Crock-pot Spaghetti Squash

 Crock-pot Spaghetti Squash

Let me start off with saying I have a family of two (a third on the way:)) but my meals always seem to cook for 4-6 people.  I always try to shop for the week, and use what I have around the house, so never feel like you have to follow exactly!  Also, we are a pasta house!  Over a year ago I was told I needed to follow a gluten-free (ingredient) diet, among a few other things.  So we LOVE to substitute spaghetti squash instead of GF pasta all of the time.   Also, there is a Simple Girl recipe and a more  complex recipe. Today I have pictures for a more complex recipe.  I just had so many great veggie's in the fridge, I had to use them!


First, I always turn on my crock pot to high, and I turned the oven onto 380 degrees for the meatballs.
Then start with the crock-pot.

Crock-pot:

• 1 large (28 oz) can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 small can diced tomatoes (if you have one flavored with basil, oregano etc, use it!)
• 1 tsp sugar (cuts acidity)
• Black pepper
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp dried basil (add fresh if you have it!)
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley 
• I set aside a small tomato sauce and paste to add later depending if it needs to be thickened or thinned. In this case I ended up using the whole can of tomato paste because we had a furnace problem :| and it cooked too long!

Now for some prep! 

I always try to utilize my time and multi-task.  If you're not there yet, just do one thing at a time, but I start with prepping my veggie's.  

I was lucky enough to have peppers, celery, zuchinni and fresh mushrooms on hand! Not all mandatory!  If you have onion and garlic, that will get by enough for making a spaghetti sauce, as long as you have proper seasoning.

Prep: (only NEED onion and garlic, everything else is just extra!)

• 1/2 cup chopped onion 
• Mince about 1-2 Tbsp for meatballs as well
• 1/8 cup celery (just a few pieces does the trick, it just adds a certain flavor)
• 4 Tbsp minced garlic (if using cloves about 5-6)
• Chopped green pepper (no more than 1/2 cup)
• chopped zucchini (no more than 1/2 cup)
• Chopped mushrooms (no more than 1/2 cup)

Now, with the minced onion, lets start on the meatballs! (all about multi-tasking!)

Meatballs: If you have a favorite recipe for meatballs, use it! This is kind of my go to, again I use what I have!

• Oven should be pre-heated to 380 degrees, set aside greased pan
• I used about 1/3 Ib of hamburger (made 6 medium-large meatballs)
• you can also use ground turkey, beef chuck etc.
• Minced onion (1-2 Tbsp) (already prepped)
• Minced garlic (1-2 Tbsp, I use at least 2, yum!)
• Instead of bread crumbs, I used GF oatmeal, about 2 1/2 Tbsp
• Salt and pepper
• 1 egg (I try to only use the yolk)

Mix together with fork or hands.  Roll meatballs into small to medium sized balls.  There is limited space in the crock-pot so I try not to do more than 8.  Place in oven and SET A TIMER for 12 mins.  You only want to par cook these so they don't fall apart in the crock-pot. Back to prep!!

Saute Veggie's: 

Use a pan of your choice, place on medium or high heat. Do not add the olive oil until after the pan is heated.

• Saute veggie's on medium to high heat, once heated add olive oil, then add onion, celery and green pepper
• After a couple minutes add the zucchini, mushroom and garlic
• Salt and Pepper

If the veggie's start to stick add more olive oil.  Make sure they are softened and nicely sauteed.  Once done, turn off heat and add to the crock-pot.  The meatballs should be about down now, pull those and let them cool for a couple minutes (do not add to crock-pot).  

Spaghetti Squash:

• It is very important to cut it in half this way, instead of the long "boat" way  
• 1) It will fit in the crock-pot
• 2) This will insure longggg strings. If you cut it the other way, you're going against the growth, its like cutting your spaghetti up into 1 inch squares)
• I normally take our biggest heaviest knife and give it a big whack, and hope it splits it, then just keep banging it!

• With a spoon, scoop out the center. It just like cleaning out a pumpkin.  If you look closely you can see the "spaghetti"!

Opening part facing down, add the spaghetti squash to the crock-pot.  THEN add your meatballs (where they will fit) around the squash.  

Cook on high for 3 hours, then turn to low for the last 1 hour (total four hours of cooking)

Carefully take squash out, I then use two forks (one to hold it, and one to scrape the spaghetti out!)  Again, due to the furnace problems, this batch turned out a little over cooked...

The husband poured cheese on top before I could take a picture!  Anyways, the sauce turned out amazing!!!!! The meatballs were perfect, and the squash was super tender.  Enjoy!

   Remember, if you want to make the simple version, you can always use a can of spaghetti sauce, or if you still want to make your own sauce, you don't have to use a ton of veggie's!  Make it your own!    Sometimes it's best just being a Simple Girl.