Meatballs, baby!

I've never really been a baby person. I did have baby dolls growing up, but they mainly served as my patients to which I afflicted unlikely diseases-- tetanus, measles, and elephantiasis to name a few. Yes, I kept index cards AKA medical records on these dolls and marked the babies up with the appropriate symptoms. I like to think that I've come a long way since my early days as a cavalier play-pediatrician. However, babies still intimidate me. They are fascinating in their tiny-ness and indefinite curiosity, and yet their cryptic sleep schedules and inability to communicate terrifies me. As easy as it would be to swear off having my own kids and commit to the "cool aunt" role, I can't help but wonder if I may regret it down the road. Never has my internal battle been more salient as this past weekend I spent with my 1-year old niece.

After spending the work week busy in the hospital, it seems like a true herculean feet to raise a child while also being a medicine resident. I surveyed some of the residents asking: 'How in the world does someone DO IT?!' The answer seemed to be: 'you just do' and 'there's never going to be a good time.' Then of course I got to spend the last 2 days with my niece, who is all of the fascinating wonderful things that consist of being a 1-year-old and for, at least a little while, those things were able to dwarf the terrifying things. Watching her eat the meatballs I'd made also reassured me that maybe one day even I could sustain another human life and....perhaps even enjoy it...just maybe. In the mean time I will continue to be in awe of dedicated parents.

These meatballs are healthier that your average subbing bison meat for the traditional beef and veal combo. People are nuts about bison meat because it has only 2.5g of fat per serving versus over 10g in beef. It's also lower in calories (140 vs. 215) and a little higher in iron. You can find out more on bison meat here. These bison meatballs are also easy to make because of the baking method. They freeze well, so you can make extra and keep them for the next time you're wanting a kid-friendly, adult-tasting recipe! Enjoy :-)

KiwiConfections Gluten Free Bison Meatballs & Pasta Sauce

Serves 8

Meatballs

1 cup Schar gluten free breadcrumbs

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon red chili flakes

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ Cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 /2 pound extra lean ground beef

1 ½ pounds ground bison

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 large egg, beaten

1/3 Cup milk

1. Place the first 9 ingredients in the bowl and mix
2. Add the meat and combine it with all of the dry ingredients (hands are your best tool here)
3. Add the Worcestershire sauce, egg, and milk. Continue mixing the mixture with your hands.
4. Preheat your oven to 400°
5. Form your meatballs by rolling in your hands
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the meatballs on the baking sheet about ½ an inch apart.
7. Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes at 400°. The baking time will depend upon the size of your meatballs. I suggest taking the tray out and cutting the thickest meatball in half to see if it is cooked all the way through (no pink should remain).
8. Remove the tray of meatballs from the oven and allow it to cool

Tomato Sauce

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 teaspoons minced garlic

½ Cup Chianti

1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

1 ½ teaspoons Salt

½ teaspoon Black Pepper

1. Add oil to medium pot and heat over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until onion becomes transparent. Add minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
2. Add Chianti to the pot and scrape the bottom. Allow this to cook until almost all the liquid is gone
3. Add the tomatoes and stir
4. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
5. Lower the heat and continue to simmer for about 7-8 minutes.
   

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