“The biggest myth about Southern women is that we are fragile types…we’re about as fragile as coal trucks.”

-Lee Smith

So Lolleigh’s kitchen hit a bit of a rough patch this week, but all things considered it’s not gonna shut this kitchen down. I always say that Italians and Southerners have one thing in common, they cook with love and it shows in the food.

Here’s my version of traditional spaghetti and meatballs. Cooked with love and with a lot less fat than a traditional meatball.

Recipe for Meatballs:

1 lb extra lean ground beef, 97/3 or 95/5

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together well, your hand works best. Then form about 18, 1 inch meatballs.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a wire rack on top of a foil-lined cookie sheet, bake meatballs for 20 minutes.

 For Sauce:

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 cup tomato sauce

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

1/4 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion for 5-7 minutes until tender, add garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and rest of ingredients. Turn heat to medium-low and let simmer while the meatballs continue cooking.

Once meatballs are added to the sauce let simmer for about 20 more minutes and then serve with you favorite pasta.

Notes:

I like to use Barilla Plus pasta. It’s whole grain with added protein and omega 3′s.

Extra Lean beef is easy to dry out, so don’t over bake the meatballs.

Everyone should have a signature color! Julia Robert’s character Shelby in Steel Magnolias proclaimed hers to be blush and bashful. My mom says hers is taupe and peach…she sent me and my sis for a pedi in this off the beaten path nail salon while sitting there we realized why she raved about this place – the decor – taupe and peach!

And of course there’s me. I love orange. This is not because I was raised a Tennessee Vol. It’s a beautiful, bright and chic color. Take a look… 

Recipe:

4 oz. neufatchel cheese or reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1 cup 0% Fage greek yogurt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 c. sugar

1 egg white

1 tbsp. flour

1/4 tsp. orange zest

Vanilla Wafers

Muffin Cups (I like the no pan needed kind)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cream together cream cheese and yogurt until smooth. Add in the next 5 ingredients. Blending well.

Place a vanilla wafer in the bottom of each  muffin cup and place them on a cookie sheet. Fill cups with about a 1/4 cup of the cream cheese mixture. This will yield about 8 mini cheesecakes.

Bake in oven for 25 minutes  – the center should be set. Place cup on a wire rack and cool completely before putting in the fridge.

Notes:

I love the organic vanilla wafers at Whole Foods – they are delicious and super crunchy. You could certainly substitute a reduced fat vanilla wafer.

This recipe can be easily doubled. I like to make small batches of sweets so I don’t over indulge!