Eating worms?

If you read the first post, you'd remember that Friday nights are pizza nights for us. Today, however, is a variation on the routine, since he already had pizza once for the week. So today, after a frustrating day of dealing with insurance companies, buying another car and going for physio (all the result of a car accident three weeks ago), I couldn't wait to get home and kick back. Alas, if you're a single parent, you will know there's no such thing as "kicking back." I could've taken the easy way out and go for pizza, but my conscience kicked in. So, I looked in the freezer and found some meatballs (leftover from a box I bought 3 weeks ago, for $6.99 for 40) and that inspired tonight's menu --an easy favourite.

With kids, you cannot go wrong with spaghetti and meat balls. It's a combination of taste and gross factor ("look, Dad, we're eating worms!") that makes it so appealing. So that's tonight's menu, easy enough to make and still provide you with the "kicking back" time a Friday deserves. It involves, however, something I dislike, which is watching a boiling pot on the stove, but because spaghetti takes like 5 minutes to cook, it's no big deal.

First, put the meat balls (Italian style, or any flavor you choose) in an oiled, oven friendly dish, and cook at 375 F for about 15 - 20 minutes, turning once half way. In the meantime, put the spaghetti to boil (I use Bertonelli, .99 per pack, as it always cooks al dente) and in another pan put the sauce (I use Ragu original, on sale at .99) to simmer. Add what you wish to the sauce to enhance the flavor -- I usually throw in a bit of garlic, it's up to what the little one will tolerate -- and when it starts to sputter on the stove top, run like hell. No, joke aside, lower it to the lowest point on the stove (1 or 2, depends on your appliance) and stir regularly so it doesn't stick.When the meatballs are done, add them while hot straight from the oven to the sauce. By then you would have hopefully drained the pasta and have it sitting. Since the meat balls are already cooked, just leave the sauce pot on the stove long enough for the meat to absorb some of the flavor, and then serve. You can mix the spaghetti in with the sauce, or use my preferred method, which is plate the spaghetti and then pour the sauce and meatballs over it.

Easy enough -- takes less than half hour from start to finish, and your little one will definitely enjoy. And dinner for 2 for way less than $10. Then kick back with a beer and enjoy your Friday, knowing the little one is well fed for the night.