Food ‘n Flix – Hotel Transylvania 2 (Oozing Eyeball Pasta)

Holy miracle, Batman – I finally got my act together in time for Food ‘n Flix again!  It’s been almost a year, yikes.  This month, our film was Hotel Transylvania 2, hosted by Kimberly at Coffee and Casseroles.

This film is a sequel, and though we didn’t have to, I watched both films – I had been meaning to see them anyway, because my neighbor’s kids are obsessed and quote them all the time.  These are really cute films about acceptance, diversity, fear mongering, and family.  Big topics for kids movies, I know.  They voice actors are big names, too – Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Steve Buscemi.

They also had all kinds of cute and creepy (but not too creepy) foods – like “scream cheese” and “monster-ball soup”.  So there was lots of foodie inspiration.

I had seen a Buzzfeed video for Spinach Dip Stuffed Meatballs and thought how cute those would be as Oozing Eyeballs!

Start by combing cream cheese, shredded mozzarella, spinach, and garlic powder into a creamy mixture.  Then combine ground beef, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, and an egg.  Form golf ball sized pieces of the beef mixture into flat patties, spoon some of the spinach mixture in, and fold up into a ball.

Try really hard to completely seal the edges.  I am terrible at this, I don’t know why.  I fail at juicy lucy burgers for the same reason, *sigh*.

Sear the meatballs on each side in a pan with plenty of olive oil (so that they don’t stick and tear open).  Then add tomato sauce, cover, and simmer until cooked all the way through.  You can see that some of mine cracked open – if that happens to you, just be careful moving them around so that they stay mostly together.

Serve with pasta and Parmesan, and enjoy the oozing surprise!  Meatballs with a creamy, molten spinach dip center – fun for the whole family!

Spinach Dip Stuffed Meatballs
adapted from Buzzfeed Tasty
serves 4-6

8 oz cream cheese
1/2 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove all moisture
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 1/2 lbs ground beef (or beef, pork, veal mixture)
1 large egg
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs (or add 1 tsp Italian seasoning to plain breadcrumbs)
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce (I love Rao’s)
1 lb pasta (I used spaghetti rigati because it has ridges to catch sauce)
Parmesan cheese, for serving

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente.  Reserve about a cup of the pasta water before draining.  Do not rinse.

Meanwhile, mix cream cheese, spinach, garlic powder, and mozzarella until smooth.  I found this easiest to do with clean hands.

Mix ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper until evenly combined.  This is also easiest to do with clean hands.

Take a golf ball-sized handful of the meatball mixture and press it flat in the palm of your hand.  Place a spoonful (about 1 tbsp) of the spinach dip in the center of the meat and fold the edges over the dip, sealing it and rolling into a ball.  Repeat with the remaining meat and dip, you should have about 16 meatballs.

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat.  Sear the meatballs for about a minute, then flip.

Add the marinara sauce and mix gently.  Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through.  Add in the reserved pasta water and cook uncovered for a minute or two.

Serve over the pasta, and sprinkled with Parmesan.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago – Grilled Vegetable Flatbread
Two Years Ago – Pasta Salad with Smoked Gouda, Roasted Red Peppers, Fresh Tomatoes, and Grilled Artichoke Hearts
Three Years Ago – Summer Tartines
Four Years Ago – Shrimp Tacos, Salmon Burgers
Five Years Ago – Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese