Blue Cheese - Jalapeno Meatballs

I'm always looking for new things to try, so when my friend told me about these meatballs she had at a restaurant in the valley, I knew I had to try to make them myself. They start with ground turkey which, in my opinion, sometimes falls flat in the flavor department. But not this time. These savory meatballs are spiced up with fresh garlic & jalapeno and... blue cheese!
They bake in about half an hour or you can fry them in batches in a large skillet, over medium heat.
I like to serve them with buttery egg noodles, but mashed potatoes, or rice would be delicious too. Or on a fresh hoagie roll as a meatball sandwich...



4 cloves garlic
1/2 onion, cut into chunks
1 jalapeno pepper, halved and seeded
1 pound ground turkey
1/4 cup fresh blue cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3 egg whites
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
Pulse garlic cloves in a food processor until minced. Add onion and jalapeno, and pulse until minced again. Scrape the onion mixture into a large bowl along with the turkey, blue cheese, bread crumbs, egg whites, and olive oil. Season with soy sauce, dried parsley, Italian seasoning, pepper, and chili powder. Mix well.
Roll the mixture into 2 inch balls, and place onto prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, and no longer pink in the center, about 25 minutes.