Slow Cooked Chicken (or Turkey) Meatballs with Pasta & Veg

[Amy :-)]

Slow Cooked Chicken (or Turkey) Meatballs with Pasta & Veg

I have put this in Main Dishes of the TMX section because I used to TMX to prepare my meatballs. I hope that's okay moderators

Ingredients:
250g pasta of choice
250ml chicken stock
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery sticks, diced
8-10 cup mushrooms, peeled and sliced
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
20ml oil
50g breadcrumbs (or make your own)
500g chicken or turkey mince*
1 tbsp sweet paprika
150g (approx.) sundried tomato pesto**

Method:
1. Spray your slow cooker very well
2. Cook pasta for half the cooking time stated on packet. Drain and put in slow cooker with chicken stock, tomato pasta and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well.
3. Layer the carrot, celery and mushrooms over the pasta.
4. Chop onion for 3 seconds/speed 6. Add oil and saute for 3 minutes/100 degrees/reverse + speed 1. Add mince, breadcrumbs and paprika and knead for 1 minute/interval speed.
5. Form mixture into balls, layer over vegetables and dollop pesto over the top.
6. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours

Notes:
* I used turkey mince for the recipe and it was beautiful. Very moist and delicious. Next time I will try chicken and probably mince my own.
** I used a shop-bought pesto because I needed to use it up, but I would like to try making my own next time. If I find a nice recipe I will link or post it here.
Next time I may also add more vegetables

This was delicious. I was very pleased with myself

ETA: oil and saute in step 4 after cottchick's review

Suggestions made by forum members.
Cottchick added sweet potato
Katiej suggested; I followed the tweak suggested by cottchick and sauteed the onions before adding them to the mince.  I also added a red chilli into the meatball mix, as we love chilli here.  I used "bowtie" shape pasta and it cooked perfectly.  I sprinkled cheese over the top just at the end like you suggested Amy and it topped it off.
Cornish Cream[/b] thought she may add the pesto to the meatball mix next time.

[Amy :-)]

A couple more photos

[Katiej]

That looks yummy Amy.
On my to-do list!

[judydawn]

Thanks for the photos Amy, the finished product looks really tempting

[Wonder]

Looks and sounds great Amy, I think I might have to try this one over the weekend.

It looks like the meatballs have browned up is that from the pesto?

[Amy :-)]

Thanks for the comments ladies

Wonder, yes, the browning is from the pesto I think next time I will also sprinkle some cheese over the the meatballs in the last 15 minutes of cooking, that would really top it off

[cottchick]

I've got this cooking right now! So far so good...

[Amy :-)]

Looking forward to hearing how it turns out cottchick!

[Wonder]

I'll also be very interested. Gordon Ramsey did a show on meatballs sometime in the last few weeks and some of his recipes looked great so we are all interested in meatball dishes here at the moment.

[cottchick]

This was a massive hit with all the kids and my husband, we all loved it. What I liked was the marriage of my TMX and slow cooker!

A couple of things id do differently next time: I used rissini, the pasta that looks like rice, and it was too gluggy by the end, so either a rice or a larger pasta next time.

Also I added sweet potato which was delicious but maybe requires more stock being so absorbent. The sweetness of it was lovely though.

The turkey meatballs were really tasty, next time though I would sauté the onion first as it still had a slight crunch.

This one is a keeper, I'll absolutely be doing it again.

[Amy :-)]

Thanks for your review cottchick, I really appreciate it! I will make a note in the recipe to saute the onion

How did you cut your sweet potato? That is a yummy idea

[cottchick]

Thank YOU Amy! It's so nice to have everyone say "yum" for a change. I just put the sweet potato in in biggish chunks, about 2cm squared.

[cookie1]

Amy did you make or buy the pesto please?

[Amy :-)]

I used a bought pesto Cookie, but I'm on the look out for a good recipe that I can make for next time

[Katiej]

Great recipe Amy, my DH and I both enjoyed it for dinner tonight.

I followed the tweak suggested by cottchick and sauteed the onions before adding them to the mince.  I also added a red chilli into the meatball mix, as we love chilli here.  I used "bowtie" shape pasta and it cooked perfectly.  I sprinkled cheese over the top just at the end like you suggested Amy and it topped it off.

It's the first time I cooked pasta in my slowcooker.  I love how it's an easy all-in-one meal, which you can prepare and forgot.
Well done Amy