Spaghetti Squash & Meatballs

Lately my husband and I have been trying to focus on eating healthier and cutting back on carbohydrates. One meal that we both loved was this spaghetti squash with meatballs. It is basically spaghetti and meatballs, but instead of using spaghetti we used spaghetti squash. Now, I'm not going to lie to you and say that it tastes just like regular spaghetti because it doesn't. It isn't pasta, it's a vegetable! Don't let that keep you from making this dish though, it turned out delicious! The flavors of the tomato sauce paired really well with the flavor of the spaghetti squash! We liked it so much we are making it again this week!

This recipe will make about 16 meatballs which I would consider 4 servings. To make the meatballs you will need:

• 3/4 lb. GROUND BEEF
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 6 Tbs PLAIN BREAD CRUMBS
• 1 LARGE EGG
• 6 Tbs PARMESAN CHEESE, shredded
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced
• pinch of SALT and PEPPER
• splash of MILK
• 3-4 Tbs OLIVE OIL

To make the sauce you will need:

• 1/2 YELLOW ONION, chopped
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER
• 28 oz. CRUSHED TOMATOES 
• Optional: 1/4 cup WHITE WINE
• 1/4 tsp SUGAR
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced

You will also need:

• 2 medium SPAGHETTI SPAGHETTI SQUASHES (1/2 a squash per serving) 

Start off by mixing together the ground beef, garlic, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and milk in a medium bowl.

Don't be afraid, get your hands in there and mix it all up!

Once the mixture is well combined roll out balls that are about 1 & 1/2 inches in diameter and place them on a cookie sheet. Once all of the meatball are rolled out, place the cookie sheet in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Doing this helps them stay together better while you brown them. 

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the meatballs in the pot, turn to brown. (You are not trying to cook the meatballs just yet, you are just trying to get a good sear all over.) 

Place the meatballs on a paper towel once they have a good sear in order to drain off any excess oil. 

Into the large pot with oil, add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until they start to to turn translucent.



Then add the crushed tomatoes, wine, salt, pepper, and parsley. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat.

Then add the meatballs to the sauce and cook for another 30 minutes. Stir gently as to not break up the meatballs. If the sauce starts to get too thick you can add more crushed tomatoes if you have them or else a little bit of water.



While the meatballs are cooking prepare the spaghetti squash. This way all of the food will be ready at once!

Pierce the skin of the squash several times with a sharp knife in order to allow the steam to escape (Basically stab it a few times, but be careful! The skin is very tough!).

If you choose to bake it, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and then bake it on a cookie sheet for 1 hour. OR you could take the quicker route and put it on a plate and microwave it for 10-12 minutes making sure to rotate the squash half-way through. Your choice! The squash is done cooking when you can pierce the squash with your knife fairly easily.

After cooking your squash, cut it open lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. 

Then take a fork and scrape the stringy, spaghetti-like squash out.

Transfer the squash to a bowl... 

and top with the sauce and meatballs! 

Then sit back and enjoy!

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Spaghetti Squash & Meatballs

Ingredients:

To make the meatballs you will need:

• 3/4 lb. GROUND BEEF
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 6 Tbs PLAIN BREAD CRUMBS
• 1 LARGE EGG
• 6 Tbs PARMESAN CHEESE, shredded
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced
• pinch of SALT and PEPPER
• splash of MILK
• 3-4 Tbs OLIVE OIL

To make the sauce you will need:

• 1/2 YELLOW ONION, chopped
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER
• 28 oz. CRUSHED TOMATOES 
• Optional: 1/4 cup WHITE WINE
• 1/4 tsp SUGAR
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced

You will also need:

• 2 medium SPAGHETTI SPAGHETTI SQUASHES (1/2 a squash per serving) 

Directions:

1. Start off by mixing together the ground beef, garlic, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and milk in a medium bowl. Don't be afraid, get your hands in there and mix it all up!
2. Once the mixture is well combined, roll out balls that are about 1 & 1/2 inches in diameter and place them on a cookie sheet. Once all of the meatball are rolled out, place the cookie sheet in the freezer for about 10 minutes. 
3. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the meatballs in the pot, turn to brown. (You are not trying to cook the meatballs just yet, you are just trying to get a good sear all over.) 
4. Place the meatballs on a paper towel once they have a good sear in order to drain off any excess oil. 
5. Into the large pot with oil, add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until they start to to turn translucent. Then add the crushed tomatoes, wine, salt, pepper, and parsley. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat. 
6. Then add the meatballs to the sauce and cook for another 30 minutes. Stir gently as to not break up the meatballs. (If the sauce starts to get too thick you can add more crushed tomatoes if you have them or else a little bit of water.) While the meatballs are cooking prepare the spaghetti squash.
7. Pierce the skin of the squash several times with a sharp knife in order to allow the steam to escape while cooking (Basically stab it a few times, but be careful! The skin is very tough!). The squash is done cooking when you can pierce the squash with your knife fairly easily.
• If you choose to bake it, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and then bake it on a cookie sheet for 1 hour. 
• If you choose to microwave it, put it on a plate and heat it for 10-12 minutes making sure to rotate the squash half-way through.
8. After cooking your squash, cut it open lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. 
9. Then take a fork and scrape the stringy, spaghetti-like squash out.
10. Serve the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti squash and top with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil! Then sit back and enjoy!

