Cheesy Turkey Marinara Meatballs

Cheesy Turkey Marinara Meatballs are tender, flavorful cheese & turkey meatballs simmered in a rich marinara sauce and topped with more gooey, melted cheese. This comforting dish is perfect for pairing with pasta, crusty bread, or enjoying on its own as a hearty, crowd-pleasing meal!

Cheesy Turkey Marinara Meatballs

Cheesy Turkey Marinara Meatballs are such a great meatball recipe that I've made them twice this week!  Once with ground turkey which is what this recipe is, and again using ground beef.  You are going to just love these.  They are a delicious and nutritious choice for a meal that’s both comforting and satisfying. The combination of lean ground turkey and flavorful spices makes these meatballs very tasty will being tender and cheesy.  They taste really delicious! 

They are incredibly quick and easy to make, perfect for weeknights and weekends when you need a tasty meal without spending hours in the kitchen. With just a few simple ingredients, you can mix the turkey, cheese, and spices, then scoop the mixture into meatballs—no complicated steps required. Simply bake in the oven, giving you time to prep a side dish or relax. You'll have a hearty meal ready in under an hour. 

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

Meat & Dairy:

• 2 lbs ground turkey - 7% or 15% fat for juicy meatballs
• grated Parmesan
• egg
• mozzarella cheese - for shredding

Herbs & Spices:

• onion powder
• fresh garlic
• Italian seasoning
• black pepper
• cayenne pepper
• crushed red pepper flakes
• fresh basil or parsley (for topping)

Sauces & Condiments:

• 1 24 oz. jar Marinara sauce

Substitutions and Variations

Substitutions

• Turkey: Substitute with ground chicken, lean ground beef, or a mix of beef and pork for a different protein base.

• Cheese:  Use cheddar, provolone, gouda, or Monterey Jack instead of mozzarella or Parmesan for a unique flavor twist.

• Marinara Sauce:  Swap with homemade tomato sauce, Alfredo sauce, or a creamy pink sauce for a different flavor profile.

• Seasonings:  Replace Italian seasoning with fresh or dried oregano, thyme, or basil to customize the herb blend.

• Spice Level:  Omit cayenne and red pepper flakes for a milder dish, or add chili powder or sriracha for more heat.

These substitutions ensure flexibility while keeping the dish delicious and satisfying!

Variations

• Low-Carb/Keto-Friendly:  Serve the meatballs over zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, or on their own instead of pasta.

• Herby Delight:  Mix in fresh chopped herbs like basil, parsley, or oregano into the meatballs for a burst of fresh flavor.

• Vegetable Boost:  Add finely grated zucchini, carrots, or spinach to the meatball mixture for added nutrition and moisture.

These simple changes allow for a variety of flavors while maintaining the essence of the dish!

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Use Ground Turkey with Some Fat:  Opt for ground turkey with a little fat (not 99% lean) to keep the meatballs tender and flavorful.

• Don’t Overmix:  Gently combine the ingredients to avoid dense meatballs. Overmixing can make them tough.

• Uniform Meatballs:  Use a small cookie scoop or wet your hands to shape evenly sized meatballs for consistent cooking.

• Presentation Tip:  Top with fresh parsley or basil and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan just before serving for a restaurant-style finish.

• Moist Meatballs:  Turkey can be lean, so don’t skip the cheese and egg in the mixture; they add moisture and help prevent the meatballs from drying out.

• Sauce Quality Matters:  Use a high-quality store-bought marinara or make your own for the best flavor. A robust sauce complements the mild turkey meatballs perfectly.

• Serving Suggestions:  Serve over pasta, rice, polenta, zucchini noodles, or with a side of garlic bread for a complete meal.

• Make-Ahead and Freezing:  Prepare the meatballs ahead of time and freeze them raw or cooked. Reheat in marinara sauce when ready to serve for a quick meal.

• Portion Size:  This recipe makes a generous batch of meatballs, great for meal prepping or feeding a crowd. Halve the recipe if cooking for a smaller group.

     Items you may need     

Mixing Bowls
Casserole Dish

Small Cookie Scoop

Marinara Sauce




    Other Meatball Recipes     

Moroccan Meatballs with Pita, Tomatoes, and Cucumbers

Grilled Chicken Kofta

Mongolian Meatballs

Asian Meatballs in Lettuce Wraps

Piri Piri Turkey Meatballs

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Cheesy Turkey Marinara Meatballs

yield:  21 - 25 meatballs

2 lbs ground turkey
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 egg
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper,
a pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 jar Marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh basil or parsley, for topping

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.  Lightly spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray.

