Meatballs in Tomato Cream Sauce

These are a fairly recent discovery for me and we loved them so much I made them twice within two weeks (I know that probably doesn't sound that amazing, but I get bored easily and always like to be making new things--I rarely return to the same recipe within a few months of having made it, so twice in such a short time is a true sign of love).  My husband loves any Italian-type dish with red sauce and I love when Italian dishes are more than just boring old red sauce, so this one makes us both happy!  The light creaminess of the sauce makes it feel a little richer without being too heavy and you don't even have to feel too guilty about the meatballs since they are turkey (but don't worry, they still taste fantastic).  Also, this oven-safe skillet is a relatively recent addition to my kitchen and I am LOVING it.  It is so super convenient for recipes like this.  If you don't have one, you should definitely consider getting one.  In the meantime, you can cook the sauce up in any old skillet and then transfer everything to a baking dish when it needs to go in the oven. 

Meatballs in Tomato Cream Sauce

Number of Servings: 4-5
Time to Prepare: 50 minutes

Sauce

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes
• 1/3 cup cream or half-and-half

Meatballs

• 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• 1 pound ground turkey

Topping

• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 Tbsp fresh basil, julienned

In a large, oven-safe skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the diced onion and cook for about 3-5 minutes, until softened and starting to get slightly golden.  Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for another 30 seconds.  Stir in the tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and diced tomatoes.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  Bring to a light boil, then reduce heat and simmer while you make the meatballs.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat lightly with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine all the meatballs ingredients until well combined.  Roll into meatballs about the size of golf balls--I use my medium cookie scoop and get about 24 meatballs.  Place on the prepared baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes (they don't have to be cooked all the way through yet).

Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the cream or half-and-half.  Add the meatballs to the pan and stir gently to coat.  Sprinkle the cheeses over the top and put in the oven.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through (165 degrees) and the cheese is bubbling.

Remove from oven and garnish with fresh basil.  Serve over pasta (or however else you like your meatballs).

Source: adapted from Everyday Reading
Produce Used: Onion, garlic, basil