Spaghetti and Eyeballs

Ingredients

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbsp. ketchup
2 eggs
1 tbsp. fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried
1 7-oz. jar pimiento-stuffed olives
1 26-oz. jar prepared pasta sauce
1 lb. spaghetti
1 tbsp. olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, ketchup, eggs and basil in a large bowl. Using the meat mixture, form about 30 small meatballs.

3. To make the eyeballs, press an olive into each meatball, pimiento side out. Place the eyeballs in a baking dish, cover with the pasta sauce and bake for
45 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water. Drain and rinse the spaghetti, and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent strands from sticking together. Put it on a platter or in a large serving bowl.

5. Spoon the eyeballs onto the spaghetti, irises up, and spoon the pasta sauce around them. Makes 10 servings.

Jodie Shield is a registered dietitian and the mother of three enthusiastic trick-or-treaters.