I'm sure we've all experienced this combination of emotions to some capacity -- exhausted after work, overwhelmed by the thought of a three-week old to-do list, and uninspired by what's left in our pantry/ fridge.  And on nights like that, we normally turn to takeout or worst of all, nuke a prepackaged meal.  We're all guilty of it, and I used to be one of the worst offenders when work took over my life, and I lost sight of my creative aspirations.

Anyway, when it comes to putting together a meal, I'm always looking for ways to cook that require the least amount of energy (or inspire people to cook something they wouldn't normally cook).  I've always found that on nights where I'm feeling particularly uninspired, a hearty yet healthy meal always does the trick.  So,  I keep a batch of these in the freezer for those nights.   All I have to do is throw them in with some sauce to reheat; and the choice of carb, or veggies is up to what my pantry/fridge usually has to offer.

+BLOVIN'+

Spicy Italian Meatballs with Homemade Sauce makes 2 dozen

Ingredients 1 pound or 4 links (spicy) italian sausage, remove casing 1 pound ground turkey 1/2 cup of (panko) bread crumbs 2 tsp fresh italian parsley finely chopped, or 1 tsp dried 1/4 cup parmesan cheese 1 large egg, gently beaten 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp chili flakes 2 tsp salt

for the sauce (optional) 6 tomatoes, deseeded, peeled 1 white onion, finely diced 4-5 sprigs of basil, chopped 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped or 1 tbsp dried salt, to taste

You'll need Baking sheet Parchment paper

Directions prep time: 10 minutes cook time: 15 minutes - Preheat oven to 350.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients - bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili flakes - set aside.

- In a large bowl, combine the sausage meat and turkey using your hands.  ** You can also use a mixer with paddle attachment to make sure the meat is well combined. - Add egg into the meat mixture and combine. Then, add the dry mixture a bit at a time. Use all the dry mixture and make sure it is fully integrated with the meat. **If you find the meat mixture isn't sticking together (too dry), beat another egg and slowly add a bit more egg to the mixture (you shouldn't have to use the whole egg). - Then, using your hands, roll meat into 2-3 inch balls and place onto baking sheet. Cover tray with tin foil or parchment paper, and bake for 10 minutes, then remove cover and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

THE SAUCE  prep time: 5 minutes cook time: 10 minutes -  Soak tomatoes in olive oil, basil, garlic, thyme, salt; set aside.   *Optional - let sit overnight or for the day while you're at work.  Then heat olive oil a medium saucer, add onions, let brown.  Add tomato mixture and let simmer (5-10 minutes), stirring frequently.  Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth, or serve as is.

Storing: Let the meatballs fully cool, then place in a container. Stores up to 3 months.