Weather: weather advisory, heavy rain, yellow leaves swirling by the windows.
What I’m listening to: gusting wind
We experienced a very wet storm over the weekend here on the Kenai Peninsula and have had an unusually soggy September thus far. And that means that for two weekends in a row, the kids have been cooped up indoors. On Sunday afternoon, I decided enough was enough and took all three of the kids to see Finding Nemo in 3D. On the way to the movie theater, we spotted two large caribou near the road, strutting through the colorful fall foliage. Then, on the way home, with our bellies full of popcorn, a massive bald eagle soared low right over our car and across the road. I don’t know how to be anything but thankful for this marvelous place and the memories I get to make with my family here.
Food, of course, is always an integral part of those memories. This Spaghetti Squash & Meatballs is a fun and kid-friendly way to eat your seasonal squash, using it as both the “pasta” and the serving dish. Most kids (and adults, too) love a good meatball. Add your favorite tomato sauce, and sprinkle the whole thing with mozzarella, and you’ve got one fantastically satisfying fall dinner with a beautiful presentation.
I confess that this is the squash I mentioned in my Chipotle Butternut Squash Soup post with which I battled, armed with a solid butcher knife, and lost. Visit my Chipotle Butternut Squash Soup post to read my tip for handling stubborn squash, inspired first by the making of this recipe.
Spaghetti Squash & Meatballs
Adapted from [Yummy Mummy Kitchen|http://www.yummymummykitchen.com/2011/11/baked-spaghetti-squash-and-meatballs.html]
Yields: 4 servings
- 2 whole spaghetti squash, cut in half and seeds removed
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
- 1-1/2lbs of your favorite meatballs (I made a batch of [these|http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/02/spaghetti-meatballs/]), cooked
- 4c of your favorite spaghetti sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 1c mozzarella cheese, shredded
- fresh basil, chiffonade, for serving
Preheat oven to 375. Place the 4 squash halves on a baking sheet. Drizzle the interior of the squash with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Turn cut side down and bake 30-40 minutes, or until squash is tender and strings like spaghetti when scraped with a fork. Remove from the oven.
Turn oven up to 400.
Turn the squash upright and scrape the squash with a fork and fluff the "spaghetti" strands. Place 1 serving of meatballs and 1c sauce over top of the squash. Sprinkle with 1/4c mozzarella cheese. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and everything is heated through, about 10 minutes. Top with fresh basil and serve.
