Homemade Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

Fall always reminds me of the food processing and canning.  Of course, my last writing was making sweet pickles.  I remember spending a lot of time with Mom in the kitchen, and she canned almost everything!!  Green beans, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, tomato juice, salsa, spaghetti sauce, peaches, apricots, pears, apples...pretty much if she raised it in the garden, she preserved it!  Today, on this beautiful autumn day, I decided to make homemade spaghetti sauce with meatballs...except it wasn't to can, but to eat...and it was yummy! 

For many years I have had "tummy trouble," and have decided to try to cut back on gluten and grain products, to see how my tummy responds.  So far, it has been very good!!  So, with the spaghetti sauce, obviously I couldn't do spaghetti, so I did the next best thing...cooked spaghetti squash.  I was so pleasantly surprised at the outcome of this and will definitely be making it again.  What is even better...I have "planned-overs" so will have a meal tomorrow and Monday, and may share with a friend of mine who eats Paleo-style.

Don't be scared about this recipe...it was simple, flavorful, best of all...good for my tummy! 

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 pound ground bison (buffalo)
3/4 cup onion, chopped
1 egg
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. each of:  dried basil, oregano, thyme, and marjarom

Marinara Sauce:
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 T. minced garlic
1 T. olive oil
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, no salt added
1 small can tomato sauce
1 small zucchini, diced
1/2 tsp. each of:  dried basil, oregano, thyme, and marjarom
2 T. fresh minced basil leaves
2 T. fresh minced parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Spaghetti:
Spaghetti Squash

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut spaghetti squash in half, place in baking pan, and bake for 1 hour or until it "shreds" easily with a fork.  While squash is cooking, mix together all the meatball ingredients, and roll into balls (I made 20 meatballs, so each serving was 5).  Place on a foil lined baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray, and place in the oven alongside the squash.  Bake for about 25 minutes. 

While these are baking, begin marinara sauce by sauteing the onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat.  One these are softened, but not browned, add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, zucchini, and all the seasonings.  Bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes, or until all flavors have come together.  For the last few minutes, add the cooked meatballs to the sauce, and simmer while you finish "shredding" the squash.

When the squash is done, remove from oven and "shred" with a fork.  To serve, place 1/4 of the "noodles" on serving plate, top with 5 meatballs (or 1/4 of the recipe) and divide the remaining sauce.  Makes 4 servings.