Barbecue Chicken Meatballs

I guess it was a week heavy on ground chicken. Imagine my joy to walk into Whole Foods for a few staples the other day to see a "Special: $2.99/lb Ground Turkey" sign. Oh well, c'est la vie.

This recipe comes from the now discontinued Cookie magazine. In addition to great parenting articles, they had some really fun, fast and kid-friendly recipes. I've made this a number of times and have even made extras to freeze. The side dish pictured is red kuri squash, my new favorite type of winter squash. It's a very mild squash that tastes something like a cross between a yam and a chestnut. I highly recommend it. Here it's just split with the inside smeared with butter, maple syrup and sage then cooked for approximately 40 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

Barbecue Chicken Meatballs

1 lb ground chicken

2/3 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

1 tsp chili powder

1 small onion, grated and drained

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tbsp applesauce

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup barbecue sauce

1. Combine the first 8 ingredients. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls.

2. Place the oil in a wide frying pan. Add the meatballs and brown them on all sides until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Add the barbecue sauce. Cook until it reduces and stick to the meatballs, about 1 minute. Serve.

The Verdict: Well, if Amir has anything to say about it, it's a smashing success. I put three meatballs on his plate, however, he ultimately ate 5. Wow! Noyan wasn't at dinner to comment, but said he liked it in his lunch today. (This is the barbecue sauce from the previous recipe, so hmmm...)

Really easy to make, quick to cook. What mother isn't into that?