By Fourteen weeks. The morning sickness has eased significantly across the past ten days. The fatigue is still there but I am sleeping seven hours instead of ten. The factory schedule has been the factory schedule. The line manager Aaron has been generous about the small breaks I have needed to take across the morning to use the bathroom. I have not told the factory yet that I am pregnant. The OB had said I had a few weeks of flexibility before the disclosure-decision would matter.
Sunday I made chicken pesto meatballs because the apartment had basil on the windowsill that had outgrown its pot and needed harvesting, and the chicken-pesto-meatball format scales for a make-ahead-and-freeze rotation that the second trimester would benefit from.
The procedure: combine a pound of ground chicken with a half-cup of fresh basil pesto (made from the windowsill harvest plus garlic, parmesan, sunflower seeds, olive oil, lemon, salt), a half-cup of breadcrumbs, one beaten egg, a quarter-cup of grated parmesan, a teaspoon of salt, a half-teaspoon of black pepper. Roll into one-inch meatballs. Pan-sear in olive oil for two minutes per side. Transfer to a pan of homemade marinara and simmer for fifteen minutes. Serve over pasta with extra parmesan. Twenty-four meatballs. Twelve to dinner. Twelve frozen in single-serving foil for later.
Dustin had a short week at the shop. The small auto-shop rhythm continues to be the small steady-income-source the small family-of-three-soon-to-be-three has built around. Bobby is reasonable. The shifts are predictable. The work is the work.
Aunt Linda came over Tuesday for the small two-hour visit. She held Brayden (or in earlier weeks, sat with me while I prepped). She brought a small Aunt-Linda-thing — a small handmade card, a small jar of preserves from her late-summer-garden, a small pressed-flower bookmark. The visits have become the small Tuesday-rhythm that has held the year together.
Chicken Pesto Meatballs
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 6 (about 24 meatballs)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground chicken
- 1/3 cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for pan, if skillet method)
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with cooking spray.
- Mix the meatball base. In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, pesto, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, beaten egg, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Mix gently with your hands or a fork until just combined — don’t overwork the mixture or the meatballs will be dense.
- Form the meatballs. Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, portion the mixture into balls roughly 1 1/2 inches in diameter (about 24 total). Place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake. Bake for 18—22 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and lightly golden on the outside. Internal temperature should reach 165°F.
- Serve or freeze. Serve immediately over pasta, zucchini noodles, or with marinara for dipping. To freeze: let meatballs cool completely on the baking sheet, then transfer to a zip-top freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen at 350°F for 15—18 minutes, or microwave in 60-second intervals until warmed through.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 265 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 7g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 420mg