese
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 pound ground turkey (or use pork if you are like my kid)
1/4 olive oil* (if frying, see below)
1 cup chicken broth
3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
8 ounces bocconcini (tiny mozzarella balls, halved)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender, according to timing on package. Drain the pasta saving 1/2 cup of pasta water (very important). Set aside.
I am big on prepping ahead. So now’s when I’d wash and cut the tomatoes in half and set them aside in a bowl. Same with the bocconicini, cut them in half, set them aside as well. Then you can just throw it all together later. Trust me.
In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, eggs, milk, ketchup, parmesancheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the ground turkey until well combined. Make tiny 3/4 mini meatballs. You can do this by hand, I prefer to use a mini ice cream scoop.
Now, you can cook these meatballs on the stove OR in the oven. (*IF you want to do it in the oven, put the meatballs on a lined baking sheet and cook in a 350 degree oven for 30mins) If you don’t, and want to slave over a stove top (always fun) then heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the meatballs – you’ll probably have to do three batches, see what I mean about standing around? – don’t be tempted to move the meatballs until they are brown on the bottom, around 2-3 mins. Turn them and brown the tops, 2-3 mins more. Add the chicken broth and tomatoes and bring it to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer until the tomatoes are soft and the meatballs are cooked through, about 5-10 mins.
Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl, add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, toss to coat. Add some of the reserved pasta water you saved to make a sauce. Add the meatballs, cherry tomatoes, bocconcini and stir with the rest of the Parmesan. I also like to sprinkle some cracked pepper on top.
This is a GREAT dish. The combination of flavors and textures works really really well. I was thinking of making it at Christmas just because of the lovely green and red colors.
Lettuce Wraps
When I was 15 I worked in an architecture firm. One of the older architects took me under his wing and skooled me. I think he was bored with his job and was happy to not work and just talk to me all day. So one day he gave me this recipe and said, ‘When you are older and have children you should make them this recipe every week. It is easy and tasty and good for you.’ In some weird way it stuck with me and I carried that recipe with me all through college up and up til today. He was right. It is easy. And tasty.
ingredients:
16 large lettuce leaves
1 pound ground turkey
1 Tablespoon light soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 cup carrots, grated
2 stalks green onions, chopped
1 cup mushrooms. sliced
sauce ingredients:
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
Wash and dry the lettuce leaves and set aside.
In a skillet over medium-high heat brown the ground turkey and add the 1 tablespoon soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Add the carrots, green onions and mushrooms until the turkey is cooked through and no longer pink.
In a small bowl make the sauce by combining the soy sauce, water, lemon juice, garlic, ginger and sugar.
To serve, spoon the meat mixture into the lettuce leaves and add a spoonful of the sauce.
