Oh my Meatballs

Do you ever shop at IKEA?  By now I think it's taken over enough of this country that we can safely assume most of us have had a chance navigate this maze of a furniture store (or whatever it is).  As you wander through the store, you initially feel a surge of energy - you are filled with wonder excitement.  This closet is so organized! This chair is so modern!  I never knew so many things could be made from bamboo!  I don't remember needing star shaped ice, but for only 99 cents - I certainly do.   The discoveries are endless. 

But after awhile the spark wears off... and questions arise.  Do I need more pans or more products to organize my pans? or more of both?  How many kinds of ice shapes are there?  How come IKEA offices are larger than IKEA homes?  Exhaustion and frailty begin to set in.  But IKEA answers your call...

A well crafted sign appears advertising something called swedish meatballs for only $3.99!!!     

Meat in a ball - ahhh.... is there anything more right? 

So for those of you who don't care to brave the interior of IKEA - you can try my recipe!

 
The meaty mixture
-99% lean turkey 20 oz
-1 Can chickpeas (blend in blender - I use the magic bullet)
-1 tsp cumin
-1 drizzle Worcester sauce
-other seasonings (as desired)

Just mix this all together using your hands (it's ok - you washed them right?).  Then form in to 1-1.5 inch diameter balls.   The set in the freezer for a minimum half hour (just enough to firm up).  I actually had mine in the freezer (ahem - the outside) for much longer, so that's okay too. 

Frozen Balls (o come-on I couldn't resist!)

Heat about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch of oil in the bottom of a frying pan.  And you can just plop the the frozen meatballs in directly - no need to thaw.  (They will cook all the way through because they are so small.)

Cover and cook for a while (10-15 mins). 

When they are finished they should look like this.  If you want to be sure - cut one open and make sure there is no pink. 

Meatballs wouldn't be complete without gravy.... mmm.... gravy. 

Gravy is super easy to make - I just learned so you can too.

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup vegatable broth (I used a low sodium version)

1/2 cup milk 

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper

1.  Melt butter in pan over medium heat.
2. Add milk and flour, whisking consistently for 2 minutes
3. Add broth, salt and pepper and continue to stir for 3 minutes, sauce should be getting thicker.

The visual

No no, it's not for drinking.

The final meal

Any meal that includes gravy is probably not going to be included in next month's issue of healthy living.  However, I say look there's vegetables and we used 99% lean meat so let's call this a win anyway.