Squashed It

This evening we had spaghetti squash for dinner and it was so delicious. 

I often forget about this little squash that was first introduced to me by my good friend Abby.

However, my mom is looking for some glutten free and healthy options in her diet too so I told her I would make this.  She had NEVER made or had spaghetti squash before.

For you first timers out there:

It looks a bit like spaghetti but does not have the same texture.

It is a bit firmer and has a very mild taste.

It is however a great substitution, a great way to get more vegetable in your diet, and my three year old had no idea I switched it out.

How To:

Cut squash in half lengthwise.  Scoop out all the seeds and mush from the center.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour until tender. 

Remove from oven and allow them to cool enough you can handle the halves.  Then using a fork shred/scrap the inside of the squash into a bowl.

 

This is where it will start to resemble spaghetti.  Keep scrapping until you reach the rind.

Top with a little butter & Parmesan and enjoy. 

Or do like me and add meatballs and marina to your "spaghetti" to fool the kids.

I served mine with meatballs to die for, ciabatta bread smothered in pesto then baked until nice and crispy, fresh strawberries & a yummy salad.

The meatballs were made from whatever I could find in the fridge and this is what I had and what I did:

In large bowl combine:

1 lb. extra lean ground beef

20 pepperonis-chopped

3 slices of provolone cheese-chopped

1/2 large onion-small dice

2 eggs

1 & 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs

3 Tb. milled flax seed

1 Tb. Italian seasoning

Salt & Pepper

Mix ingredients with your hands.  Add in 1/4 cup water at a time until moist enough to hold together and roll into golf ball size balls.  I added a little over a cup of water.

Brown meatballs in a skillet with olive oil until nice and brown.  They will fall apart just a bit.

After they are nice and brown remove and put on a paper towel to drain excess oil.

Dump oil out of skillet and put in pasta sauce.

Put all the meatballs back in.  This time settled nicely in pasta sauce.

Simmer on low to cook thoroughly.  About 15-20 minutes.  I suggest you cover it unless you want a splattered stove to clean up afterward.

It was a very random mix of ingredients but really they were the best meatballs I have ever made.  One of the better dinners I have made in a while.

It has made me decide that it is time for kitchen clean out again.

I do this a few times a year when the fridge and pantry get overloaded with items.

I refuse to go to the grocery until all the produce (fresh and frozen) as well as protein is gone. 

So the next few post will be fun ones.  A hodge podge of meals thrown together with whatever I can find.

Wish me luck!