Let Elvis Teach You How to Make Spaghetti

RED EAGLE MEATBALL AND SPAGHETTI DINNER

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"According to Nancy Rooks, Graceland's longtime cook, this was the last meal Elvis ate. It's in The Presley Family Cookbook, a spiral-bound tome she wrote with Vester Presley, Elvis' uncle and a guard at Graceland for many years. It's heavy on meat and light on tomato sauce, and redolent of one of Elvis' favorite flavors: bacon!"

by Jeanne Besser for Cox News Service

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1 (16-ounce) package spaghetti

1 ½ pounds ground chuck

½ cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg

1 tablespoon parsley flakes

3/4 cup bread crumbs

¼ cup bacon grease

¼ teaspoon butter-flavored salt

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

2 cups tomato-vegetable juice

Grated parmesan cheese, optional


Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

Mix ground chuck, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, then mix in egg, parsley flakes and bread crumbs. Form into balls and fry in batches in medium-hot bacon grease until browned on all sides.

Season spaghetti with butter-flavored salt, pepper, tomato sauce and tomato-vegetable juice. Add meatballs to spaghetti and cover pan; simmer over low heat. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired. Makes 8 servings.

PER SERVING: Calories 517 (41% fat) Fat 23 g (9 g sat) Cholesterol 86 mg Sodium 609 mg Fiber 2 g Carbohydrates 52 g Protein 22 g