Donna's Spicy Italian Tomato Sauce, Slow Cooked Spaghetti Squash, Grilled Meatballs, and Maple-Mustard Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Dear Readers, I feel like I was just composing last week's blog posting and cannot believe that it has been an entire week already flown by!  I am still in a comfort food mood, probably due to the autumn season, so tonight's menu embraces the taste of spaghetti and meatballs with a healthy twist by grilling the meatballs and using spaghetti squash in place of pasta.  The maple-mustard roasted brussel sprouts also adds a delicious side note to the meal. Bon Appetit!  Best, Donna:

Donna's Spicy Italian Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet onion, chopped

2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces baby Portabella mushrooms, sliced

1 Tablespoon garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon dried basil, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper, ground

1/4 cup Pinot Grigio or other white wine

1 quart stewed tomatoes, preferably homemade
One 28 ounce can chunky tomato sauce, preferably organic

Method:

Heat olive oil in bottom of medium-sized stockpot.  Add onion and sauté until golden yellow and softened over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms and seasonings, and stir until mushrooms are cooked through.  Mix in the wine, stewed tomatoes and sauce.  Bring to boil and then reduce heat, cooking for about 15 minutes more.  Alternatively, place in slow cooker that has been sprayed with cooking oil, and cook on Low setting until serving time.  Serve over cooked spaghetti squash or gluten-free pasta with Grilled Meatballs and top with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4-6.

Donna's Slow Cooked Spaghetti Squash 

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized spaghetti squash, rinsed

Method:

Place whole squash in slow cooker sprayed with cooking oil and add about 2 Tablespoons of water.  Cook on Low setting about 8 to 10 hours.  (Alternatively, squash may be cut in half, placed cut-side down on cookie sheet sprayed with cooking oil and baked at 375° F for 45 minutes or until tender).

Remove from slow cooker or oven and let cool about 10 minutes before cutting in half.  Spoon out seeds and remove squash with fork to break into strands.  Serve with Spicy Italian Tomato Sauce, Grilled Meatballs, and top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Serves 4.

Donna's Grilled Meatballs

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground chuck (or 1 pound mild Italian pork sausage +1 pound ground

turkey)

1/2 cup dried oregano leaves (or half oregano and half basil leaves)

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Method:

Mix spices together in shallow bowl and set aside.  Break up meat with fork and gently mix. 

Form meat into 30 meatballs and roll each in spice blend.  Flatten each meatball slightly, and grill at 375 degrees F over indirect heat, about 15 minutes, until cooked through.  Serves with Spicy Italian Tomato Sauce and cooked spaghetti squash; then top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Serves 4.

Donna's Maple-Mustard Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

One 12 ounce package brussel sprouts, washed, then cut into halves or quarters, depending on size

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard, if desired

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Mix all ingredients in bowl and place on foil-lined cookie sheet sprayed with cooking oil.  Bake for 10 minutes, turn; bake 10 - 15 more minutes until browned and serve immediately.

Serves 3-4.

Copyright 2014.