spaghetti and meatballs (with hidden vegies)
we all have this for dinner at least once a fortnight, but the meatballs are great to cook and then freeze and then just heat and serve when you want. If you use dry breadcrumbs, you should mix them with a bit of milk so they add extra moisture to meat, otherwise its too dry, thats why i make my own from fresh bread and then i freeze in bags.
For the meatballs
1 pack of pork and veal mince (woolies sell it and its about 500g )
1 carrot grated
1/2 zuchini grated
1/2 small onion grated
1 clove garlic crushed
small amount of spinach (i use the frozen portion ones)
fresh breadcrumbs enough to combine the meat mixture
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
small amount of black pepper
For the sauce:
just use your favourite pasta sauce or I make my sauce own with
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tin crushed tomatoes
1/2 tin of water (after you empty to tomatoes in)
1/2 tin of tomato puree
1 sachet pizza sauce
1 onion
1/2 grated carrot
1/2 grated zuchini
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup frozen peas
mixed herbs to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Pasta - use wholemeal high fibre spaghetti or just your toddlers favourite pasta
for the meat balls:
mix all ingredients in a bowl until combined, then form into little meatballs, bake in the oven until just cooked through.
For the sauce:
add onion, garlic to olive oil, sautee until onion is soft.
add vegies and cook until soft
add tomatoes, water, tomato puree and pizza sauce
add herbs and brown sugar
simmer sauce on very low heat until the carrots and zuchini have cooked down to nothing and its hidden in the sauce.
add meatballs to sauce after they have finished cooking in the oven, if you leave them in the sauce for more than 1 hour, they will be really nice and moist!
serve over cooked pasta.
I usually cook mine all day so the flavours develope nicely
enjoy