Combine ground turkey, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, onion powder, garlic, Italian seasoning, cayenne, and crushed red pepper flakes in a large mixing bowl. Mix gently to incorporate the ingredients.  Use a small cookie scoop to form the meatballs and arrange in the casserole dish 1 inch apart.  Use two casserole dishes if necessary.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove from the oven.  Top with the Marinara sauce and shredded cheese bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese has fully melted.

Serve with a side salad and crusty bread, over pasta, rice or zucchini noodles.

Spring Fling: Whipped Herbed Feta Dip

A thick, zesty dip that is bursting with fresh Mediterranean flavor. So hard to resist and great for so many Spring ocassions.

Whipped Herbed Feta Dip

I have the perfect simple dip for you.  If you like feta cheese then this dip is going to rock your world!  Essentially it is a block of feta cheese that is whipped in the food processor along with fresh mint and parsley, some garlic and olive oil and a dash of lemon juice.  Serve this with Spring vegetables as I have done here or add some pita chips, smear it on a baguette, or your favorite dipper.

This dip is easy to make and something you want to have on repeat.  It's perfect for any Spring event, Mother's Day, brunch, graduation party, or casual affair.  It would be great used in salads, as a smear for sandwiches or bagels or with crackers.  I'd love to see how you find ways to use this scrumptious dip.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• feta - a block or crumbled

• fresh mint

• fresh parsley

• olive oil

• garlic cloves

• pepper

• 1 lemon for juice

• vegetables for dipping (radishes, bell pepper, snap peas, carrots)

Substitutions and Variations

• Swith up the dippers - try pita chips, or pita or naan

• Change the vegetables - celery, broccoli, cucumbers, green beans

• Try basil instead of mint

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Try this dip in other ways:
• salad topping
• sandwich smear
• bagel smear
• toast smear

• I use this hand small food processor a lot and it works perfectly for this dip.

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Whipped Herbed Feta Dip

makes 1 cup

1/4 cup packed fresh parsley sprigs
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic cloves, peeled

1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 oz feta cheese (I used a block of cheese)
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

bell pepper, radishes, carrots, and snap peas

In a food processor, combine the first 5 ingredients; cover and pulse until finely chopped. Add cheese and lemon juice; process until creamy. Serve with vegetables.

Summer Entertaining: Grilled Flank Steak with Pepper Tomato Relish

Melt in you mouth steak that is grilled to perfection and then topped with a pepper and tomato relish that is the bomb!  That's summer entertaining!

Grilled Flank Steak with Pepper Tomato Relish

Let's fire up the grill and start our summer entertaining season!  Today we are grilling up a wonderful steak topped with a pepper and tomato relish that creates such a flavor bomb, it's heaven!  Our steak is a large cut of flank steak that is easy to cook, feeds a crowd, and comes out succulent and tender.  It's always been a favoroite cut of mine that we cook all summer long.  

However, the true star of the dish is the relish.  Made from different colors of bell peppers and grape tomatoes, some garlic, and a dash of balsamic vinegar, this takes the steak to the next level.  In fact this relish would be good on pork, chicken, or fish, or just over rice as a vegetarian dish.  It's that good!  So start the summer of with a bang and make this dish now.  You love it at first bite.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• flank steak 
• mini bell peppers (the ones packed in a bag)
• grape tomatoes
• garlic
• red pepper flakes
• balsamic vinegar
• fresh basil
• sugar
• steak seasoning (I use "Back of the Yards Garlic Pepper Butcher's Rub"

Substitutions and Variations

• Use any color bell peppers you like, or all of one color.
• Use sun-dried tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes.
• Change the cut of beef to top sirloin, flat iron, or london broil.
• The relish will go great over pork, chicken, and fish as well.
• Use salt & pepper to season your meat.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• You can grill you steak outdoors on a gas or charcoal grill, or you can grill indoors with a grill pan.
• Make the relish first then grill your steak as a time saver.
• Serve with rice, grilled vegetables, mashed potatoes, or corn on the cob.

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Grilled Flank Steak with Pepper Tomato Relish

serves 4

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 mini bell peppers (red, orange, and yellow, from a bag), seeded, and diced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 pint of grape tomates, halved 

2 Tablespoons sliced fresh basil
1 1/2 - 2 pounds beef flank steak
steak seasoning of your choice (I used "Back of the Yards Garlic Pepper Butcher's Rub")

For relish, in an extra-large, deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium. Add peppers and season with salt.  Cook until peppers are softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and sugar.  Immediately reduce your heat to low so the vinegar doesn't burn.  Stir peppers in vinegar,  Add tomatoes and continue to cook about 5 minutes until tomatoes start to give off their juices and shrivel in texture.  Remove from heat and add basil. Set aside.

Pat steak dry and season both sides generously with steak seasoning.  Grill steak over medium heat 10 to 12 minutes total, turning over half way through for medium (155 degrees).   Remove from grill and tent with foil and let the steak rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain. Serve relish warm or at room temperature over sliced flank steak.

