Spaghetti Pie

Yes, I'm still here.  I'm sure I'm not alone with this statement...'Man, it sure is a busy time of year.'  It's been so busy that I really haven't even spent all that much time in the kitchen.  This is abnormal for me as cooking and baking is therapeutic for me.  I love getting in the kitchen, turning on my radio, maybe pouring a glass of wine, and zoning out as I cook.  I suppose I can never really zone out with two little boys and a Rottweiler under foot.  Not to mention our fat cat, Chelsea, who's on a diet and cries at me all day for food.  I wouldn't change it though!

My kitchen time is also my creative outlet.  It so fun to experiment with new foods and try different ways of doing things.  Last week, I decided it was time to set aside some time to make a meal and have some friends over.  Luckily, I found Jennifer and her fella, Ken, who were willing last minute dinner guests. 

Spaghetti pie is well liked at my dinner table.  It's a recipe from Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld.  In her book, she teaches how to sneak vegetables into food so picky pants kids (and adults) would never know they were there.  I've been told the brownies with spinach puree are delicious.  I don't know if I'm feeling quite ready for that one yet though.

There's something the boys like about having their spaghetti in a pie shape.  Christian came to the table and said 'yay!'  He's my picky pants eater.  Jennifer even made a comment about how it's easy to get tired of spaghetti but she'd never thought to make it into shapes.   

To make the purees in the recipe, just steam the vegetables until soft and then puree them in a food processor or blender.  I'm sure spaghetti pie would still be tasty without the purees too.

Spaghetti Pie
From Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld.

Non stick cooking spray
3 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1/2 pound lean ground turkey or sirloin
1/4 cup broccoli puree
l large egg white
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2-2 1/2 cups bottled spaghetti sauce
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup carrot puree
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook until al dente.  Drain in a colander.

In a small bowl, mix the ground turkey or sirloin with the broccoli puree, egg white, Parmesan, and garlic.  Form 1/2 inch balls from the mixture.

In a large bowl, stir the cooked pasta, spaghetti sauce, cottage cheese, carrot puree, and salt and pepper.  Spoon mixture into the pie plate and smooth the top.  Scatter meatballs on top and sprinkle with mozzarella.  Bake, uncovered, until the center is firm and the cheese is bubbly, 25-30 minutes.