Mini-Muffin Meatballs

Alright...so I said I would share with you a recipe.  So this is a recipe and cooking tip all in one!  Two, two, two for the price of one!!!

Today, I will share with you my meatball recipe...I can't get enough of these!  They are great with spaghetti, but also good as appetizers or as a main protein of your meal.

Mini-Muffin Meatballs

1 lb ground turkey
1 c bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 medium yellow onion
4oz. cheddar or colby jack cheese, shredded
2 TB ketchup
1 TB Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp Old Bay
salt and pepper to taste (obviously you can't taste it before you cook it, but you know what you like.  I would start with 1/2 tsp. of each)

0. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Grate the onion over a large bowl, making sure to add in all the juices.  This is a secret I learned to including the onion flavor, but keeping the kids from knowing the onions are there. :)

2. Add in all the other ingredients and prepare to get your hands messy.  I have decided the best way is to use a glove, since I hate cleaning meat out from under my nails.  But to each his own.

3. Combine all ingredients with your hands (it really is the best way).

4. Spray a mini-muffin pan with cooking spray.

5. Separate meat into muffin-sized bits and place in the muffin pan (see photo).  I don't take time to roll them.  I just take a chunk of the meat mixture and throw it in the pan.  I let the pan do the work. :)  Some say its innovation.  I say its because I'm lazy.

6. Place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes (or until internal temp is 180 degrees).

7. Enjoy!!

Let me know what you think!

Episode 2, Attack of the Thankfulness

Today...today I am thankful for Excedrine Migraine.  Seriously.  It's been a headache day and I am sincerely thankful to the God of the heavens who laid the inspiration and knowledge on people who are smarter than I am to create medicines to ease our earthly suffering, even for just a bit.

In all seriousness, I know many who suffer with pain greater than mine, or with an illness worse than mine, or with a debilitating disease that is more than I can imagine.  And I am thankful, and I hope they are too, for the medicines and treatments that God has allowed people to dream up and create in order for us to feel just a little better.

I am also immensely grateful for the fact that I know that "this too, shall pass."

Tomorrow, I have my first outing as Director of Fundraising for Carpe Artista, and I am a little overwhelmed by the prospect.  But I am very happy to be a part of this wonderful organization.  I shall post tomorrow about my thankfulness, and a favorite recipe.  So hold on to your shorts!

Thankful, part 1

Well, it's November again, and its the time we begin to think about being thankful.  It shouldn't be that way.  Why is it that we can't be thankful the other 11 months of the year.  There is a stunning lack of thankfulness in this country.  Not only do we not express thankfulness, we complain about tiny little things.  If I hear what a bad economy we're in again, without some sort of expression of thankfulness for what we do have...the fact that we are still some of the richest people in the world, I think I am going to scream.

So, I have decided that not only will I post AT LEAST one thing I am thankful for each day this month.  Every Thursday all year long will be Thankful Thursday.  This should be fun.  We all need to learn to be much more thankful for what we have.

Today, I am thankful for having the ability to write a blog.  We so often take for granted the freedom we have to sit down at a computer and type out our feelings or thoughts or ideas without fear of governmental interference or consequence.  I know there are many who would love to go down the conspiracy theory road, but trust me, we could have it so much worse.  It is an amazing freedom that we have...even if we don't agree with what everyone posts or thinks, we have the freedom to discuss and debate and disagree all we want.

Not only do we have the freedom to post these amazing thoughts, think about how far we've come in the past 20 years.  Everyone and their dog (almost literally) has a blog.  Anyone can post.  All they need is access to a computer and internet...and that, you can have for free at your local library.  How amazing is that?

And back to the basics...what about the ability that God gave us to express ourselves.  How awesome!  How wonderful!  The greatness of our God is that he created us to be creative.  With amazing minds and imaginations and creative ideas.  We all creative on some level.

Thank you, Lord for the ability to do this, for placing me in a country where I can, and for giving me the physical tools that I need.