You know about my mad love affair with roasted chicken. I featured TWO birds here this week alone. You also know I don’t go a week without a roasted chicken. Since I was like three. I’m not being dramatic.

I admit, they have a hold on me. Their ease in use and chameleonesque (<—— NEW FOOD WORD!) abilities are too enticing to resist. The crispy skin, the juiciness of the meat, the way they can beautifully alter their appearance with so many different looks and flavors, they way you can use every single part of a bird to create more and more fabulous dishes…sigh… it’s just too good. I have made a serious commitment to chicken. One I have not taken lightly.

But. Even I can be fickle. We all eventually fall from grace right? I mean I NEEDED to break this addiction. I had become too dependent. It was not healthy to rely so much on just ONE versatile ingredient. We had to breakup. It was necessary.

This is not a sad story however. I have already met another. …another glorious kitchen chameleon. I know it was fast. Maybe even too soon, but I have butterflies like a school girl! Go ahead and gossip! Go ahead. You’ll see.

I’d like to introduce you to THIS homemade meatball. I think I see a bit of drool…right…yeah…right there.

Wait, what? Boring? SERIOUSLY? Have you MET a meatball??

Well brothers and sisters, let me tell you something about these little morsels right here! They are JUST as versatile as a roasted chicken and can have even more chameleonesque (<—- 2nd use of new foodie word!) properties. These babies can be used in hoagies, soups, stews, on top of Spaghetti (I think that’s a song…), in sweet and sour sauce, dipped in marinara and they can even come in TONS of flavors like Buffalo Bleu cheese, sweet and sour, Italian, Greek and that one up there filled with homemade Ricotta and sage. Just LOOK what these guys can do!

See!!! Mhmmm….See!!! I told you.

But I’m not sharing my meatballs. Not this week. It’s all so new and exciting. You can have the chicken, since we broke up.

But remember. I’m fickle. I may want him back next week.

Homemade Ricotta and Sage Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup homemade Ricotta cheese, recipe here
• 1 pound ground beef, turkey or chicken
• 1/2 pound sausage pork or chicken, casings removed
• 1 tbsp. Fennel Seed
• 1/4 cup Sage leaves, chopped
• 3 eggs – 1 for mixture, 2 for dipping
• 1 cup flour
• 2 cups Panko
• Salt & pepper to taste

    

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine both meats, cheese, Fennel, Sage, 1 egg, salt and pepper. Mix with hands until it’s well combined, but not overworked. The more you mix, the tougher your meatballs will be, so mix well, but cautiously.

Place remaining two eggs in bowl and whisk lightly. Place flour on one plate and Panko on another. Using a cookie dough scoop (or your hands), divide and roll mixture into meatballs. Roll each meatball in flour, dip in egg, coat well with Panko and place on a greased baking pan. Do this with each meatball. When finished, bake the meatballs at 325 for about 20 minutes or until no longer pink.

Serve with spaghetti, marinara sauce, in a hoagie, in soup, or any other way you can imagine!

I like being foodie fickle. Bon Appetit y’all!