Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be sharing recipes from our amazing Kids Cook for a Cause workshop at the IACP Conference (International Association of Culinary Professionals) in Portland.   I thought I’d start with the one that was the most intensely hands-on and fun for the kids to make:  Turkey Meatballs!

Turkey Meatballs
Recipe courtesy of Joel Olson, Hemmachef
(& Co-chair of the Kids in the Kitchen section of IACP)

1 pound ground turkey
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, pasted
1 teaspoon basil
2 teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon tarragon
1 egg
½ cup dry breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup chicken or turkey broth

1. Combine all the ingredients except the tablespoon of olive oil and half cup stock, in a bowl.
2. Mix well using clean hands.
3. Form the mixture into 24 even sized balls.
4. Dipping your hands in cool water will help keep the mixture from sticking to your fingers.
5. Heat the olive oil in a skillet.
6. Cook the meatballs in batches allowing them to brown all over.
7. Place all the meatballs in the pan, add the stock, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer.
8. Cover and cook about ten minutes to finish.
9. Serve as desired.

Since we planned this event remotely and weren’t sure about the exact ingredients we would have on hand, we had to be flexible and make a few adaptations on the spot.  We didn’t have breadcrumbs, so we smashed up some crackers and added those instead.  And instead of pan frying the meatballs, we prepared them on baking sheets and cooked them in the convection ovens.  You’ll notice from the photos that some of the kids were wearing gloves – that’s a personal preference that some people exercise when handling raw meat.  Personally, I like the feel of the ingredients on my bare skin – but I can understand how some people may think it is more sanitary to wear gloves. The verdict: everyone thought that these turkey meatballs were a delicious and kid-friendly recipe…and some of the children couldn’t wait to cook these at home with their families!

Many thanks to Rose, who works for Saskatoon Turkey Producers in Canada, and generously donated the funds so that we could buy the turkey for our meal.