It’s funny that out of the huge variety of meals that I’ve cooked, it’s still good old spaghetti that the kids will most often request. It’s a request that I’m more than happy to fulfill, since I’m a big lover of spaghetti myself. If we’re in a rush, I just pour plain pasta sauce over the noodles, but if I have more time and I’m in a creative mood, I like to add things like vegetables and meat into the sauce. Meatballs are a fun option, especially when stuffed with cheese. I learned that if you freeze the cheese first, it prevents it from oozing and seeping out of the meatballs as they cook. I skipped this step to save time and as a result, they weren’t as cheesy as I would have liked, so next time I won’t be skipping that part. You can change the meat and cheese to suit your preference. For instance, ground turkey would be a nice leaner choice of meat, and mozzarella cheese instead of provolone would be great too. These meatballs freeze really well, so you can make them ahead of time and throw them in a freezer bag to be used whenever you make spaghetti and want meatballs in a hurry. The kids loved the cheese centres, and they didn’t even notice that I had put grated vegetables in them. This recipe is a wonderful way to make a simple meal like spaghetti a little more special.

Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs
4 oz provolone cheese
500 g ground beef
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup finely shredded carrot or zucchini
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg

Cut cheese into 3/4″ cubes (about 18 of them) and place in freezer for at least an hour. Preheat oven at 350F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together remaining ingredients. Take cheese cubes out of the freezer. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture and flatten it in the palm of your hand. Place one of the cheese cubes in the center, then gather the meat around it and form a ball. Place on baking sheet. Repeat until you’ve used up all the meat mixture. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until meat is no longer pink inside. Serve with pasta sauce and spaghetti.