Turkey Meatballs with Apricot Marmalade Glaze

Nothing is worse then showing up at a party empty handed. We went to our friends' house for appetizers and drinks a couple weekends ago and I wanted to bring a small appetizer. Nothing fancy but something that would travel well and be a crowd pleaser. The below recipe for turkey meatballs is a great party recipe. They are super simple to make and don't require many ingredients. I am always a little leery of cooking with ground turkey. It has a tendency to dry out and well, just taste too healthy, but the apricot glaze lends tons of flavor and moisture to the meatballs.

 

Turkey Meatballs with Apricot Marmalade Glaze

Makes about 25-30 meatballs
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 20 minutes

1 egg
1/4 c.skim milk
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp pepper
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 T. olive oil
1 c. low sugar apricot (or orange) marmalade
1 T. white wine vinegar
pinch of red pepper flakes

Beat the egg and milk in a small bowl. Stir in the bread crumbs, salt, poultry seasoning, and pepper. Add the ground turkey, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Shape the meatballs into 1 inch balls. Heat oil in a large skillet and place the meatballs in a single layer. Cook until well browned on all sides. Remove the meatballs from the skillet and set aside.

Mix marmalade, broth, vinegar, and red pepper flakes in a skillet over medium heat. Bring to boil and then reduce to medium-low. Return the meatballs to the skillet and let simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has reduced to a glaze consistency.

Shrimp Kabobs

Brady and I went to Kansas City a couple of weeks ago to visit my family and friends and go to the Royals vs. Twins game. On Sunday before we headed back to Chicago my mom and dad made us a great lunch. My dad grilled pork steaks (a family favorite) and my brother and I made shrimp kabobs. My brother came up with these kabobs and they are awesome. I love the combo of sweet and spicy and they are incredibly easy to make.

Shrimp Kabobs

Serves 4
1 pound uncooked shrimp, shellled and deveined
1 package of andouille sausage
2-3 large jalapeno peppers
2 cups cubed fresh pineapple

Heat a grill over medium high heat. Once the grill is hot, put the andouille sausage on the grill for about 5 minutes then set aside to cool slightly. Once cooled enough to touch, slice into 1 inch thick pieces.

Next, cut the top off the jalapeno peppers and use a small paring knife to cut out the seeds inside. Then slice the pepper into 1 inch thick rings.

To assemble the kababs, thread a piece of shrimp, a piece of sausage, a pepper ring, and then a piece of pineapple through the skewer. Repeat two or three times for each kabob.

Grill the kabobs for about 4 minutes on each side.

** If using wooden skewers, soak the skewers in a bowl of water for about 15 minutes prior to assembling the kabobs. This will keep them from burning on the grill.

Mediterranean Torta

Brady and I spent a weekend at my parents house in Kansas City last month. While we were there my mom made us a Mediterranean Torta appetizer. I couldn't stop eating it, it was so good!  Not only did the torta taste great but it looked really pretty. I will definitely be making this the next time I need to bring an appetizer somewhere. It's a the perfect appetizer recipe because it can be made ahead of time and is fine sitting out while people snack. I can't say anything about how it was to make but it sounds simple enough!

Mediterranean Torta
** My moms recipe, I'm not sure where she found it.

Serves 6-8

1 5 1/2 oz. package goat cheese, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 c. toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1 c. oil-packed sun dried tomatoes
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, washed and dried

In a small bowl, mix together the goat cheese and cream cheese until well blended. Fold in the chopped hazelnuts. Set aside.

Blot the sun-dried tomatoes dry and then mince. Set aside.

For the mold, line a 2 cup round dish with plastic wrap, extending it out over the edges by about 2 inches. Cover the bottom of dish with 1/4 of the sun dried tomatoes. Top with 1/4 of the cheese mixture, packing down and smoothing it with the back of a spoon. Cover cheese with a layer of basil.

Continue layering the ingredients, making sure to pack down the cheese mixture. Pull the edges of the plastic wrap up to seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. To serve, open plastic wrap and turn mold out onto a serving dish. Serve with crackers or toasted bread slices.