Sunday, October 20, 2013

Turkey Dinner Meatballs with Cranberry-Mayo

I found out about this from Melissa's blog (Clothes).  It was number 11 on her l-10 list of Thanksgiving dishes. 
I doubt I will use the bacon in it. 
From:http://hautelife.ca/2012/11/turkey-dinner-meatballs-with-cranberry-mayo/

Technically this recipe should be called “Turkey Dinner Bites,” but that sounds like some horrid Franken-Food made by ConAgra and/or a dog treat.  These meatballs are super easy to make and contain all the flavours that you love in a holiday feast.  The pumpkin puree adds moisture to often dry turkey and the combo of the sweet cranberries and salty bacon is perfection.  Ideal for dinner or as an appetizer.  The cranberry mayo is optional, but in my opinion, homemade mayo is never optional.
Ingredients
Meatballs (makes ~32 balls)
- 2lbs ground turkey
- ½ onion – finely diced
- 5-6 strips of bacon (~1/2 pound) – get pastured pork that doesn’t contain any sugar/chemicals/poison
- ¼ C dried cranberries – chopped – get the kind without sugar!  Mine were sweetened with some apple juice
- 1/3 C pumpkin puree
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 egg yolks
Cranberry-Mayo (best if made in advance so it is chilled upon serving)
- ½ Cup of homemade mayo – use this recipe (NOTE: Heed her advice…it takes me at least 4 hours to get my egg and lemon juice to room temp and then I take ~7 minutes to pour the olive oil into the food processor…listen to the full length version of November Rain to pass the time)
- ½ orange – very sweet – peeled and cut into 1/2″ chunks
- juice of ½ an orange
- ¾ Cup fresh cranberries
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
Cranberry-Mayo (best prepared a few hours or 1 day ahead):Prep – 5 minutes
Cook – 10 minute
Chill – A few hours
1. In a small pot, heat the oranges and orange juice for about 2-3 minutes, mixing often.
2. Add the cranberries and spices.
3. Cook at medium-high heat, stirring frequently until cranberries have popped, then softened.
4.  Either take a hand masher and mash it together to combine thoroughly or put it in a food processor and pulse it a couple of times.  This will help to eliminate the chunky consistency.
5. Chill and then combine with the mayo.  You want to have about 1 part cranberry sauce, 2 parts mayo.  Adjust to your taste.
Meatballs:Prep – 20 minutes
Cook – 25 min
1.  Pre-heat oven to 400.
2.  Cut the bacon into small pieces – cut it in half lengthwise and then into ½ inch chunks
3.  In a large skillet,  heat to a med-high heat and add bacon.  Cook until bacon is crispy.  Remove bacon onto a paper towel lined plate.
4.  Pour out some of the bacon fat (save it for future use), leaving about 1 Tbsp in the pan.  Add the onions and sauté until cooked through.
5.  In a large bowl, combine the bacon, onions, turkey, cranberries, pumpikin puree, spices and egg yolks.  Mix together thoroughly with your hands.
6.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
7.  Make the meatballs – using a tablespoon, measure out 1 heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture and roll into a ball.  Repeat and place balls on the baking sheet about an inch apart.
8.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.
9.  Enjoy!

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