Grilled Top Sirloin with Blistered Green Beans, Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Farro

Juicy top sirloin, grilled to perfection and served with blistered green beans, tomatoes, earthy mushrooms all on top of a bed of nutty farro.  It's the perfect low carb summer meal!

Grilled Top Sirloin with Blistered Green Beans, Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Farro

This dish was inspired by my Tomato and Farro Salad.  I love the earthiness of farro and wanted to incorporate it in a hot side dish.  Adding seasonal green beans and grape tomatoes brought it up a notch, and then I decided to add earthy baby bella mushrooms.  Heaven!  Since mushrooms pair so well with steak I decided to go with a lean top sirloin cut that is also easy to grill on a weeknight.  A fabulous dinner was born.

The farro vegetable side dish was the perfect accompaniment to the tender and juicy sirloin steak.  Easy enough to make on a weeknight; beautiful enough to serve on the weekend for company.  This will be your new go to meal this summer!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• top sirloin steak
• pearled farro
• sliced baby bella mushrooms
• green beans
• grape tomatoes
• garlic
• red wine vinegar
• Montreal steak seasoning

Substitutions and Variations

• Use whatever steak seasoning you enjoy, or just salt & pepper

• Use frozen green beans in place of fresh

• Don't like mushrooms, leave them out!

• Use cherry tomatoes or chopped roma tomatoes instead of grape tomatoes

• Use a different combination of vegetables - try zucchini, tomatoes, and yellow squash, bell pepper, onions, and zucchini.

• Add some herbs to the farro mixture such as chopped basil or oregano

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Make sure to start the farro first, as it takes the longest to cook.

• Make the veggies while the steak is resting.

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Grilled Top Sirloin with Blistered Green Beans, Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Farro

serves 4

1 1/2 lb top sirloin steak
Montreal steak seasoning
1 cup pearled farro
2 Tablespoons butter, divided
1 pint sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz fresh green beans, end trimmed and cut in to 2" segments
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt & pepper

Preheat an indoor grill pan, or an outdoor grill to medium high.  Pat steak with a paper towel and then sprinkle on the Montreal steak seasoning on both sides, patting in to the steak like a rub.  

Add farro to a medium saucepan and add water until it is 2 inches above the farro.  Turn on burner and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Oil the grill grate, or indoor grill pan.  Place steak on the grill and allow to sear on the first side 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the steaks over and continue to grill 5 to 7 minutes for medium (internal temperature 140 degrees F).  Remove from grill and allow to rest 10 minutes.

Meanwhile add 1 tablespoon of butter to a large skillet over medium high heat.  Allow to melt and then add the mushrooms.  Cook until wilted 3-4 minutes (do not salt) then add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the green beans and tomatoes.  Allow to cook 4 minutes without stirring.  When vegetables are blistered on one side add in the chopped garlic, stir and allow to cook another 3-4 minutes without stirring.  Tomatoes should begin to wilt and pop, and green beans should be blistered in places.

Add vegetables to the bowl with the farro.  Stir to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle with red wine vinegar and stir to combine.

Cut steak in to slices cutting across the grain.  Place sliced steak down the middle of a large platter and add the faro mixture around the steak.  Drizzle steak and farro with a little more red wine vinegar and serve immediately.

Fresh Start: Sirloin Steak with a Basil Compound Butter, Snap Peas & Carrots

Juicy lean steak topped with a basil lemon compound butter with saute'd snap peas & carrots.  A lean, low carb dish made in under 30 minutes!

Sirloin Steak with a Basil Compound Butter, Snap Peas & Carrots

My New Year's "intentions" always include eating healthier.  Lately I've been making dishes that are lean, full or flavor, low carb, and easy to prepare.  Cooking an involved meal on a weeknight is NOT what I'm about.  This dish is simple to prepare and provides you with a healthy dinner, perfect for my "intentions".

Sirloin steak cooks up quick and turns out juicy.  Top it with an easy compound butter of lemon, basil, and garlic and your steak turns up a notch.  On the side we have a simple saute of snap peas & carrots flavored with the same profile of garlic and lemon.  This is one EASY and FLAVORFUL weeknight dish you can make in under 30 minutes!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• sirloin steak
• carrots
• sugar snap peas
• butter
• lemon
• basil
• garlic

Substitutions and Variations

• Use the lean steak of your choice

• Use chicken, pork chops, or fish as the protein

• Change up the vegetable combo: mushrooms and snow peas, zucchini and bell pepper, tomatoes and green beans

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Double the recipe for more servings

• Set out your steak about 1 hour before cooking to bring to room temperature

• Pat your steaks dry before cooking to get a good sear

• Slice your vegetables thin so they cook and get tender quickly.

