Turkey Sweet Potato Meatballs

As you may have seen via my tweets earlier this week, I went to a "Friendsgiving" celebration on Friday night hosted by my co-worker, friend and fellow foodie, Christine Liang of Your Food Party.  During my dish brainstorm with Christine, she mentioned that it was looking like it was going to be a turkey-less Friendsgiving.  Which got me thinking.  I obviously wasn't going to turn a bird out on Thursday night after work, but I decided I could provide turkey for the celebration in some way, shape, or form and then it came to me- meatballs!  So versatile, so easy, yet somehow everyone thinks you're a superstar when you put them out at a party.  My Friendsgiving meatballs (a teriyaki version) were a huge hit, but I'm not gonna lie, these are even better.  So since I was on such a roll with my meatball making, I figured why not dream up another turkey variation- 'tis the season after all!  While roaming my neighborhood farmer's market today, New Amsterdam Market, I picked up some great sweet potatoes and splurged a little on some amazing dark amber Vermont maple syrup from Ledgenear Farm.  And with those ingredients, some ground turkey and a few other items I had on hand, this fabulous new variation was born.  

Ingredients:
1/2 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup sweet potato, mashed
1/2 a yellow onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced  
2 handfuls parsely, chopped fine
3 tbsp. breadcrumbs- I like the whole wheat variety
2 tbsp. parmesan cheese, grated 
1 tsp. good maple syrup
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Chop onions, garlic and parsley and combine in a large bowl.  Mix in breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.  Save yourself some time and microwave the sweet potato.  Mash and add a 1/2 cup to the bowl.  Add ground turkey, drizzle in maple syrup and season generously with salt and pepper.  Mix ingredients with your hands until well combined, being careful not to over mix or the meat will become tough.  Lightly grease a 9x11 baking dish and place meatballs in rows.  Bake for 30 mins or until cooked through.  Eat alone, in a sandwich, or top a salad with them.  Any way you decide to go, I guarantee you won't be able to eat just one!  And definitely double the recipe when bringing some to your "Friendsgivings" :)

Makes about 15 meatballs