Italian Night: Spaghetti & other recipes

June’s Spaghetti with Meat sauce

1 lb ground chuck

1 can tomato paste

1 16 oz. can tomato sauce

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp oregano

1 package Mueller’s (or your favorite brand) spaghetti

Grated dried parmesian cheese and/or red pepper flakes (optional)

In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Drain off fat. While browning meat, cook pasta according to directions on package. Stir tomato paste, sauce, onion powder, garlic powder and oregano into meat. Cover and simmer over low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes. When pasta is done, briefly rinse and cold water and drain. Place pasta on plates and spoon sauce over it. If desired, before serving, top with grated cheese and/or dried red pepper flakes. Serves 4 to 6.


June's Spaghetti Bolognese


½ lb lean ground beef

½ lb ground sweet Italian sausage

1 cup yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

5 cups crushed tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp granulated sugar

1 bay leaf

4 to 6 servings hot cooked vermicelli or thin spaghetti

grated parmesan cheese (optional)

red pepper flakes (optional)


In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, brown meats with onion and garlic. Drain off fat. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, seasonings and bay leaf. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf. Spoon sauce over cooked pasta and, if desired, sprinkle cheese and/or red pepper over the top of each serving. Serves 4 to 6


Nancy's Creamy Spaghetti Bolognese

1/2 pound ground pork or veal

1/2 pound ground beef

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

2 small cloves garlic, minced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 Tablespoons olive oil or butter

1 15.5 ounce can pureed tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup soft cream cheese (optional)

1 package capellini pasta

In a small skillet, heat oil or butter. Saute onions and carrots, until soft. Add garlic and continue to saute for 1 minute. Drain off oil or butter fat. In a seprate skillet, season meat to suit your own taste, and brown beef and pork, cooking until well crumbled. Stir in sauteed vegetables, pureed tomatoes, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 min. Stir in cream cheese until melted and thoroughly blended with sauce, and continue to simmer for 5 min. longer. (If not using cheese, just simmer for 15 min.)

In a large pot, while sauce is simmering, bring pasta to a boil in salted water with a few drops of oil added to it. Cook until firm and tender. Drain and rinse briefly under cold water. Serve sauce over spaghetti. 4 to 6 servings.


June's Sausage & Peppers with Pasta


2 lbs mild or hot Italian sausage, cut in 2 inch pieces, cooked

2 cups Spanish or Bermuda onion, quartered and sliced

3 cups green peppers, seeded and sliced into half-inch strips

1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

1 tsp each, oregano and basil

1 lb elbows, spaghetti, shells or other type pasta



Sausage can be quickly cooked in the microwave by placing in a baking dish covered with paper towels and microwaving on high power for about 8 minutes (cooking times vary with oven types), moving sausage once or twice to allow for even cooking. Spoon 4 tablespoons of the sausage juice into a skillet. Cook pepper and onion in juice until soft. (Can sub. olive oil). Stir in meat, sauces and seasonings. Simmer, covered, over low heat for 15 to 25 minutes, stirring once or twice. Toss sauce with pasta and serve. Serves 4 to 6.


Porkupine Meatballs

1 lb ground beef

1 ½ cups Minute Rice

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

2 TBLS vegetable oil

1 tsp oregano

2 tsp onion powder

1 can condensed tomato soup

¼ cup water


In a bowl, gently mix together beef with rice, salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, blend tomato soup with water, oregano and onion powder. With the palm of hand, shape meat into uniform size meatballs. Heat oil in skillet and brown meatballs. Reduce heat. Pour tomato soup mixture over meatballs, cover and simmer over low heat for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve with your favorite pasta and a tossed green salad, or, serve with green vegetable and fresh mashed potatoes. Serves 4 to 6.


Tagliarini

1 lb lean ground beef

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

2 small green bell peppers, chopped

2 16 ½ oz. cans, diced tomatoes

1 small can, pitted black olives, sliced

1 15 ½ oz can, cut green beans, OR whole kernel corn, drained

1 tsp garlic powder

1 small can, tomato sauce

1 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp dried basil

¼ pound mild cheddar cheese cubed

¼ lb Pepperoni cheese, or American cheese, sliced

½ package wide egg noodles


In a dutch oven, brown ground beef with onions and peppers, until vegetables are soft. Drain. Stir in tomatoes, olives, green beans or corn and garlic powder. While meat is cooking, cook noodles according to package directions. Briefly rinse in cold water and drain.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir noodles and cubed cheese into meat. Turn meat mixture into a large greased casserole dish. Pour tomato sauce into a small bowl. Stir in oregano and basil, until well-blended. Pour half the sauce over the meat. Lay cheese slices over top the sauce/meat, and top cheese with remaining sauce. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.


Veal Parmigana


1 lb veal, sliced into 8 pieces, 1/8 inch thick

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 TBLS olive oil—plus 5 TBLS

1 1 lb can whole tomatoes

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 ¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

½ tsp oregano

¼ tsp dried basil

1 medium egg, slightly beaten

1/3 cup fine dry Italian seasoned or plain bread crumbs

2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

½ lb part-skim mozzarella cheese, sliced thin

½ cup chopped parsley (optional)


Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a 2 qt. saucepan. Cook onion and garlic in1 TBLS of oil, until onion is soft. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, Mix parmesan cheese with bread crumbs until thoroughly blended. Dip veal slices in beaten egg and coat with crumb mixture. Heat 5 TBLS of oil in a separate skillet. Carefully add veal to skillet and cook until both sides are richly brown and tender. Remove and drain. Arrange veal in a 12” X 7 ½ “ X 2” baking pan. Cover with 2/3 of the tomato mixture. Arrange mozzarella slices on top and sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Bake for Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. If desired, serve with pasta mixed with garlic, olive oil and parmesan cheese and a tossed green salad. Serves 4 to 6.



June's Stuffed Veal Peppers


8 medium green peppers, seeded and halved lengthwise

Approx. 2 lbs ground veal (about 2 oz. less than 2 lbs. works best)

1 large egg

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 individual packet, instant beef broth

1/8 tsp black pepper

dash, garlic powder

dash, oregano

6 oz. tomato sauce-, divided

Shredded mozzerella cheese (optional)

Wash green pepper halves. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, gently blend together veal, egg, onion, instant broth, black pepper, garlic powder and oregano. Blend in 2 oz. of the tomato sauce. Pile meat mixture lightly into peppers. Arrange peppers in a lightly greased baking dish. Pour remaining tomato sauce over peppers. If desired, top with a small amount of shredded cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. If using cheese, remove foil 10 min. before taking eppers out of oven. Serves 4 to 8.