Sunday, July 10, 2016

lightened up "pioneer woman" spaghetti and meatballs

See that plate up there?  It's full of possibly the most delicious spaghetti and meatballs I've ever had.  And that's not even spaghetti!  (It's spaghetti squash - part of my effort to "lighten" things up.)  I loved that beautiful pile of deliciousness!

This spaghetti and meatballs is actually Pioneer Woman's recipe (click here for original recipe), but I made a few tweaks to lighten it up.  Instead of 3/4 pound beef and 3/4 pound ground pork, I used 1 pound ground turkey and 1/2 pound Jimmy Dean natural sausage (love that stuff!).  I considerably lessened the amount of olive oil used.  I also used oatmeal instead of the bread crumbs...nothing like a little fiber!  And finally, I have a tendency to eat spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti, just to make it a little less carbs. 




Spaghetti and Meatballs
A lightened-up version of the Pioneer Woman classic!

Meatballs:
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 1/2 lb. sausage
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup oatmeal
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1 t. dried parsley
  • 1/4 t. salt
  • ground pepper, to taste
  • splash of milk
  • 2 T. olive oil

Sauce:
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 28 oz. can whole tomatoes
  • 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1/4 t. salt
  • 1 t. sugar
  • ground pepper to taste
  • 1 t. dried parsley
  • 1 t. oregano

To make the meatballs, combine meat, garlic, oatmeal, Parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, and a splash of milk in a mixing bowl. Mix together well with hands. Roll into 25 1 1/2-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet into the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up.

To brown the meatballs, heat olive oil in a heavy pot or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs 8 at a time, turning to brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel after each batch. Set meatballs aside.

In the same pot, add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until translucent. Pour in whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and wine. Add salt, pepper, sugar, parsley, and oregano. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.

Add meatballs to pot and stir in gently. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring very gently a couple of times during the simmer. Serve over cooked spaghetti!

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