Turkey Meatballs Parmigiana

I want to preface this recipe by letting y'all know that I did not want to cook last night.

I had to have emergency dental surgery for a broken tooth. Owie-ow-ow! Not gonna lie. It hurt like a son-of-a-witch. I was frozen up to the eyeball and couldn't wink or blink for two hours. On top of that. my face looked like I'd had a stroke. The ouchie side drooped, causing my jaw to hang to my shoulder. When I smiled, I bore a suspicious resemblance to those scary clowns we all fear in our dreams. All I could manage was a crazy leer because only one side of my mouth would turn up. I looked like a freak who could be billed as the head act in a freak show. I think you get the picture now. 

This is me drinking wine last night:
It cooled off from 158 degrees to 58 degrees, so I was cold for a change.

It still hurts despite two Percocet tablets. 

But, what was the question?

Ah, yes. 

Did I feel like cooking dinner?

Heck to the nyet.

That's my version of Russian slang for no.

But, I still had meat thawed out and close to its retirement.
I still had a growl in my belly.
I still had other empty mouths to feed. 

You know the drill.

So, I decided to make meatball parmigiana. 

I saw a picture of ground chicken meatballs on some cooking blog, but I didn't catch the recipe (and wasn't in the mood to grind my own chicken, y'all), so I had to wing it. But, not as in chicken wings winging it. Pay attention!

Winging it is good for adrenaline, I find. Nothing makes me feel like I'm in a dark alley with a rabid dog chasing me more than winging it with a recipe. 

In other words, it makes me feel alive in the most stressed out way possible.
Is that a good thing? Only my therapist knows for sure.

Anyway...here is my made up version of what I think meatball parm is.

INGREDIENTS

For the meat balls:

Minced turkey.

1 egg

Gluten free bread crumbs (you can use the normal ones)

Garlic powder

Italian seasonings (thyme, oregano, basil)

Spicy ketchup

tsp onion soup mix

salt and pepper

For the sauce

Olive oil for frying

1 large can of diced, stewed or plum tomatoes (pureed by my hand wand)
Chopped red onion (however much you like
Chopped red pepper (about a half)
Cup of chopped spinach
Minced clove of garlic
Splash of red wine
Italian seasonings of choice
Salt and pepper to taste
Crushed chilies (optional)

Directions

Pour a little oil into a pan that is on med high heat. Just enough to wet all the veggies.
Add onions and red peppers first for a couple of minutes and then add the garlic and spinach.

Add your meatballs...

Turn them over...
My daughter would respond to this with an insouciant DUH! but they she would be precisely the type who would not turn her meatballs over. Do not be my daughter! Be me, instead!

Add seasoned tomato sauce. By seasoned, I mean, use all the Italian spices in your cupboard. 
Here's a toast (clink, clink) to hoping you have more than one. If you do only have one Italian spice, may I ask WHY???
Okay, okay. Judge not lest ye be judged...just go ahead and toss it in.
But, put this on your next shopping list:
More Italian spices!
ha ha...

Add red wine...about half a cup. Try not to drink all your wine before this step.

Add shredded Asiago or Parmesan or Romano cheese. Because the wine makes your sauce sweet, a sharp cheese is needed for balance. Is this a universal law? Who knows? Is it my law? You bet!

Cook pasta of your choice (mine was Rotini) and dig in!
Grate more cheese on top and sprinkle some fresh basil.
I didn't because:
1) I was too hungry to go that extra mile.
2) I did not have company over for dinner and hence, nobody to impress.