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Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes

A couple months ago my mom came to visit us in Maryland and we decided to go out and get some crab cakes! When in Rome, right? Unfortunately, they were not all that we had hoped they would be. After our disappointing experience we decided that next time we wanted crab cakes we would try our hand at making them ourselves. They sell FRESH jumbo lump crab meat in the grocery store here for goodness sake!

I came up with this recipe by combining a few things that we did like about the crab cakes we tried with mom and a few things I found in some recipes online. I think the product turn out wonderfully! These crab cake are only about 150 calories each so they definitely won't break your new year's resolutions!

To make 4 wonderful crab cakes (2 per person) you will need:

• 8 oz. JUMBO LUMP CRAB MEAT
• 1 slice WHITE BREAD, torn into small pieces
• 1/4 cup PLAIN BREAD CRUMBS
• 1 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced
• 1 LARGE EGG
• 2 Tbs MAYO
• 1 tsp OLD BAY SEASONING (If I have learned anything since moving here, it's that Marylanders love their Old Bay!!)
• pinch of GARLIC POWDER
• 2 tsp WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
• 1/4 tsp DIJON MUSTARD

Start off by gently mixing the jump lump crab meat, white bread chunks, bread crumbs, and parsley in medium sized bowl. Be careful not to break up lumps of crab meat!

Then mix together the egg, mayo, seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard in a small bowl.

Next, carefully mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Divide the mixture into fourths and shape each section into a patty. Lay the patties on a greased cookie sheet and broil on high for 10-15 minutes with the oven rack near the top. If the cakes start to get too dark on top, lower the oven rack or turn the broiler to low.

They should come out looking like this!

Eat up! We didn't use a dipping sauce (I don't think these cakes need it!), but if you would like to try some, people often dip the cakes in tartar sauce or cocktail sauce with some lemon drizzled over the top!

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Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. JUMBO LUMP CRAB MEAT
• 1 slice WHITE BREAD, torn into small pieces
• 1/4 cup PLAIN BREAD CRUMBS
• 1 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced
• 1 LARGE EGG
• 2 Tbs MAYO
• 1 tsp OLD BAY SEASONING (If I have learned anything since moving here, it's that Marylanders love their Old Bay!!)
• pinch of GARLIC POWDER
• 2 tsp WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
• 1/4 tsp DIJON MUSTARD

Directions:

1. Start off by gently mixing the jump lump crab meat, white bread chunks, bread crumbs, and parsley in medium sized bowl. Be careful not to break up lumps of crab meat!
2. Then mix together the egg, mayo, seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard in a small bowl.
3. Next, carefully mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
4. Divide the mixture into fourths and shape each section into a patty. Lay the patties on a greased cookie sheet and broil on high for 10-15 minutes with the oven rack near the top. If the cakes start to get too dark on top, lower the oven rack or turn the broiler to low.

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Spaghetti & Meatballs

Spaghetti and meatballs always make for a wonderful meal and this recipe did not disappoint! Most of the time I don't like meatballs, (I know, I'm weird, I just usually don't like them!) but these were soft, moist, and flavorful!

This recipe made 4 servings of spaghetti & meatballs. We had it for dinner two days in a row and it was just as good leftover as is was fresh! A serving had 4 meatballs, 2 oz. of pasta, and a healthy portion of sauce!

To make the meatballs you will need:

• 3/4 lb. GROUND BEEF
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 6 Tbs PLAIN BREAD CRUMBS
• 1 LARGE EGG
• 6 Tbs PARMESAN CHEESE, shredded
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced
• pinch of SALT and PEPPER
• splash of MILK
• 3-4 Tbs OLIVE OIL

To make the sauce you will need:

• 1/2 YELLOW ONION, chopped
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER
• 14 oz. WHOLE TOMATOES
• 14-20 oz. CRUSHED TOMATOES (I used closer to 20 oz. because I wanted the sauce to have more liquid and not be so chunky)
• Optional: 1/4 cup WHITE WINE
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced
• 8 oz. SPAGHETTI

Start off by mixing together the ground beef, garlic, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and milk in a medium bowl.

Don't be afraid, get your hands in there and mix it all up!

