LIGHT-AS-AIR MEATBALLS in CREAMY TOMATO SAUCE

A few weeks ago I made these light, tasty meatballs and the creamy tomato sauce for some girlfriends of mine. One friend was down with a thrown back, another requested some of my cooking as payment for a haircut for my daughter. They (and their families) loved this dish! I made it all again tonight and thought of Sonya's invitation to contribute to her blog. So here's my first contribution to Sizzlin Sonya!

I found a similar recipe on the 99 Cent Chef website and modified it.

LIGHT-AS-AIR MEATBALLS

1 lb ground turkey
1 lb ground pork (pork sausage)
1 6 oz. package spinach (chop it coarsely, or tear it a bit)
1 egg
1/2 bell pepper (optional) chopped
1 onion chopped
1 stalk celery (optional) chopped
2 tbsp. crushed garlic
2-3 slices toasted bread
2 tbsp. Italian herbs, fresh or dried, including basil, oregano and parsley

Saute the pepper, onion, and celery in frying pan till just tender. Add spinach till wilted.

Meanwhile, mix both ground meats with egg, garlic, spices, and crumbled toasted bread (tonight I had to use bread crumbs and a corn bread muffin - cooking is an ART. Don't be afraid to color outside the lines!). Add the sauteed veggies to the meat mix. Combine. Form into meatballs - any size you wish. Cook on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes (or till cooked through). These meatballs are so delicate and fluffy that cooking them in a fry pan seems too rough to me. They'd likely break apart. When they're done put them in a bowl and keep the drippings on the pan.

CREAMY TOMATO SAUCE

1/2 cup cooking wine (any kind - white or red or burgundy...or maybe some balsamic vinegar if you refuse to cook with wine)
2 tsps Worcester Sauce
Meatball drippings
1 can diced tomatoes
1 or 2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream or half & half
1 small can tomato paste
(may add whole or 2% milk if needed to thin sauce)
Fresh or dried Italian spices, especially basil, also Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano)

In the frying pan used for the sauteed vegetables add the cooking wine and the Worcester sauce and boil for a minute or two. Add all the meatball drippings from the cookie sheet. Add canned and fresh tomatoes, cream, tomato paste, spices, and milk (if needed - I used about 3/4 of a cup tonight, maybe more).

Heat through and serve over meatballs.

We served this with angel hair pasta, a fresh green romaine and spinach salad, and garlic bread. It's also great over rice or other pastas.