Recipe: Tasty turkey meatballs

Ricky is known for his meatballs in our family, but sometimes I just want a simple (and healthier!) alternative.  I was browsing through Fitness magazine last month and I saw a recipe for Turkey Meatball Minestrone that I had to try.  It called for frozen turkey meatballs (which are horrible!) and I knew I should just make up a batch.

These are super easy and realllly tasty.  I promise, I'll share the soup recipe too.  It is absolutely perfect for the cold upcoming months.

Here's what you need:

• 2 packages of turkey meat: 1 plain and 1 spicy Italian sausage links(or sweet)
• 1 cup chopped green peppers, 1 medium onion (I throw in a chopper and then drain in a strainer)
• Italian seasoning, salt & pepper
• About 1 cup of bread crumbs (Italian are best), I usually start with 1/2 cup and add more as needed
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, or any Italian you like 
• 2 cloves of garlic

These are super easy, you will be amazed!

1. Preheat your oven to 375
2. Chop onions and green peppers by knife or in chopper.  I like to put them in a strainer and try to get out any extra juices.
3. In a large bowl, remove sausages from casing and combine turkey.  Mix together with your hands (take off those rings!) and add green pepper/onion mixture.  Add seasoning to taste (I like a ton, so I use about a tbl of Italian seasoning)
4. Keep mixing and add eggs, cheese and breadcrumbs.  Don't be afraid to get messy!  Once it looks almost like a meatloaf consistency, you know they are done.  **Ricky likes to make up a little meatball in a skillet to taste the seasonings before he cooks them all up...he's so clever! 
5. Take a cookie cooling rack and place it on top of baking sheet.   You may need 2-3 if you have enough, otherwise you can just rotate once one batch is done. 
6. Roll up the meatballs in about a quarter sized ball.  If you are planning on trying them in a soup, make them smaller
7. Bake about 12-15 minutes.  Just watch until they are golden brown.  

Here's what they look like on the rack, pre-cooked

Enjoy!  They are great with pasta recipes, in subs and soup.  I freeze this batch into about 3 bags for different meals.