I made good on my promise for today and cooked a new recipe for dinner. Aren’t you glad I’m FINALLY back on the whole blogging what I cook thing? I know you were all sitting up nights wondering when I’d stop blogging about my darn honeymoon and get to recipes…
Of course there’s a back story to dinner tonight. See, yesterday, I took a package of ground turkey breast out of the freezer and had every intent of cooking. Then I made the mistake of taking a nap and I lost any motivation to cook, so Adam put the turkey in the fridge and I had to use it today.
I searched for a ground turkey recipe that went a bit farther away from the “normal” ground turkey recipes of meatloaf, chili, and pasta sauce. I came across a recipe for Turkey Florentine Meatballs with an Italian Cheese sauce. They sounded fantastic. Then I looked at where the recipe came from…
I’ve said it before.
I’ll say it again.
I can’t STAND Rachael Ray.
BUT, the woman does have amazing recipes! I took her recipe for Turkey Florentine Meatballs and tweaked it a bit to be a little healthier. I used white meat turkey, fat free milk, and only 2/3 of the cheese. I made a side of whole wheat gnocchi to go with it and I’m thrilled with the result.
Do you know why Florentine dishes are called “Florentine”?
According to www.mrbreakfast.com, “Florentine refers to foods that are cooked in the style of Florence… specifically egg, meat and fish dishes that contain spinach and, most often, a creamy Mornay-style sauce.” Thanks Mr. Breakfast! Without further adeiu…
Ingredients
1 box frozen spinach, defrosted in the microwave
1 1/3 pound (1 package) ground turkey breast
1 medium onion, finely chopped, divided
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups milk, divided
3/4 cup bread crumbs, 3 handfuls
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, 2 palm fulls
Coarse salt and black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 (10-ounce) sack shredded provolone or blend of Italian cheeses, available on dairy
aisle
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, eyeball it
1/4 cup parsley leaves, chopped
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Wring defrosted spinach dry in a clean kitchen towel. Place turkey in a bowl and make a well in the middle of it. Add the spinach, all but 3 tablespoons of the onion, all of the garlic, 1 large egg, about 1/4 cup milk, bread crumbs, grated Parmesan, salt and pepper. Mix well. Form into 12 large balls and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange on a nonstick cookie sheet and roast 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
While balls are in the oven, heat a small sauce pot over medium heat. Add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. Melt butter, add remaining finely chopped onion and cook 2 minutes then whisk in flour. Cook flour 1 minute, then whisk in 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 cup stock. Bring liquid up to a boil then stir in shredded provolone or blended Italian cheeses. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, turn heat to lowest setting.
Place 3 balls on dinner plates and top with sauce, garnish with parsley.
Seriously. Try this. You’ll love it!
Now, about a week ago, the lovely Christina awarded me with this Beautiful Blogger award:
The rules are that I have to name 7 things you might not know about me and then pass this on to 7 other bloggers. Someone else passed this to me as well, and for the life of me, I can’t remember who… so if it was you, please tell me!!!
Here goes:
1. I have no idea what color my hair naturally is. I’ve been dying it in some way since I was 12 years old!
2. I haven’t been to the dentist in a really long time. Like, way too many years. I know its bad, and I’m going soon.
3. I’ve only ever been out of the country twice: once to Spain when I was 18 and once well, to Jamaica a couple weeks ago.
4. I still try to watch 90210 reruns on the Soap Network as often as I can.
5. I’ve never cooked any red meat with bones in it. No ribs, roasts, anything. They kind of scare me.
6. Cooking scallops freaks me out too. They’re so expensive and SO easy to mess up!
7. I quit smoking over a year ago. Yes, I smoked. I found myself hating myself for still doing it after my grandma died and it took me that long to really truly quit… And I quit cold turkey last New Year’s Day. I gained 15 lbs in the process, but I can breathe now!
And 7 bloggers I pass this to:
Thanks for the award Christina!
There’s a new House on tonight, and I have a chocolate wafer calling my name… have a great night all! EVEN MORE COOKING tomorrow!
Thank you!! I actually already did this one but I still appreciate the award! I find Rachael Ray irritating as well. I’m the same way with 90210. And… YES, HOUSE!!!!
Dori´s last blog ..Dori’s Shiny CHARITY AUCTION – Call for Donations
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Aw, thank you!!!
Rose´s last blog ..Lovely Someone
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I feel the same way about Rachel Ray!
She does have some good recipes though
Estela @ weekly bite´s last blog ..12 Weeks, No Diets – Week 2
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I also find Rachel annoying! Her voice especially.
However I cannot pass up anything that has florentine in the title! Looks awesome.
campinggirl´s last blog ..Catch Of The Day!
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Thank you so much girl!!!
That dinner looks really yummy!!!
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is´s last blog ..I Started.
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Looks super yummy!
amanda´s last blog ..New Year, New beginning
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I agree..RR can be a tad annoying, but I do like her cooking! The meatballs look yummy!
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Woohoo – thank-you girly!!!!!
BTW – I think the only thing more annoying than the horrible resto RR recommended was hearing her on the Late Night Shows talking about how she got food poisoning from restaurants she could recommend on her traveling show ($65 a day or something like that).
Urge. To. Kill . . . well you know! lol
Once I even overheard a couple at a Costco in Idaho (random, I know) talking about how they didn’t like RR. And I shared my story. I’m hardcore like that.
lol
TorontoGirloutWest´s last blog ..Ch Ch Ch Changes! And Some Street-Eats Too!
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I’ve actually made those before…when I ate meat (obvi), but they were GREAT! I guess even a blind squirrel gets a nut sometimes.
Mama Pea´s last blog ..Fresh From The Farm
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MMm… might I suggest naming the dish “Turds and Curds”?
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Mara @ What's For Dinner? Reply:
January 12th, 2010 at 8:34 am
Might *I* suggest you not be rude in the comments section of someone’s blog?
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FayeD Reply:
January 12th, 2010 at 10:23 am
Guess you are oblivious to what gnocchi are. Too bad. Because the gnocchi and meatballs in the cheese sauce look really good.
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totally DID NOT take you for a smoker wow just blew my doors off. Congrats!
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You’re welcome!
Scallops freak me out and I haven’t been to the dentist in years either! 
Christina´s last blog ..Beef Fried Rice
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I never was nor have I ever been a fan of Rachel Ray.
Her recipes may be good but that doesn’t mean SHE’S good : )
Thanks for sharing! : )
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Her recipes are incredible, especially if you like comfort foods! Your meatballs + gnocchi look amazing. YUM!
Jenn
Jenn (j3nn.net)´s last blog ..Baked, Boiled, Bitten
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I am totally on the band wagon with NOT liking Rachel Ray. She bugs the crap out of me…especially how she calls everyone a “kid”…ugh…don’t get me started! But with that aside this looks great and your substitutions to make it healthier…even better!!
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Loved your dinner recipe!
Really mouth-watering…
Haha!
I love reading your blog. Congrats
Kisses from a brazilian reader,
G.
http://www.froyolover.blogspot.com
Gabriela´s last blog ..Therapy Disaster
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Ok now this is my kind of meal! Those meatballs look fab I tell you. Bet I could serve this and my DH, aka the carnivore, wouldn’t even know it was turkey!
redkathy´s last blog ..Creamy Tomato-Basil Pasta and Free Cream Cheese
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