Once the mixture is well combined roll out balls that are about 1 & 1/2 inches in diameter and place them on a cookie sheet. Once all of the meatball are rolled out, place the cookie sheet in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Doing this helps them stay together better while you brown them. 

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the meatballs in the pot, turn to brown. (You are not trying to cook the meatballs just yet, you are just trying to get a good sear all over.) 

Place the meatballs on a paper towel once they have a good sear in order to drain off any excess oil. 

Into the large pot with oil, add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until they start to to turn translucent.



Then add the whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, wine, salt, pepper, and parsley. Stir and cook for about 20 minutes over medium heat.

Then add the meatballs to the sauce and cook for another 30 minutes. Stir gently as to not break up the meatballs. If the sauce starts to get too thick you can add more crushed tomatoes if you have them or else a little bit of water.



Start boiling water in a separate pot at the beginning of the 30 minutes for the spaghetti. This way all of the food will be ready at once!

Serve the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti and top with more Parmesan cheese!

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Spaghetti & Meatballs

Ingredients:

To make the meatballs you will need:

• 3/4 lb. GROUND BEEF
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 6 Tbs PLAIN BREAD CRUMBS
• 1 LARGE EGG
• 6 Tbs PARMESAN CHEESE, shredded
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced
• pinch of SALT and PEPPER
• splash of MILK
• 3-4 Tbs OLIVE OIL

To make the sauce you will need:

• 1/2 YELLOW ONION, chopped
• 2 cloves GARLIC, minced
• 1/2 tsp SALT
• 1/2 tsp PEPPER
• 14 oz. WHOLE TOMATOES
• 14-20 oz. CRUSHED TOMATOES (I used closer to 20 oz. because I wanted the sauce to have more liquid and not be so chunky)
• Optional: 1/4 cup WHITE WINE
• 2 Tbs FRESH PARSLEY, minced
• 8 oz. SPAGHETTI

Directions:

1. Start off by mixing together the ground beef, garlic, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, and milk in a medium bowl. Don't be afraid, get your hands in there and mix it all up!
2. Once the mixture is well combined, roll out balls that are about 1 & 1/2 inches in diameter and place them on a cookie sheet. Once all of the meatball are rolled out, place the cookie sheet in the freezer for about 10 minutes. 
3. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, sear the meatballs in the pot, turn to brown. (You are not trying to cook the meatballs just yet, you are just trying to get a good sear all over.) 
4. Place the meatballs on a paper towel once they have a good sear in order to drain off any excess oil. 
5. Into the large pot with oil, add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until they start to to turn translucent. Then add the whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, wine, salt, pepper, and parsley. Stir and cook for about 20 minutes over medium heat. 
6. Then add the meatballs to the sauce and cook for another 30 minutes. Stir gently as to not break up the meatballs. Start boiling water in a separate pot at the beginning of the 30 minutes for the spaghetti. This way all of the food will be ready at once!
7. If the sauce starts to get too thick you can add more crushed tomatoes if you have them or else a little bit of water. 
8. Serve the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti and top with more Parmesan cheese!

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This recipe is based on the Pioneer Woman's recipe for spaghetti & meatballs: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/02/spaghetti-meatballs/

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

My husband and I made this for dinner a few days ago and both both enjoyed it! This chicken recipe is quick and super easy to make! 

All you need is:

• 1 large CHICKEN BREAST, sliced long-wise into two pieces OR 2 smaller chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup HELLMANN'S MAYONAISE 
• 2 Tbs shredded PARMESAN CHEESE
• 2 tsp ITALIAN SEASONED DRY BREAD CRUMBS

Start by preheating the oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare a baking dish, I always put some foil down for easy clean-up, and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Lay the chicken in the dish and then in a small bowl mix the mayonnaise and the cheese. Next, spread the mayonnaise mixture over the top of the chicken and sprinkle with breadcrumbs! Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, and then eat up!

We cooked up some spaghetti with marinara sauce to go with the chicken. Yum. I promise we had healthy intentions though! We had planned on having broccoli, but unfortunately it had gone bad since we had also planned on having the same broccoli last week...oops.

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Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 large CHICKEN BREAST, sliced long-wise into two pieces OR 2 smaller chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup HELLMANN'S MAYONAISE 
• 2 Tbs shredded PARMESAN CHEESE
• 2 tsp ITALIAN SEASONED DRY BREAD CRUMBS

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 
2. Prepare a baking dish, I always put some foil down for easy clean-up, and spray with nonstick cooking spray. 
3. Lay the chicken in the dish and then in a small bowl mix the mayonnaise and the cheese. Next, spread the mayonnaise mixture over the top of the chicken and sprinkle with breadcrumbs! 
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, and then eat up!

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The website where I found this recipe is: http://theenchantedcook.blogspot.com/2011/10/parmesan-crusted-chicken-hellmanns-mayo.html