Turkey Sausage Meatballs with Cran-Apple Sauce
Holiday roasted turkey meatballs with dip are great for appetizers or snacks. Walnut Parsley Couscous served alongside makes an entrée.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried stuffing cubes
- 1/2-3/4 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey (a blend of light and dark meat)
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons onion, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
For the Cran-Apple Sauce:
- 1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1 cup no-sugar-added organic applesauce
- 2 tablespoons dark amber maple syrup
For the Walnut Parsley Couscous (if serving as a meal):
- 1 1/4 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/4 cups couscous
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup flat leaf parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
Preparation
Pre-heat the oven to 425°F. Place a rack on a large baking sheet.
Using a food processor, grind the stuffing cubes into crumbs, then transfer them to a small bowl. Douse the stuffing with the stock to soften. (Don’t clean out the food processor; set aside.)
Drizzle the EVOO into a large bowl. Add the turkey; season with salt and pepper. Mix in the moist stuffing crumbs and the egg, onion, garlic, poultry seasoning, fennel seed and crushed red pepper.
Roll the meat into 1 1/2-inch-2-inch balls. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet and roast until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine all of the dipping sauce ingredients. Serve with meatballs.
For the couscous: In a medium size saucepan, bring the stock and butter to a boil. Stir in the couscous; season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan, turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Using the reserved food processor, chop the parsley. Fluff the couscous and stir in the parsley and walnuts.
