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Appetizers anyone can make

Appetizers anyone can make
Figs stuffed with parmesan and wrapped in bacon

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread

Spaghetti & meatballs with garlic bread
(homemade bagette w/ roasted garlic,salt & pepper,dill, margarine)
for baguette recipe, see breads page.




Spaghetti Sauce
     If making with meatballs, I use less meat in the sauce.
Ingredients for sauce:
1/2 pound of ground beef-preferably 15% fat
2 15- ounce cans of tomato sauce (I've made my own, but find the canned better here)
1 sweet onion diced
5-6 mushrooms (optional)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 tbsp rosemary
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp dill
1 1/2 tbsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1-2 cloves fresh garlic(optional, roasted garlic added is best)
olive oil

Sauce- Start by adding some olive oil to your large saucepan, stir fry the onions until carmelized, about 2 minutes, season with salt and pepper, remove to a bowl.
Next brown the ground beef in a large saucepan, preferably not non stick, as you want the browned bits at the bottom from the beef and onions to enter the sauce.  Crumble up the meat as you stir fry the burger until it is basically done.  Remove the oil with a baster (optional).
Add the onions back in, the tomato sauces and the herbs.  Simmer uncovered for 1 hour if possible, could be eaten in 15 minutes, but you'll get more complexity of flavor if left to simmer on low, stirring every 10 minutes of so. During the last 10 minutes, add your mushrooms, they take no time at all.

Meatballs
    I like 15% fat ground beef, about 1 1/2 pounds, 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 tbsp dill, if you like garlic-1 clove chopped up, 1 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt). Mix all together. Then take a tbsp or so of the meat and roll around between your hands to form a ball, and place in on a baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees F.  Add back the done meatballs into the sauce to simmer. 
   I prefer just ground beef. I've tried mixing meats, or adding breadcrumbs, eggs, etc. but I think it's too dry.

 Garlic Bread
Make or buy a french baguette.  Cut in half the long way.  Use a spatula to spread out a layer of butter or margarine.  Salt it, pepper it, and garlic powder.  Parmesan cheese is a nice one too. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes approximately, and enjoy.

Pasta
     Add pasta to boiling water with 1 tbsp salt, and 1-2 tbsp of oil.  Cook spaghetti for 7-10 minutes, until al dente.  If using a different noodle, use their timing.  If using fresh pasta, cook for only 2-3 minutes.

When the pasta is done, drain, and don't rinse.  Place on the plate and top with the sauce, or mix the noodles in, whatever you prefer.

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