Tomato Cream Sauce

The Fish Fam LOVED this Tomato Cream Sauce.

It's from the Pioneer Women, which I love pretty much all of her recipes!

I changed this one up a bit though because we limit cows milk as much as possible, so instead of using the heavy cream I made a white sauce with butter, flour, and coconut milk. Very easy. Directions here.

I've also got lots of help in the kitchen! My little one opens the cans of organic tomato sauce and while another grates the parmesan cheese. Very helpful!

Mine didn't turn out so orange, but the family said it's super super good and we've had it quite a few times these last few weeks with organic pasta.

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

The Pioneer Women

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cans (15 Oz. Size) Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce
•  Salt And Pepper, to taste
•  Dash Of Sugar (more To Taste)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
•  Grated Parmesan Or Romano Cheese, To Taste
•  Fresh Basil, Chopped
• 1-1/2 pound Fettuccine

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or so. Pour in tomato sauce and add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Stir and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in cream. Add cheese to taste, then check seasonings. Stir in pasta and chopped basil and serve immediately. (Thin with pasta water before adding basil if needed.)

*Switch out the wheat noodles for gluten-free to make it gluten-free!

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats

This recipe is from Skinnytaste and looked awesome.

Spaghetti Squash Sausage Lasagna Boats

Via Skinnytaste.com

Ingredients:

• 3 small to medium spaghetti squash (about 5 cups cooked)
• salt and fresh pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup part skim ricotta cheese
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley (or basil)
• 3/4 cup whole milk shredded mozzarella cheese

For the Sauce:

• 1 tsp olive oil 
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 14 oz Italian chicken sausage
• 14 oz (1/2 can) crushed tomatoes (I prefer Tuttorosso)  
• salt and fresh pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped basil

Go to the website for the directions.

*I used organic Gouda cheese instead of Ricotta Cheese and didn't add any Mozzarella and organic ground beef.

But, basically...

Cutting a Spaghetti Squash can be difficult in fact dangerous!

The shell is hard hard hard.

So, I've come to learn to cook it in the oven for abt 15mins in a dish w/ water to let it soften up and then remove it and cut it in half. Much easier! But be careful because it will be hot.

Cook at 400deg. for an hour more or less.
It usually takes 45mins.

You'll know if it's needs to cook longer because the "noodles" are stiff and crunchy.

Spaghetti Squash is actually a beautiful thing once it's cooked and tastes yummy.
It should taste yummy and to me sweet.
Not bitter and gross that you have to spit it out.
Yuck.

For the meat sauce...

Chop up garlic and onions
Infuse in hot pan w/ oil
Then add meat and cook
Add can of diced tomatoes.
Plus, S&P
Dried Basil
& Bay Leaf.

Let it simmer for 20+mins.

I really wanted to add fresh basil, but the grocery store down the road from was closed and the other two stores I went to didn't have it. Darn it!

It still smelled good.

Grate your cheeses and chop up the parsley and mix together to top it all off.

Once you have the squash shells ready...

Mix the "noodles" and meat and put inside
Then add a little more meat sauce on top.
Top it all off with the shredded cheese/parsley mix

Wow, this smelled delicious and of course the Fish Fam enjoyed it :)

And for leftovers I put this over baked potatoes and grated more fresh cheese.

Yum.

Spaghetti w/ a Chance of Meatballs

The Fish Fam loved these Turkey Meatballs.

As I was mixing everything together it smelled really good.
But, once they got cooking in the oven, wow, it smelled pretty awesome.

My little one exclaimed in excitement...

"Yay, spaghetti with a chance of meatballs!"

And during dinner, "Mom, I want more chance of meatballs!"

This recipe looked the best... Turkey-Spinach Meatballs.
But, I didn't have everything, so I did this...

Meatballs

• 1 large egg, beaten to blend
• ¼ small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped
• 1½ pound ground turkey, preferably 93% lean or less
• 3 oz chopped spinach
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan 
• ½ cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• Few dashes of crushed red pepper 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil  

• 
  Preheat broiler. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with nonstick spray.
• Using your hands or a fork, gently mix egg, onion, garlic, turkey, spinach, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, fennel seeds, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl just until combined. Scoop out turkey mixture by the ¼-cupful and form into balls (you should have about 20). Place on prepared baking sheet, spacing 2” apart; brush with oil.
• Broil meatballs, turning often, until browned all over and cooked through, 15–18 minutes. Add to marinara sauce.
• DO AHEAD: Meatballs with marinara sauce can be made 2 weeks ahead. Let cool completely and freeze individual portions in resealable plastic bags. Run under tepid water to loosen from bag and gently reheat, covered, until meatballs are warmed through and sauce is bubbling, 15–20 minutes.
  
  
  They came out great! 
  Next time I'll just not put so close to the broiler.

Boil your spaghetti noodles.

Add your favorite marinara sauce or make your own.

Make some breadsticks (click for recipe).

Then sprinkled everything with fresh Parmesan cheese.

And walla dinner is served...

Mangia bene, vivi felice :)

Kale & Beet Spaghetti

I had some beets to use so they were thrown into our dinner.

Beets always give a nice and vibrant color that I love.

Also in the mix is kale, turkey meat, and fresh parmesan cheese.

Side salad topped with yummy organic strawberries.