Spaghetti Night

Tonight was spaghetti night, but I was tired of my regular spaghetti routine. Fry the beef with a little garlic, throw in a can of crushed tomatoes and spices. Make the pasta, & toss together a fresh salad using whatever veggies need to be eaten first. As much as the family loves spaghetti, as the cook I need to feel inspired to prepare it or else cooking becomes a chore and a bore.

That's when I thought of meat balls! I found leftover rice in the fridge and added that to my beef together with spices and and some eggs. I sauteed these in a little olive oil and then added my crushed tomatoes. But this time I added some paprika & a heaping spoon of pesto (had that left over in the fridge too) to my sauce. It simmered for a while, & was finally rewarded with a very tasty twist to spaghetti night. I'll admit, it took a little longer than usual, but I had a lot more fun & felt like I had created a masterpiece, rather then a paint-by-numbers.

Beef and Rice Meat Balls with Pesto Spaghetti Sauce

Meat balls

• 1 lb of lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups of cooked brown or white rice
• 2 eggs
• crushed garlic and garlic flakes
• paprika
• red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper
• (I also added a Organic No-Salt Seasoning that I get from Costco)

Sauce

• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
• paprika
• basil
• red pepper flakes
• 1 heaping tablespoon of pesto
• white wine (optional)
• salt and pepper

After sauteing the meat balls, pour the sauce ingredients over the top & let it simmer, stirring occasionally. Serve this dish over wholewheat pasta or brown rice, and don't forget to make a big fresh salad and eat that first!