Meatballs

I think this is my son Jonah's favorite thing that I make hands down. Whether we have meatballs and gravy or spaghetti and meatballs it doesn't matter, he eats them like it's his last meal. I always make a big batch of these because they freeze and reheat very well for those nights that I don't feel like fussing in the kitchen.

What you need:

1 lb ground beef ( I always get 93% lean)

1 lb ground turkey (your family will never know the difference)

1 small onion

2 stocks celery

2 eggs

2/3 cup bread crumbs ( I use panko, they are Japanese bread crumbs and have a great texture)

2 tbsp ketchup

salt and pepper

1/4 cup chopped parsley

To make Italian meatballs also add:

1/4 cup fresh basil

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

What to do:

In a food processor, chop the celery and onion very fine. Since the celery and onion are not cooked they are mixed into the meat, you really want the vegetables to be small pieces so you don't bite down on a piece of raw onion. After you do that, put the celery and onion into a large bowl.

Add the eggs, ketchup, bread crumbs, salt and pepper and mix together well. This part does not look appetizing at all but trust me it pays off in the end.

Add both meats to the wet mixture and combine until everything is just mixed together. DO NOT over mix, that will result in tough meatballs. I always use my hands to mix, they are your greatest tool!

Finally add the parsley and roll into balls. Out of this batch I got 25 meatballs, you can make them smaller or larger whatever you like. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.