Recipe of the day

Old fashioned spaghetti & meatballs:

RECIPE INGREDIENTS For Meatballs: 1/3 cup bulgur 1/2 cup hot water 4 ounces lean ground beef 4 ounces hot Italian sausage 1 medium onion, very finely chopped 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten 3 cloves garlic, very finely chopped 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat (see Tip) For Sauce & Spaghetti: 4 cups prepared marinara sauce 1/2 cup slivered fresh basil leaves or chopped fresh parsley 1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti or linguine 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or romano cheese (1 ounce) Tip: To make fresh breadcrumbs: Trim crusts from firm sandwich bread. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice makes about 1/3 cup.

DIRECTIONS To prepare meatballs: Combine bulgur and water in a small bowl. Let stand until the bulgur is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a rack with cooking spray and place it over a baking sheet lined with foil. Combine ground beef, sausage, onion, egg whites, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and the soaked bulgur in a large bowl; mix well. Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs (about 24). Place the meatballs on the rack and bake for 25 minutes. Blot well with paper towel. To prepare sauce & spaghetti: Put a large pot of lightly salted water on to boil. Bring sauce to a simmer in a Dutch oven. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in basil (or parsley). Meanwhile, cook spaghetti (or linguine) until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving bowl. Top with the sauce and meatballs and serve with grated cheese.