Penne with Mini Turkey Meatballs

I really did not plan it, but I am giving you another pasta dish. Most of the time what I cook is what I find on sale. The last time I was at the store, ground turkey was on clearance. One of those buy today and use or freeze by tomorrow. I always take advantage of those sales because they normally save me 40 percent.

This is one of my husband's absolute favorites. I can sometimes even get him to roll the meatballs. My four year old loves this as well.

Penne with Mini Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 pound Penne - I use the new mini penne
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley
2 large eggs
1 tbl milk
1 tbl ketchup
3/4 cup grated Parm/Romano cheese
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1 pound ground turkey Italian Style or plain
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
4 cups grape tomatoes, halved
Parmesan
Grated Mozzarella
Basil

Directions:

• Boil your noodles but keep them firm as they will continue to cook after they are drained.
• In a medium bowl, combine bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, milk, ketchup, Parm/Romano cheese, and salt and pepper. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine.
• Roll the turkey mixture into 1 inch balls. I usually use a teaspoon measure. You can use a tablespoon if you want them a little larger.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the meatballs about two to three minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcook them. You want them to be a light golden brown color.
• Add the chicken stock and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tomatoes are soft and meatballs are cooked through. Approximately 5 minutes.
• Drain the pasta and reserve some of the water.
• Place your pasta in a bowl and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Toss and add a little pasta water if pasta is sticking.
• Add the meatball mixture and gently toss
• Sprinkle with mozzarella and basil when serving.
• Serve with a side salad and Enjoy!

**The picture is of my 4 year old son with a meatball in his cheek and trying to smile.**

First Up: Garlic Chicken Prosciutto Pasta!

I started this blog in order to share recipes with my friends and, possibly, total strangers. I love to cook, and since in real life things don't always turn out as planned, I promise to post the flops too. I don't consider myself to be a great chef. I don't even know all the proper techniques. When I cook, I usually dirty every pot in the house. But it is all about having fun and good food. If only I can figure out how to get someone to clean up after me.

This recipe I thought would be the perfect start to a blog. When I first got married, I knew how to cook the regular stuff: spaghetti, roast, tacos, etc. So I started searching for new and different things to try. This was the first recipe that my husband and I really enjoyed. I hope you enjoy it to.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup minced garlic
5 tomatoes chopped
3 oz prosciutto chopped
3 chicken breasts cubed
2 tbl. butter
1/3 cup basil
8 oz bag Linguine
1/3 cup Parmesan Romano grated cheese
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Cook Noodles. Don't overcook them as you will add them in the skillet at the end. Heat oil in large skillet. Salt and pepper your chicken to taste and then saute chicken and garlic until chicken is cooked through. Add tomatoes, prosciutto, and butter and saute 5 to 10 minutes. The tomatoes will cook down and form a sauce. Add basil and cook another 5 minutes. Add drained Linguine and toss. Add cheese and toss.

Enjoy.