Zombie Eyes (Halloween Meatballs)

Ingredients

• 1 package spaghetti , 8 ounce
• 0.5 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 0.33 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 blacks olives , halved
• 1 stick string cheese , 1 ounce
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce , 16 ounce

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

3. 3

   Whisk Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, parsley, basil, and oregano together in a large mixing bowl. Fold in ground beef and mix with your hands until blended. Form 16 equal-sized meatballs using a cookie scoop.

4. 4

   Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs for 3 minutes on each side. Transfer cooked meatballs to a baking sheet using tongs.

5. 5

   Bake browned meatballs in the oven for 8 minutes.

6. 6

   While meatballs bake, use a plastic straw to punch a hole through each olive half to create a circular "pupil." Use the same straw to punch a hole through the center of each string cheese slice. Insert the round olive piece inside the hole in the string cheese slice to create "eyes."

7. 7

   Remove meatballs from the oven; set aside until cool enough to handle.

8. 8

   Assemble zombie eyes by twirling a few strands of cooked spaghetti around each of 16 forks. Spear a meatball onto each fork and arrange forks on a serving platter. Spoon a dot of spaghetti sauce onto each meatball where you want to place the "eyes." Apply the olive-cheese "eye" over the sauce. Spoon remaining spaghetti sauce over the twirled spaghetti on the forks.