Day 131 of #365 Creative #Ideas to do with your kids: Have you made mad-monster meatballs. Serve up spaghetti with mad-monster meatballs and you might be able to get away with fortifying the sauce and meatballs with grated or puréed vegetables.
Meatballs
400g beef or ostrich mince
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 large egg, beaten
¼ cup Parmesan-style cheese
flour, for coating
spaghetti, for serving
grated or puréed vegetables, optional

Tomato sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
410g can chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
You need: cucumber or courgette, cherry tomatoes and imagination for mad-monster faces
1. Combine the mince, garlic, egg and cheese in a bowl, mixing well.
2. Flour your hands and roll the mixture into balls. Place on a baking tray and put into the fridge to chill and firm up.
3. To make the tomato sauce, heat the oil and fry the garlic until soft.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. (If you want to add extra veggies, add them along with the tomatoes.) Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Leave to cool slightly, then blend with a stick blender. Some children prefer a smooth sauce, others like a bit of chunkiness.
5. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and dry-fry the meatballs for 5–10 minutes until browned all over.
6. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions; drain and keep warm.
7. Twirl some spaghetti onto a plate or bowl. Add a ladle of tomato sauce and top with one or two meatballs.
8. Make ‘mad meatballs’ by adding cherry tomato eyes, a cucumber mouth and a crown.
From my book Fun Foods for Kids (Struik Publishers 2016), email me on sam@kidsdecor.co.za if you would like to buy a book.