Gosh, I love these meatballs. Made with ground turkey, which is a little lighter in calories, they are filled with flavor and bathed in a sweet-savory sauce. Over rice, the whole concoction is just awesome.

The first time I made these meatballs, Paige was a newborn who counted her age in weeks. She was tiny and sweet. A few weeks ago, we celebrated her second birthday. Now, she is a sweet and fierce little girl. Doesn’t time fly? It feels like yesterday that we were bringing her home from the hospital. Sigh.

Back to the meatballs. I came across this recipe recently while looking through my archives and realized that it’s been a long time since I made it. So long, in fact, that Paige has never had it. Knowing that Will, Shawn and I love it, I made it — and Paige loves it too.

I can’t tell you how fast Will and Paige cleaned their plates … and that’s a big thing. We don’t belong to the clean plate club here, instead insisting only that the kids eat until their bellies are full and they’ve tried a little of everything on them. So clean plates? That’s a good and significant sign.

Now, I know the ingredients list is long. But I swear, it comes together quickly and has a ton – a TON – of flavor. As for the special ingredients: rice vinegar and fresh ginger. Rice vinegar can be substituted with a mild vinegar, if it’s not something you normally use. As for the ginger, do buy fresh. It costs pennies for a small nob.

Earlier this year, I picked up a good tidbit about fresh ginger from Melissa D’Arabian of Food Network’s $10 Dinners. When you purchase fresh ginger, peel the whole thing right away. Then stick it in a resealable bag and freeze it. It will last a long time and be easier to grate.

Don’t you just love little tricks like that? I do!

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Doesn’t that look good? It makes my mouth water to think about it, let alone see it. This delicious, juicy chicken burger is ranking tops on my short list of craveworthy foods. Yum.

It all started earlier this year. Shawn picked up the cleverly named Hamburger Seasoning (really, they went out on a limb for that name, right?) from Williams-Sonoma. We tried it a few times here and there in hamburgers. They were really quite good. I started selecting higher fat meat, which makes for richer, juicier burgers.  Oh, it really was good.

But red meat, and specifically red meat with a higher fat content, isn’t really the healthiest option. So, we tried out ground turkey, but it was a little dry. Then we used it with ground chicken. Oh, the ground chicken. With a hint of Hamburger Seasonings and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, the chicken burger takes on a flavor reminiscent of a beef hamburger, but without the grease or fat. The taste is sharp, a little pepper-y and so perfectly moist. Read the rest of this entry…

Sometimes, I just don’t know where to start when I write about a recipe. Do I tell you how Paige ate so many of these meatballs that I wondered if she was hiding them in her shirt for later? Or do I tell you how Will was reluctant to eat them, but ended up cleaning his plate once he got a taste of these? Do I mention how these actually taste like the party meatballs I bought at Costco, which have a much higher fat and calorie content?

Or maybe I should just start with the reason I made these . . . A few weeks ago I did a survey on Sarah’s Cucina Bella. I was happy to hear the responses and suggestions and I listened. But it really hit home that I need to have more healthy food and, sadly, less bacon. So, I am working with fish and looking at ways to go vegetarian for dinner without resorting to pasta. All of that is coming.

What I won’t promise is to eliminate all the sweets and bad-for-you stuff. Life is about balance. You take the healthy with the not-so-healthy and you achieve a good balance of food. After all, the body needs both fat and nutrients to run like a well oiled machine.

With Christmas around the corner, there will, of course, be cookie recipes galore over the next few weeks. But they will be sandwiched between healthier content.

Regarding these meatballs: They are perfect for dinners, served with a delicious vegetable or two. Or they can be sandwiched in a roll for a meatball sub. Or, serve them as cocktail meatballs at your next party.

You won’t be disappointed.

More Turkey Meatball Recipes:

• Pesto Turkey Meatballs
• Hawaiian Turkey Meatballs
• Italian Turkey Meatballs

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Of course I knew it was a school day for Will the other day, but I felt like there was still plenty of time before the rush and routine of getting ready to go. I was sitting on the couch, Will on my lap, watching something forgettable when it struck me: It was nearing noon and he needed to eat lunch and be out the door. Paige was still napping peacefully. I just didn’t realize we were running late until we were.

