Kefetedes kai Tzatziki (Meatballs with Tzatziki sauce)

Meatballs are wonderfully versatile. They are great with spaghetti, appetizers for a game day or potluck and even on a meatball sub hero. Tzatziki is a creamy cucumber yogurt sauce that you can put on anything. I love pairing it with meats like chicken, lamb, and beef. It is also great with grilled and raw vegetables as well as salads. One of my new favorite uses is with meatballs and sausage. 

Kitchen Utensils:
 
Cast iron or skillet
Garlic crusher 
Tongs 
Sharp knife 

Cutting board 
Bowls 
Plates 
Vegetable peeler 

Plastic Wrap

Ingredients for Meatballs:
1 large egg (beaten)
1 lb of ground beef
1.5 cups of breadcrumbs
1-2 tbsp of oregano
Black pepper
Salt
1 bunch of parsley (minced)
1/3 cup of feta cheese (crumbled)
3-4 cloves of crushed garlic (crushed/minced)
1-2 tablespoons of olive
3 leaves of minced basil
Optional: 1 jalapeño minced (for those who like some heat)
 
Method:

1. First, mince the basil, jalapenos (optional), parsley, and garlic into one small bowl.
2. In a larger bowl put the 1 pound of ground beef and spread it out throughout the bowl. Add, black pepper, kosher salt, oregano, and thyme into the meat and start mixing the meat up.
3. Once combined, crack one large egg, add breadcrumbs, olive oil, feta cheese and add the minced ingredients to the meat bowl and, using your hands, mix the meat until homogenized. Once homogenized, let it rest for 10 minutes.
4. On a plate, start grabbing and rolling mini meatballs into about 1 to 2-inch spheres and plate. Depending on the size, you might need to add another egg.
5. On a large skillet or cast iron, heat the cast iron with some olive oil. You can optionally add some minced garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant beforehand. Then, slowly, add the meatballs onto the skillet leaving some space in between for the meatballs and cook each side until evenly browned. Depending on the size of the meatball and skillet, this might take a couple minutes.
6. Once cooked, place on a wire rack or plate to cool and serve.

Ingredients for Tzatziki (tzat-zi-ki):
2-3 cloves of garlic (crushed/minced)
2 cups of Greek Yogurt (I recommend using Fage)
3 springs of fresh dill (minced)
2-3 leaves of fresh basil (minced)
1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
1/3 of a Cucumber (minced)

Method:

1. Wash the cucumber lightly and dry with a paper towel. Optionally, you can peel the cucumber skin with a vegetable peeler or leave it on. That is up to you. 
2. On a cutting board, mince the garlic, sprigs of dill, basil leaves, cucumber (skin peeled or unpeeled).
3. In a large bowl, add two cups of Greek yogurt, and stir until homogenized.
4. Following, add lemon juice and olive oil and stir with a spoon or spatula. Add salt and pepper for seasoning. At the end, you should have a beautiful creamy sauce that you can pair with your meatballs and other appetizers. Cover and in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready for use.