By First week of school. Marcus starts 8th grade — his last year of middle school, the year where everything is "the last" (last first day, last homecoming, last set of finals) and he walks through the hallways with the authority of a boy who knows where the bathrooms are and pities the sixth graders who don't. He came home the first day and said, "8th grade is going to be good." He said it with certainty. He said it the way I say "the cornbread is done" — from feel, not from evidence. I believe him.
Jasmine starts 6th grade. MIDDLE SCHOOL. My baby is in middle school. She walked into that building on Monday morning with a new backpack, new shoes (purple, obviously), and the poise of a girl who has been singing solos since she was nine and therefore fears nothing, including sixth-grade hallways. She called me at lunch (she has a phone now — a basic one, no social media, calls and texts only, because I am a school counselor who knows what phones do to twelve-year-olds and I am not ready for that war). She said, "Middle school is LOUD." I said, "It gets quieter." She said, "When?" I said, "High school." She said, "That's three years!" I said, "You'll make it." She will. She's Jasmine.
I am navigating a new reality: my kids are at the same school where I work. Marcus has been there for two years, which is manageable because he's in 8th grade and pretends I don't exist. But Jasmine is new, and Jasmine is a hugger, and Jasmine walked past my office on the first day and WAVED. With both hands. From across the hallway. In front of other students. Marcus, who witnessed this, looked at me with an expression that suggested he was considering witness protection. I waved back. I am not ashamed of my daughter's love. I am not ashamed of anything.
Made a first-week-of-school dinner: spaghetti and meatballs. The reliable classic. The thing I make when the world needs to feel familiar. Marcus ate his with hot sauce (a recent development that I have opinions about). Jasmine ate hers with extra parmesan. We sat at the table — three people who have survived two years of grief and growth and are starting a new school year together — and the spaghetti was warm and the kitchen was mine and the children were growing and the line held.
That first-week dinner wasn’t a decision so much as a reflex — the kind of cooking that happens when your brain says familiar, warm, reliable before you’ve even opened the fridge. Spaghetti and meatballs is the meal I reach for when the world is shifting and I need the kitchen to hold steady. If you want to put this on your own table — whether you’re marking a first week, a last year, or just a Tuesday that needed something warm — here’s how I make it.
Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided, plus more for serving
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Make the meatball mixture. In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk and let sit for 2 minutes until absorbed. Add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, half the minced garlic, parsley, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined —mdash; do not overwork the meat.
- Form the meatballs. Roll the mixture into balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter (roughly the size of a golf ball). You should get approximately 20–24 meatballs. Place on a rimmed baking sheet or large plate.
- Brown the meatballs. Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the meatballs on all sides, about 5–6 minutes per batch. They do not need to be cooked through. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.
- Build the sauce. In the same pan, reduce heat to medium and add the diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes (if using), and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer with meatballs. Nestle the browned meatballs back into the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
- Cook the pasta. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
- Serve. Plate the spaghetti and ladle meatballs and sauce generously over the top. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening. Finish with extra Parmesan at the table.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 620 | Protein: 36g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 68g | Fiber: 5g | Sodium: 780mg