Italian Comfort Food Too Good to be True

Oregon's winter drizzle brings me down.  The cold, dank days make me want to dive for the nearest comforter.  But why snuggle on the couch in a blanket when you could head to the kitchen and knock those winter blues for a loop with food that soothes and satisfies.

And if the weather is dragging you down, do you really want your food to do the same?  No! Who wants "comfort food" that makes you feel bloated and tired?

That is why this Italian dish -- with its lighter take on saucy meatballs served over mashed potatoes -- is just made for winter-time mood adjustment.  Unlike common Italian red sauces, the star of this peperonata is not tomatoes, but sweet peppers, sliced into thin strips and sauted along with onions and -- in a secondary role -- just a modest amount of diced tomatoes.

The meatballs are savory and succulent, eventhough I make them with ground turkey.  The turkey really allows the flavor of the Parmesan cheese and herbs to shine through.

Combine them with the peperonata sauce over mashed potatoes and something simply magical happens.  I admit we never have any leftovers when we have Peperonata and Italian Meatballs. Try them today.