Grandma’s Spaghetti Sauce is a family recipe that was most likely passed along to my Grandma from my Grandpa’s sister (who married into the Italian side.)  Grandma Solbakken (Nordic translation “sunny hill”) would make this delicious “spaghetti sauce” and serve it over Rigatoni.  She would make it in a big stainless steel pot (the same one she would make cioppino in) and we would scoop the sauce over the rigatoni or it would be mixed in with the sauce. We then would sprinkle canned Parmesan cheese over the top. Yummy!  To this day I am still not sure why it is called “spaghetti sauce” because I have NEVER had it with spaghetti.
But no matter – it’s damn good.

Grandma’s Spaghetti Sauce is still a family favorite and a real crowd pleaser.  The longer it sits the better it gets and it also freezes well.  Today, I serve it sprinkled with fresh grated Parmesan cheese with a side of my Herbed Garlic Bread (recipe coming soon).

It’s a simple dish that’s sure to please.  Buon appetito.

You will need canned stewed or diced tomatoes, I am using the stewed Italian variety, tomato sauce, a large onion, a whole head of garlic (yep, you heard right!) and rigatoni pasta.

My addition – fresh parsley

The meats: 1 lb beef stew meat, and 2-3 boneless pork chops.

My other addition salami.  “Where’s the pepperoni”, you ask? I forgot to get the pepperoni and had to run to the store.  The original recipe only uses pepperoni but I thought salami would also be a great addition.

Trim the meat and cut into bite size chunks – I also cut the beef chunks into smaller bite size pieces.

They should all be a nice, uniform size.

In a large saucepan, brown the meat in a little olive oil.

Then add tons and I mean tons of minced fresh garlic – to clear out any vampires in the room.

Sprinkle some sugar on the top of the garlic.  I have also found that blue nail polish helps clear out any remaining vampires.

A touch of sugar helps balance the sauce; bringing out the sweetness of the garlic against the acidity of the tomatoes.

Now chop up that onion

toss ‘em in the pot

and give it a good stir.

Let it simmer for 1/2 hour over med/low heat.

Now its time to add the Italian stewed tomatoes

lots of yummy tomatoes – my tummy is rumbling.

Toss the tomatoes around and add

the tomato sauce.

Stir it all together and go paint your nails blue & watch the football game with the dudes.

Simmer 2-3 hours.

Keep it at a nice simmer -Stir occasionally.

After the 2-3 hours simmering on the stove

add some Italian seasoning,

chopped pepperoni, salami and parsley.

Just dump it all in the sauce

and give a good stir.

Let simmer for another 2 more hours.

After the 2 hour mark – it’s time to get the rigatoni pasta cooked!

Boil the H2O

and cook until al dente.  I usually cook mine about 11 min.

Grandma’s Spaghetti Sauce is looking good and ready to eat! Just some salt and pepper to taste.

lonely rigatoni

sitting next to it’s saucy neighbor

Scoop the sauce on and combine.

A big bowl of Grandma’s Spaghetti Sauce w/ Rigatoni

I love how the sauce clings to the noodles – oh what goodness.

Load it into your bowl and sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top

and serve it with some garlic bread.

Buon appetito.

 Printable Recipe

Grandma’s Spaghetti Sauce

This is a delicious and simple sauce – just allow extra time for it to simmer.

Cut the following into bite size chunks:
1 lb. Beef stew
2-3 boneless pork chops
In a large saucepan/stockpot, brown the meat in a little olive oil.

Then add:
1 whole head of garlic, (at least 6 – 8 cloves) pressed or minced
Sprinkle a bit of sugar on top of the garlic.

Chop 1 large onion. Add to saucepan and stir.
Stir and simmer on med/low heat for ½ hour.

Then add: 4 cans 12.5 oz Italian stewed tomatos (any stewed will do)
~or~ 2 cans 28 oz. Italian diced peeled tomatoes
I have made it both ways; sometimes with a mixture of each. I usually use whatever canned tomatoes I have in my cupboard, just keep the proportions about right.
AND
Add: 2 cans 15 oz tomato sauce.
Mix it all together and simmer 2-3 hours. Stir occasionally.

Cut into bite size slices/wedges:
1 whole Pepperoni
1 whole Salami, optional
1-2 tabelspoons of Italian seasoning
¼ – ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Add to sauce. Stir in. Let simmer 2 more hours.
Now add salt and pepper to taste.
You can always add or subtract the above meat additions. My mom’s cousin Johnny would vary the recipe each time sometimes adding Italian sausage. Variety is the spice of life!

