Turkey Meatball Stroganoff

I wanted to do something hearty and simple last night, so went with meatball stroganoff. I had a pound of ground turkey defrosted that needed used up. I love beef stroganoff, but this recipe helps cut back on the fat. I substitute non-fat Greek yogurt for the sour cream. I used a can of Progresso Recipe Starters Creamy Portobello Mushroom instead of mushroom soup, because I had it. I think it produced a rich, creamy sauce. I also used Amish Country Kitchen Homestyle Noodles. These are a thicker, more robust noodle than most commercial egg noodles, and held up to the sauce quite well.

I made a green salad of mixed leaf lettuce, zucchini, yellow cherry tomatoes, and cherry peppers. I had a bit of pepper roulette with that salad. I tasted one, and it was sweet and not at all hot. I cut up a second one, and did not try it. I was a bit surprised by a bit of heat when I had the salad, although not unpleasantly.

Turkey Meatball Stroganoff

For meatballs:
1 lb. ground turkey
1 small white onion, diced
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
2/3 cup fine bread crumbs

For the sauce:
1 package sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can Progresso Recipe Starters Creamy Portobello Mushroom
3/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup red wine
1 tsp. paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Make meatballs by mixing together meatball ingredients, and forming into approximately one inch diameter balls. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add two tablespoons canola oil. Brown meatballs, then remove from pan. Turn heat down to medium. De-glaze pan with red wine. Add mushroom sauce, yogurt, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add mushrooms, return meatballs to pan. Cook until mushrooms are tender, and sauce has thickened. Serve over egg noodles.

Happy Eating!

 

Pork and Apple Meatballs with Goat Cheese Chili Rellenos

 

For tonight's dinner, I wanted to use some of the beautiful sweet chilies from my CSA. I've never made chili rellenos, but they are one of my favorite foods, so I thought I'd give them a try. I used these instructions  from about.com as my basis.  I'm pretty happy with the results. I'm not sure what varieties I used, as Suzie's didn't let me know what we had. I used two medium size chilies, and two slightly smaller chilies, which are the ones pictured. I roasted the chilies on the grill, until the chilies were soft, and the skins blackened. Once cool, I removed the skins, then made a small slit in each chili, and removed the seeds and membranes with a small spoon. The filling is a mix of cream cheese with a little goat cheese, and a little cumin.  I whipped the cheese smooth, then piped it into the slits in the chilies. The batter is egg whites beaten to stiff peaks, with the yolks whisked lightly with a little salt, and folded into the whites. I deep fried the chilies in 375 degree canola oil, until golden brown.

For the protein, I had some lean ground pork, so made meatballs with granny smith apple, and an apple cider reduction sauce using some Ace Joker hard cider. This is a medium dry cider with a distinctly champagne-like taste and texture. I added a little rosemary and cinnamon to the meatballs, and the cider reduction had some honey, cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of cloves. I browned the meatballs in a pan, then finished them in a 300 degree oven. I reduced the cider by about two thirds. It worked great as a dipping sauce.

For the starch I made rice with black cumin seeds. I placed two cups of white long grain rice, 4 cups water, a tablespoon of black cumin seeds, and a teaspoon of kosher salt in my rice cooker, and cooked it. It went very well with both the meatballs and the reduction sauce.

Recipes

Pork and Apple Meatballs

1.2 lbs lean ground pork
2 shallots, minced
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1/2 granny smith apple, diced
2 medium eggs
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
a pinch nutmeg
2 Tbsp. canola oil

In a large bowl, mix everything except oil together. Form meat mixture into golf ball sized balls. Add oil to a medium hot pan, and fry meatballs until golder brown. Transfer pan to a 300 degree oven, and bake until cooked through.

Apple Cider Reduction  Sauce

24 oz. (two bottles) Ace Joker Hard Cider
4 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
 a pinch ground clove

Place all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until volume is reduced by about 2/3.

Goat Cheese Chili Rellenos

4 medium sweet chilies
8 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. goat cheese
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. plus 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
four eggs, separated

Roast chilies on a gas grill or over a gas burner, until chilies are soft, and skins blackened all around. Cool, then peel off skins. Make a small slit in each chili, and use a small spoon to remove seeds and inner membranes.

In the bowl of a mixer, add cheeses, cumin, and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt. beat until smooth, then transfer to a piping bag. pipe cheese mixture into the slit in each chili. Do not over fill.

In a chilled bowl, beat egg whites to medium peaks. Whisk egg yolks with 1/4 tsp. salt. Fold yolks gently into egg whites.

Lightly coat chilies with flour. Dip chilies into egg batter, coating liberally. Fry in 375 degree oil until golden brown on both sides.

Happy eating!