Stuffed Surprises

Spaghetti-Stuffed Meatballs: Form a ball using about 3/4 cup of your favorite meatball mixture. Create an indent in the center of the ball and mold into a bowl-like shape. Swirl about 1/4 cup of cooked spaghetti onto a fork to form a bundle and place in the center of the bowl. Seal the meat around the spaghetti so it's completely encased. Repeat to make as many meatballs as you'd like.

Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs a couple at a time and cook, rolling on occasion, until browned on all sides. Remove to a baking sheet lightly greased with cooking spray and repeat with any remaining meatballs. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Serve the stuffed meatballs hot with marinara sauce.

Stuffed Caesar Salad Cone: Cut a semolina loaf--preferably at least a foot long--in half through the middle. Scoop out the inside of each bread half using a spoon or metal tongs.

In a small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil, 5 smashed garlic cloves, an anchovy fillet (optional) and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Brush the inside of the bread halves with the olive oil and bake on a top rack in the oven at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes. Allow to cool, then fill with your favorite Caesar salad recipe.

Cheese-Stuffed Pretzel Croissants: Using a skewer, make a "path" for the cheese from both ends of each pretzel croissant. Wiggle the skewer around so that the cheese can move through freely. Add cheese sauce (we used Cheez Whiz) to a piping bag fitted with a small tip. (If you can get it, we recommend using an eclair filling tip, as it will distribute the cheese more evenly.) Fill the croissants with the cheese sauce and serve!