1. Place the mushrooms in a small bowl. Add ½ cup hot tap water and set aside to soak until soft, 20 minutes

2. Coat a large, nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set the pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp of the oil. Saute the onion until it starts to soften, 3 minutes. Mix the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Scoop the mixture into a large mixing bowl to cool.

3. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of the bread crumbs with the milk

4. Add the ground turkey, parsley, egg, egg white, cheese, salt, pepper and bread crumb mixture to the onion. Work the mixture with the fork until well combined.

5. Spread the remaining 3.4 bread crumbs on a dinner plate. Form the turkey into sixteen 2” meatballs and roll them I the bread crumbs until coated.

6. Add 2 tsp of the oil to the skillet and return the pan to medium-high heat. To avoid overloading the pan, brown half the meatballs for about 8 minutes, using tongs to turn them. Remove them to another plate. Add the remaining oil and brown the remaining meatballs. Do not clean the pan.

7. For the sauce, coarsely chop the tomatoes by working a knife up and down in the can. Pour the tomatoes with their liquid into the skillet. Add the tomato sauce, onion, garlic and thyme. Squeeze the liquid from the mushrooms, reserving it for another use. Chop the mushrooms and add them to the sauce. Set the skillet over medium-high heat. When the sauce boils, add the browned meatballs. Reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes. Turn the meatballs and cook until they are white in the center, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Divide the meatballs among 4 plates. Stir the balsamic vinegar into the sauce. Season it to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce equally over the meatballs.

8. Variation: Form the turkey mixture into an oval meat loaf on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake at 375 degrees F. Make the sauce to serve over the sliced meat loaf.

Serves: 4

Source: 12 Best Foods Cookbook, Dana Jacobi, Rodale Inc.