Top this childhood memory of spaghetti surplus

Whenever my mom made spaghetti and meatballs, it was a big night in our family. Not only did everyone love it, but it had the added benefit of making me the most popular kid in my neighborhood, at least among my 6-year-old peers.

My mom didn't pass out samples. The attraction came in the form of my oldest brother, Scooter, who had many talents, but the most impressive was his ability to eat spaghetti and meatballs. "Eat" doesn't really do it justice. He would put on a show, and I was his eager assistant.

First I would line up my friends in front of a large picture window that had a clear view of our dinner table. There was always a bit of jostling as they jockeyed for the best position. After all, Scooter was a legend in eating spaghetti and no one wanted to miss a bite. What if this was the last show? What if this bowl was the one that made his stomach explode? No kid wanted to miss that spectacle.

Next, I would parade the bowl in which Scooter's spaghetti would be served in front of my friends, who gasped in amazement. My friends understood their role in the production, much the same way that a theater of moviegoers knows when to toss the toast at "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

Of course, the bowl was not ordinary. It was certainly not the cereal bowl that my spaghetti came in. It was my mother's largest mixing bowl. It was a bowl so large no man could possibly conquer it.

But Scooter was not just any man. He was a tall, athletic, 19-year-old eating machine.

Once the audience was at the height of their anticipation, Scooter would make his appearance and, with a flourish, pull his seat from the table and sit down. My mother, who was a good sport about this bit of silliness, would serve Scooter his dinner first, so all my friends could witness the demonstration without the distraction of other family members at the table.

Scooter worked his way through the entire bowl, forkful after forkful of twirled pasta, anchored by a big chunk of meatball. He took the appropriate pauses to wipe perspiration from his forehead. With each pause, my friends would murmur, "He'll never finish it." If I had been a savvier 6-year-old, I would have taken bets.

Then, after the last big bite, Scooter would sit back, his stomach fully extended, and raise his arms, proclaiming victory once again over that big mixing bowl of protein and carbs. The crowd roared. No matter how many times my friends witnessed the "miracle," it never got old.

This week, as I was topping a bowl of spaghetti with moist, flavorful Chicken and Kale Meatballs in Marinara Sauce to serve to my hungry crew, I couldn't help but think about Scooter, the man, the myth, the spaghetti-and-meatball-eating legend.

Food and family: They make the best memories.

Serves 6.

Meatballs:

• 1 slice whole wheat bread, torn into a few pieces

• 1/4 c. low-fat milk

• 1 small onion, roughly chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil

• 1 lb. lean ground chicken

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 3 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese

• 1/2 tsp. salt

Sauce:

• 1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions

For the meatballs: Place the bread pieces into the bowl of a food processor and drizzle with the milk. Let sit for a few minutes to allow the bread to absorb the milk. Add the chopped 1 onion and 2 minced garlic cloves to the bowl and pulse several times. The mixture should still have small chunks of onion. Add the kale and basil, and pulse another few times until the kale is minced. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. (Alternatively, soak the bread with the milk in a large bowl. Mash with a fork. Finely dice the onion, garlic, kale and basil and add to the bowl. Proceed with the recipe.)

Add the chicken, egg, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the large bowl and mix together lightly with your hands. Form into 24 balls, slightly smaller than a golf ball, and place on large tray. Keep covered and refrigerated until ready to use. (The meatballs can be frozen at this point. Once the meatballs are frozen solid, transfer to a freezer bag. They can be kept frozen for up to 3 months. )

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until the onions are softened. Add 3 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and red pepper flakes, and continue to cook for another minute.

Stir in the puréed tomatoes and reduce the heat to a simmer. Carefully place the meatballs into the sauce, spooning some of the sauce over the meatballs (avoid stirring the meatballs into the sauce, as they may break up). Reduce heat and simmer the meatballs, partially covered, for 20 minutes or until completely cooked through. Serve, as desired.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories220Fat13 gSodium580 mg

Carbohydrates11 gSaturated fat3 gTotal sugars5 g

Exchanges per serving: 1 carbs, 2½ medium-fat protein.