Slow-cooker turkey meatballs in pumpkin sauce

I consider the slow cooker one of the most blessed pieces of cooking equipment ever invented. This recipe takes a bit of advance preparation, but you can do a lot of it the night before, then throw it all in the slow cooker the next morning, and come home exhausted from work to a house full of delicious smells and nothing more stressful to do than boil some spaghetti.

First, make your meatballs.

Mix together with a fork or your hands:

1.25 lbs ground turkey (I used 93% lean--I find 99% lean too dry for this recipe)

1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs of your choice (I used chives from our garden)

1/4 cup any kind of cheese (I used shredded Mexican cheese, but anything from cheddar to Parmesan to ricotta would do)

1/4 cup breadcrumbs (if you don't have any, pulse a slice of bread in the food processor or crumble it with your fingers)

1 egg

1/4 of an onion, cut up very finely

2 teaspoons garlic powder (or a clove or two of fresh garlic, minced)

3/4 teaspoon salt (or less, to taste)

a few good grinds of black pepper, or about 1/4 teaspoon pre-ground pepper

Sprinkle about half a cup of flour on a dinner plate. Line a baking sheet with some baking paper.

Shape the meat mixture into balls. It doesn't really matter how big or small they are, just do what you prefer. Roll each meatball in the flour until it's coated all over (don't skip this step; you need the flour to thicken the sauce later). Place on the baking sheet. When you've finished making meatballs, place the baking sheet in the freezer until the meatballs are frozen through (or leave all night). They'll keep for a few days in there before they start thinking about getting freezer burn.

When you're ready to start cooking, whisk together 1 cup of homemade chicken broth (or use bought broth, I won't tell anyone), 1 can of pumpkin puree, and half a teaspoon of salt. Arrange your frozen meatballs artfully in the bottom of your slow cooker, and pour the sauce over the top. If the sauce looks too liquid to you, don't worry; the flour from the meatballs will thicken it as it cooks.

Cook on the lowest setting for around 6 hours, but if you're gone for 9 it probably won't be any the worse. Serve on top of spaghetti, with a sprinkling of grated cheese if you like that sort of thing. This usually serves two hungry adults and a hungry toddler and leaves a small amount of leftovers.