So off to the kitchen I went. Read the rest of this entry…

I have a confession. Some days, I just don’t feel like cooking. I know, I know, it’s hard to believe. I love to cook, and love to write about cooking. I love feeding people good food and showing others that you needn’t have a degree from a high and mighty culinary school to make a delicious, delightful meal. But after a long day, it can be hard to gather the energy and desire to really cook a full dinner. Sometimes, I just don’t feel like chopping any vegetables or trimming any beef. Sometimes the idea of sifting together dry ingredients is akin to having a cavity filled.

Haven’t we all been there sometime?

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It was a blast today at The Martha Stewart Show. Did you check out my live blogging? It was a tiring endeavor, but worth every second. It’s interesting to go back and see my stream of thought too. (Did you know that Martha herself blogs? She does. Pretty cool.) If I could have had one more segment, it would have been one focusing on how to get the best photos. You can never get too much photo advice.

Now, onto the food.

Shawn’s birthday this year might just win a record for longest duration — 16 days. His birthday happened to fall on Labor Day, which would have been a cinch for celebration if the universe wasn’t conspiring against him. He works in retail and late night after late night kept pushing back our usual family get together — until this past Monday. And it was still another day before we had the (second) special meal I planned for him. See? The universe is up to no good.

Now, on his actual birthday, he requested teriyaki steak and mashed potatoes. I made it, he was happy, done. It might seem like a simple meal – it is – but it’s something he loves that I seldom make. I think that might relate back to the ‘simple’ thing…

For the family get together I decided to make another dish he loves. This recipe is a family favorite here. Good sharp cheddar rolled into a thin chicken breast. A salty strip of bacon rolled tightly around it and the sweet tang of honey barbecue sauce kissing the outside. Shawn calls this my ‘signature’ dish, so I’m officially calling it Chicken Ala Caron . . . shameless, I know.

I was all ready to make it: the chicken was out of the freezer first thing in the morning and defrosting. The bacon was unopened and ready to go. I even high-tailed it over to the grocery store for more cheddar. For a side dish, I consulted with other food lovers on Twitter to decide on rosemary roasted potatoes. Ready to go.

Unfortunately, the universe wasn’t having it. When I went to cook dinner that night, the chicken was still frozen solid. That has never happened to me before. Ever. I was in shock. The potatoes — already diced — went into a Ziploc with water and into the freeze. The chicken got its own Ziploc. No chicken for us. So, pizza it was. (I don’t like to use the microwave at all, let alone to defrost, so that wasn’t an option for me.)

That meant on Tuesday this had to hit the table. It did, and everyone inhaled it . . . I think we may have finally finished celebrating Shawn’s birthday. Until next year, that is.
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I did exactly what you are not supposed to do when planning to lose weight: I set a date to begin the dieting phase. I know, it’s silly and stupid to put it off. And in most cases, it is a set up for failure. After all, isn’t the whole point to renovate your eating habits so that it’s a life change, not just a temporary fix?

In my defense, I knew that I had a ton of baking to do for the holidays. And I also knew it would be even harder than usual to focus on eating better when I would be surrounded by unhealthy foods. So, I figured I would just kick off the New Year with a bang. Beginning on January 1, I will track what I eat on SparkPeople and cutting out all the bad stuff – fried foods (even if they were homemade), fast food, excessive amounts of sweets, etc. I’ve already started a little bit of exercise (just a very small ab workout so far) and will increase that to include a little cardio too. And with any luck, my husband will be joining me in these pursuits.

In the meantime though, I have been working on some new recipes with a healthier slant. This one, which is zesty but not spicy (don’t be fooled by the hot sauce — it’s just a bit for tang), was fantastic with the Fettuccine Alfredo pictured but let’s face it — that’s not the healthiest side dish. For a healthier slant, I would serve it on a salad bed or with a bit of rice and a vegetable like corn. Read the rest of this entry…