Turkey-Gouda Meatballs

 Meatball. Or meat-a-ball. It doesn't always sound like the most appealing of dishes to me...a ball of meat? Really? BUT...what if you take a ball of meat, add an incredible blend of savory spices and some mouth-watering cheese? Well, I did, and that changed my mind about meatballs. 

I'm always looking for ingredients that use ground turkey and this is by far the best use of ground turkey that I have ever tasted. The original recipe called for ground beef, but since I prefer the health benefits of turkey over beef I used turkey and, my oh my, in the words of Joey Lawrence from Blossom, "Whoa!". These meatballs are just scrumptious. You can serve them as an appetizer on toothpicks or as a main dish with basmati rice and BBQ sauce. You will be happy.

*Adapted from allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (may substitute with dry)

1 Tablespoon dried basil (or oregano)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

1 1/2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup crumbled gouda cheese (may substitute with pepperjack or mozzarella)

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (may substitute with ground beef)

1/2 large onion, sliced into thin rings (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine first 11 ingredients. Mix well with your hands, making sure the cheese is evenly distributed. 

Roll the mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls and place in a lightly greased skillet. Place the rings of onion over the meatballs. Cover the pan and set the heat to medium-low. Turn the meatballs over after about 3 minutes and increase the heat to medium. Continue to cook the meatballs, turning every 8-10 minutes until cooked through (about 25-30 minutes total). 

Serve with basmati rice and BBQ sauce and prepare to die. These are good.  

ALTERNATE COOKING METHOD:

Cook these on a greased skillet in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes.