Zucchini & Meatballs w/ Spaghetti + DIY Gift Bows

Cooking and baking.  I have had an aha-duh moment this week.  If Greta helps me prepare the food, she eats much more willingly.  We have made cookies, corn on the cob, green beans, mac and cheese, and finally this lovely zucchini dish.

This dish is great because you can easily swap out or in various ingredients.  It can be made meat-free if you omit meatballs or use vegetarian meatballs.  The brand Qorn has a really good ‘meatball’ made from fungi.

Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the recipe.  So good, I feel like licking the screen.  Another bonus – it feeds a lot for just a little.  I will warn you though – this recipe is far from exact, I change it every time I make it.

We also figured out that toddlers do not need toys – just everyday items.  Take for example Scotch tape – the girl is much more dexterous with tape than I ever realized.  These donut tape dispensers are excellent fun.

I did, however, have fun making a bow from magazine strips.  This is one of those things I pinned off of Pinterest ages ago and am just now making use of it.  Some things I just hate buying and would rather make or reuse – bows, wrapping paper, and cards are in that category.  See this link for the how-to on making this bow. 

Cutting, and then sanding, sanding, sanding has been my other past time this week.  We are working on a new computer desk so we can wrap up the office in our new house.  I am excited about this furniture project and cannot wait to show off the finished project!  I hope to give you a tour soon, as many of our projects are winding down.

In other news, I am itching to change the name of this blog – I just feel it has evolved and the name is a tad on the cutesy side.  If you have any suggestions, I am all ears.  Please leave a comment in the comment section below.

Zucchini & Meatballs with Spaghetti

1. Slice and quarter 2 medium zucchini.  Saute zucchini in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until both sides are slightly browned.  Add 8 – 10 oz of marinara sauce and meatballs of your choice.  Simmer on low until thickened.

2.  Cook 2 – 3 servings of spaghetti according to package.  Reserve ¼ cup pasta water and then drain.  Add water to marinara, stir well.  Add chopped fresh herbs of choice such as, basil, oregano, and thyme.

3. Combine sauce and pasta.  Serve immediately.