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Monday, December 20, 2010

Spaghetti and Meatballs - my "Go to" meal

Everyone should have a "Go To" meal in their pantry and freezer.  Nothing fancy, just to feed hungry stomachs and souls.  My "Go To" meal is Spaghetti and Meatballs. And go ahead and faint, I don't make my sauce from fresh tomatoes nor do I make my own meatballs.  Have done both in the past, and enjoy it.  But sometimes, the grocery store is your friend.  We keep frozen meatballs in our freezer, jars of Spaghetti sauce (pick your favorite) and whole wheat noodles in the pantry.
When we have it on hand, I like to add Italian Sausage links.  So the family has a choice, meatballs or sausage.  We have used Sweet or Hot Italian Sausage.  Typically the Hot Italian sausage made by the butchers at our local Grocery store is not "too" spicy.  The sausages take a chunk of time to cook on the griddle - I would cook them 30 minutes, flipping halfway at 350 degrees.
The meatballs I use can be popped in the microwave to heat. 
I do like to saute a bit of chopped onion and garlic in a pan with a little splash of olive oil.  Add the ready made Spaghetti sauce.  I prefer to add several tablespoons of oregano and basil.  Add the meatballs and sausage.  Let simmer together while cooking the pasta.
Why in the world am I posting about using store bought items?  Because it is perfectly fine and acceptable to use these items.  Not everyone has the time to make a homemade sauce, pasta, and bread (though my bread machine does all my work!).  Convenience and Priorities - you have to decide.  For me, the most important part of a meal is all of us sitting together as a family.  Eating at home is a necessity for our budget.  And right now, with all the other "stuff" we have to enjoy the holidays, this kind of meal fits perfectly!

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