- Just because a recipe calls for it doesn't mean you have to use it (I hate cilantro but love parsley)
- Do not ever believe the number of servings because it makes a big difference on who you are feeding
- Good cooking does not have to be or should it be difficult
- Not everything has to be made from scratch
- Great ideas come from food magazines but be daring and change them up
- Cooking for family and friends is good for the soul
It was always a special occasion when my nephew came to visit. Sean lived in New York and we lived in Illinois so the visits weren't as often as we all would have liked. He also had the privileged status of being my Mom's only grandchild. There were always fun things to do, going to a Cub's game, visiting the zoo, Kiddieland, Enchanted Castle, and a Wendella Boat ride. You know, all the fun stuff with none of the discipline. A grandma, aunt and uncle to spoil him rotten.
Sean was also a very good helper. When I would barbecue in the backyard, he'd help me carry everything downstairs and set the table. I think one of my Mom's best times was when Sean wanted to help her make dinner. My Mom knew Sean loved pasta, so off they went to the grocery store to get the fixings. When they got back Sean told my Mom that he wanted to help, to really help cook. She let him stir the sauce, mix the filling and sprinkle the cheeses. He couldn't wait to tell us he helped make dinner. It was one of those special grandma times.
Before we sat down to eat, the adults had cocktails and Sean had a Coke. While I was making my Mom's only drink of choice, a gin martini, Sean became fascinated. My Mother was very particular about the amount of vermouth in her martini, so much so that we actually used an eyedropper to measure out exactly three drops of vermouth. That looked like a lot of fun to my nephew so I let him make the second martini. He was so very careful not to let that eyedropper accidentally get to four drops.
I can just imagine what it was like when Sean got home. "Mom, I helped grandma make dinner and I learned how to make the perfectly dry gin martini." Not something the parents of a six year old want to hear.
In my family we decided a long time ago that we would rather have our birthday celebrations at home and we got to pick our dinner. My Mom would have picked turkey but her birthday was too close to Thanksgiving so she usually went with shrimp de jonghe. My husband varies between blue cheese steak or St. Louis barbecue ribs. Mine has always been my Mom's Party Spaghetti. That was the dish she and Sean made together and that I got to have twice that year.
Now when I make this I have an angel sitting on each shoulder, one giggling over the eyedropper and the other tsking my use of store bought sauce.
Mom's Party Spaghetti
2- 8 ounce pkgs of spaghetti
2 lbs. ground beef
6 cups vodka sauce
1 cup grated Parmesan
4 eggs, beaten
16 ounces shredded mozzarella
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
8 ounces ricotta
4 green onions chopped (white and green parts)
Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta a minute short of the direction time. Brown beef and combine with vodka sauce. In a large bowl toss the pasta with the Parmesan and eggs. Mix cream cheese with the ricotta and green onions. Layer half of the psata into a large baking dish (9 x 13) and cover with 1/3 of the vodka meat sauce. Spread cream cheese mixture over the sauce. Sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella over the cream cheese. Over mozzarella spread another 1/3 of the vodka meat sauce. Layer the remaining 1/2 of pasta over the sauce. Top with remaining sauce and then the other half of mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes. Let spaghetti sit for ten minutes before serving.
This recipe is better the next day. If you make it ahead be sure to allow the spaghetti to return to room temperature and then reheat at 325 for 30-40 minutes. I have also made this with a mix of 1 lb. ground beef and 1 lb. of Italian sausage. Try any kind of pasta sauce. I've even made this meatless and it was delicious.
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