Baked Southwest Turkey Meatballs

Here's a fun spin on the traditional meatball recipe!  You'll want to make the sauce in a pot that can be transferred to the oven.  I recommend a dutch oven if you have it.  Otherwise, make your sauce in a sauce pan and then transfer to a baking dish before adding the meatballs.

The Meatball Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 minced shallot
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 2 diced red fresnos (one 1 red bell pepper)
• 3/4c seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp milk or cream
• 2 tbsp ketchup (if you have Sriracha hot sauce, go 1 tbsp each!)
• salt, pepper, italian seasoning, half a packet of taco seasoning (reserve the other half)

The Sauce Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 diced yellow onion
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 2 diced jalapenos (or 1 diced green bell pepper)
• 2 diced red fresno peppers (or 1 diced red bell pepper)
• 1/3c red wine
• black pepper, italian seasoning, and the other half of the tacos seasoning packet
• 28oz crushed tomato
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar

Additional Ingredients:

• 1/2c shredded pepperjack or taco blend cheese
• optional: diced green onion and/or minced cilantro

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the meatball ingredients.  Mix well and form the meatballs (should make about 16-20).  Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
3. While the meatballs are cooking, make the sauce in a dutch oven.  Heat the olive oil and add the onion, garlic and peppers.  Cook 5 min.  Add the wine and some pepper, italian seasoning and the rest of the taco packet.  Cook 2 min.  Add the tomato, salt and sugar.  Bring to a boil and then reduce/simmer,  uncovered, for 10 minutes.  
4. Add the meatballs to the sauce.  Top with cheese and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and started to bubble.
5. Optional: top with green onion & cilantro and serve.

Serve with a side of rice and the Southwest Salad (also posted today) and you've got a perfect dinner!