Cheese-Stuffed Turkey Meatballs and Weird Creamy Sauce with Spaghetti

So I know I SAID "no more substitutions"...

But I could not make this week's recipe without substituting. I was short on time tonight and didn't have time to come up with a plan B after I got to the store and realized Safeway did not have all the elements I needed. The recipe calls for ground chicken but I could only find ground turkey, and it also calls for "small boccacinni"--which is spelled wrong--and all I could find were mozzarella balls. They worked perfectly, in my opinion.

Also, at the moment, I cannot upload my pics for some reason. When I inserted the SD card, all the sudden my laptop said, "You must configure" something... Boo. It's probably better, though, because the sauce ended up looking...already consumed. And since I can't find where I got this recipe from in the first place, I can't even copy the photo that I have on my page to show you what it's SUPPOSED to look like. Author's note: I finally was able to upload a photo. It's at the foot of the article. Look ONLY if you must.

Excuses aside, this dish was fun. The house smells amazing. I was a little worried that my soft mozzarella-stuffed meatballs were going to de-ball when I was trying to brown them, but instead they just got a little warped, so it all worked out. I'd say the execution was fairly simple, although I SHOULD have made the sauce first. *makes note on recipe*

As far as the taste goes, it was fine if you like bold Italian flavor. It's got cayenne, which gave it a nice kick and the Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs made a subtle difference in the meat. The taste could have been improved in 2 ways: by using a half teaspoon less of oregano and by not adding the herb and garlic cream cheese to the sauce. I'd much rather have had just a tomato sauce. (Note: I did test a meatball and spaghetti with some jarred marinara, and I didn't like it. Too many things going on. If you don't want to make your own sauce, then just get stewed or diced tomatoes and add some salt and pepper.)

DOH! I just realized I forgot salt and pepper in my sauce! Oh well...guess I didn't need it. Anyway, I'll keep trying to upload my photos and will post an update if I get one.

At the end of the day, I'd say give this one a shot! It's simple, and there's something satisfying about stuffing and serving your own handmade meatballs. :^}

P.S. I imagine this concept would work just fine with your own favorite meatball recipe, too. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!

Polenta Lasagna

Here is another gluten free recipe, and it's also vegetarian. Could be vegan, if you don't add cheese. Which brings me to my first comment about taste--but wait, lemme 'splain the dish first.

This is more of an assembly dish than anything else. The instructions say the difficulty level is intermediate, but I beg to differ. Polenta Lasagna has been my most successful dish thus far, which means it MUST be for the beginner. The only part that made me feel like I was "cooking" rather than just putting together this dish making was the polenta. The recipe calls for 25 minutes of stirring as it thickens and by golly I had my wooden spoon in motion for 25 minutes.

The directions also say you should chill the polenta for an hour, "but longer is better". It's a good thing, too, because I was unable to finish the dish last night, and it kept very well for 24 hours (covered). The filling between the polenta "noodles" is just mushrooms, zucchini and yellow squash sauteed then simmered in store-bought marinara. Spinach is stirred in right before serving.

As far as the taste goes, it was good. Mild flavors, depending on the marinara you use. To me it got just a little bland, but it was nothing that a little more cheese wouldn't fix. Or some chili flakes. The texture might seem too mushy to some, but the majority of people in this house like cooked veggies to be pretty soft.

I give this recipe 2 thumbs up for sure. I will definitely make it again, but I'll add a protein and use less yellow squash.


You can find the entire recipe here, in the Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen.

And the winner is...

DAVE AKINA!

Thanks for playing, Everyone! I appreciate your suggestions SO much, and I'm definitely going to incorporate them into my kitchen and blogging experiences. 

This is not going to be my only contest, so make sure you keep following. Also, keep the suggestions coming! I need 'em. :^}

P.S. To ensure the results were not rigged in any way, I had a witness.