Dark Days Challenge Week 4: Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs

It definitely was a challenge last week to get a local meal squeezed in between holiday family gatherings and leftovers.

But it was a nice diversion from leftover junkfood like heavily sauced meatballs, cheese balls and rich dips to have some kinda healthy, whole and SOLE food. I made spaghetti squash with venison meatballs and pesto. It was very hearty and filling.

Unfortunately, the hubs has decided he is NOT a fan of spaghetti squash. That's okay... more for me. Last year, the first time I made it, I put a ridiculous amount of cheese and butter in it. I wasn't even sure if I liked it, so I figured it couldn't be that bad with all that cheese and butter. When he tried it that time, he was kinda on the fence, but after this dinner, he's just not feelin' spaghetti squash.

The spaghetti squash itself is from Spanglers Greenhouse sold by the Monroe Farm Market. The pesto was made and frozen last summer. The basil was from my mom's basil "bush", and the olive oil, pine nuts and parmesean cheese is from far away. The venison meatballs are made from a deer the hubs killed last winter, with an egg from Breezy Knoll Farm via Monroe Farm Market, milk from Homestead Creamery in Wirtz, Va. Here's the link to the meatballs recipe (scroll about halfway down). It's one of my favorite ways to use deer burger. I added some extra olive oil and parmesean cheese to the mix as put it all in the skillet.