Lady and the Tramp – Spaghetti and Meatballs

All of these measurements are about. Sometimes when cooking, I just let the ancestors tell me when to stop.

1 ½ pounds of ground beef

1 tablespoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of ground black pepper

1 ½ teaspoon of dried basil

1 cup of breadcrumbs or Gluten Free Panko crumbs

1 egg

2 tablespoons of oil for frying

Box of spaghetti

Jar or 2 of your favorite marinara sauce

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl. Mix, and honestly the best way is to mix with your hands. Tori enjoyed smooshing the meat with her fingers!
2. Portion out a rounded mound and roll between your hands to make a ball. You can use a melon baller to portion out or eyeball it.
3. Heat oil in a big skillet on medium high heat.
4. Fry the meatballs a few minutes on each side. The best way to do this is small batches with room between each one and don't move them until you are ready to move to the next side. It can be tempting to move them a lot. Resist that temptation.
5. Drain each batch on a plate lined with paper towels. On the last batch, pile all the meatballs back in the skillet. Cover with your favorite marinara sauce and reduce heat to low. Let simmer while you are making pasta.
6. In another pot, start boiling water. Follow the directions on your box of pasta to cook pasta.
7. Once pasta is drained and ready, serve up your delicious spaghetti and meatballs. Enjoy!

I can't think of a more iconic Disney food scene than Lady and the Tramp eating spaghetti. This was a top choice for Tori and I. She really had a blast squishing and forming the meatballs. I was surprised, being that she is older and not into as tactile experiences. Then I remembered she is all about slime and it made sense.

The interesting conversation that came out of watching Lady and The Tramp was a discussion on racial stereotypes. That movie is chock full of them. We also discussed the history of racial stereotypes being used as a form of entertainment and how that has changed over the years. My stance is you can be aware of the things that don't work or are offensive about a piece of art, but can still appreciate the art for the time it was created and what was intended.

This movie still has one of my favorite lines: “Hate to change the subject, but ever chase chickens?” I hope you and your family can enjoy some wholesome food and a not-so-wholesome movie together.