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Sirloin Steak with a Basil Compound Butter, Snap Peas & Carrots

serves 2 - 3

1 - 1 1/2 lbs. sirloin steak
2 medium carrots
1 8oz pkg sugar snap peas
2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon
4 Tablespoons butter, unsalted, divided use
salt & pepper

Cut the butter in small pieces and place in a small bowl.  Set aside to soften.

Zest 1/2 lemon into the bowl with the butter.  Cut the 1/2 lemon in to wedges and set aside.  Peel and mince garlic and add it to the bowl with the butter.  Add chopped basil to the bowl.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Pat dry your steak(s) and season with salt and pepper on both sides.  Add 1 Tablespoon of butter to the skillet and swirl to coat.  Add steak and cook from 2-5 minutes per side until desired doneness.  Transfer to a clean plate and cover with aluminum foil.

Meanwhile steak is cooking, peel the carrots and slice into thin rounds.  Add more butter to the skillet (1 Tbsp) and swirl to coat.  Add carrots and snap peas.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir fry veggies until fork tender, about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Stir the butter and add-ins until smooth and blended.

Thinly slice the steak across the grain.  Divide steaks among the plates and top with a dollop of butter.  Serve with carrots and sugar snap peas on the side.  Squeeze lemon over the veggies.

 

Strawberry Cinnamon Smoothie

Yum

Happy Labor's Day!  I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday. Here's a quick and easy recipe I wanted to share with you today.  


You may not know that I love a good farmer's market and now I'm fortunate that we have one that sets up every Wednesday in our work complex.  It's heaven to be able to go to the farmer's market during the week!  There is one particular stand that sells the best organic fruit and vegetables.  I was in heaven looking at all the food, and walked away with much more items that I should have.

One treat was their strawberries!  Plump, juicy, deep red strawberries that promised to be sweet and luscious!  I couldn't wait to get these home and make a smoothie with them.  Smoothies fall in the "fast and fresh" category and are simple, quick and absolutely delishhh!

So a strawberry smoothie is very tasty but also quite ordinary.  So let's amp this baby up a bit and make a Strawberry Cinnamon Smoothie!  Have you every had cinnamon and strawberry?  Well, you are about to venture on a wonderful sweet and earthy journey with your taste buds.  This combination hits you with the sweet flavor of the berries and then on the way down you get that kick of heat and spice from the cinnamon.  HEAVEN!

What a great combination for a smoothie plus the health benefits that you get from both strawberries and cinnamon.  It's a win win in our house!  Let it be one in yours too by trying this right away.  There are still plenty of strawberries around so get them while they are still ripe and try this drink today!

Enjoy!





Strawberry Cinnamon Smoothie

serves 2

1 6 oz lite vanilla yogurt
1/2 pint of strawberries, hulled
1/2 frozen banana
1/4 cup lowfat milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until all incorporated and ice has crushed.

Pour into two glasses and serve immediately.

Low Carb Pancakes & a Product Review (Bob Mills)

Yum

We are always striving to eat healthier and cutting carbs has been part of our regime for several years now.  However, there are just some things that you want to eat (Pancakes & Waffles!) that are full of carbs, so we eat those sparingly but want them in our lives!!!  I can't imagine never eating a pancake!  It's my favorite breakfast treat to get when we travel or go for a quick breakfast.

Well now you can have your pancake and eat it too!!!  I recently came across an ad for Bob Mills Whole Grain Low Carb Baking Mix.  So I started researching it and the more I read the more I knew I wanted to try this.  Having a baking mix to make low carb biscuits, waffles, and pancakes is such a plus.  I hunted it down and found it here.  I patiently awaited it's arrival and then it was here!  Pancake time!

With only 8 grams of net carbs this mix has a lot of wholesome whole grains.  You use is just as you would all purpose flour, so making pancakes is a cinch.  The recipe is even on the package.

So let's talk about the result.  These pancakes were light and fluffy, not dense like I expected them to be.  I was pleased at how good they tasted, with a slight nutty flavor, but overall tasted just like regular pancakes!  I will definitely be using this product more often and trying waffles and biscuits next.

Try this mix for yourself and enjoy some low carb pancakes!

Enjoy!





Low Carb Pancakes

1 cup Bob Mills Low Carb Baking Mix
1 Tbsp Canola Oil
2 Eggs
1 cup Water
3 tsp Baking Powder
4 packets of your favorite low carb sweetener
1/2 tsp Vanilla

Heat griddle or skillet over medium low heat. 
Grease with cooking spray or butter.  Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl.  Stir until well blended.  Pour batter onto the griddle in desired sized pancakes and cook until bubbles form, top is slightly dry and bottom is golden brown.  Flip and cook the other side until golden and steam stops rising from pancake.  Serve warm with sugar free syrup or fruit.