Rigatoni Pasta: Half the sauce for 1 16 oz. package rigatoni pasta or 2 packages for the entire batch.
Cook pasta until al dente. Drain rigatoni and put in serving bowl. Spoon the sauce on top of the rigatoni in individual bowls or put the drained rigatoni into a large serving bowl and scoop the sauce over, combine and serve. I use half of the sauce for one 16 oz. box cooked Rigatoni. I then freeze the other half.

Unlike some things in life, the longer it sits the better it gets. I love this as a leftover the next day – if you have any left.  I also like to make it a day ahead of time, just to eat the next day!  Serve with a sprinkling of your favorite Parmesan cheese.

Zesty love,
Robyn

Look at this coconut wonder!!!! Mmm mmm…….

Welcome to the Birthday cake series, where my love for birthdays and cakes go hand in hand or should I say cake in mouth?

I love Birthdays! Well, really I just enjoy making and eating the delish cakes that I bake up for my family members on their special day. Here’s how it works: the B-day boy/girl chooses a cake that they would like me to make. If they are dumbfounded at the sheer choices or their desires run amuck – I provide them with a list of random cakes to choose from. Then I create the recipe & make it & bake it & mark it with a B (and eat it with the Birthday folks).
Sometimes people choose cakes that I have never made before. I love a challenge when it comes to creating cake recipes that are as unique as the person I am making it for.

I think you will find this Killer Coconut Cake to be a 4-layer coconut love story. This was the request of my sister in law Anne for the second year in a row! If you love coconut as much as she does then you’re in for a real treat. Here is my ode to Anne, Dear Anne, Thank you for making me make this cake for you. It is a masterpiece that soothes my soul and renders my heart and stomach completely unable to resist….

So people, I have broken this cake recipe into two parts. Part 1 contains the Coconut Cream Filling and the Coconut Frosting.  Part 2 contains the Killer Coconut Cake in all its glory, baked, assembled and ready to party (in my mouth.)

Though you will find that this cake is NOT difficult to make, it is rather time consuming and you may need to hunt down a few of the ingredients. This year I had to use coconut milk as I could not find the coconut cream anywhere. Do not fret dear coconut loving friends; the coconut cream is the top layer on the milk so you may need to buy a few more cans of the milk if you go this route.

Coconut Cream Filling

You will need:

Whipping cream, coconut cream, or coconut milk ( you will need to scrape off the top 2- 3″ creamy layer which is the cream of the coconut), plus coconut extract

and

sugar, butter, cornstarch, a bit of water and vanilla extract.  The stuff in the green glass container is my homemade vanilla extract.

First whisk together the bit o’ water and cornstarch to form a smooth paste – what a cute itty bitty whisk.  Set aside.

Add the whipping cream, coconut cream, sugar, butter into a medium heavy saucepan

Stir over medium high heat and melt that butter!

Stir constantly -

keep stirring….

and stirring…. Is your arm tired yet?

It’s almost ready!

Get it nice and bubbly,

now add the cornstarch/water mixture into the coconut milk.

Continue to stir until thickened and bubbly.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and coconut extract.

Should look creamy with nice thick coating on the spoon.

Pour into a glass bowl, place saran wrap on top (to prevent a skin) and place in fridge.

See? that wasn’t so bad – C.C. filling now complete.

 Printable Recipe

Coconut Cream Filling

1 ½ cups whipping cream
1 cup coconut cream
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
Bring to a boil stirring constantly.

Mix together to form smooth paste and add to milk mixture:
2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
2 ½ tablespoons water
Continue to stir until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in:
1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
½ teaspoons Coconut Extract (or to taste)

Make filling a day ahead of time and refrigerate. Place saran wrap on top to prevent a skin.

Now let’s make the Coconut Frosting

Familiar ingredients, eh?
You will need butter, whipping cream, coconut cream, vanilla and coconut extracts plus cream cheese and a pinch of salt.

Also some sifted powdered sugar.

Beat the cream cheese, and softened butter together. Add pinch of salt.

Add the coconut cream

and the extracts

Beat in the whipping cream and coconut cream until fluffy, stiff white peaks are formed

and add the sifted powered sugar

Beat in powdered sugar; adjust the amount to desired frosting thickness and sweetness.  At this point, I usually put it in the fridge covered overnight leaving it a bit runny. Right before frosting the cake, I rebeat and add more powdered sugar to get it just right.

Whew! Coconut cream filling check. Coconut frosting, check.  Now go kick your feet up ~or~  if you are cuckoo for coconut cake go to Part 2.

 Printable Recipe
Coconut Frosting

1 8 oz package cream cheese
½ cup butter
½ cup whipping cream
½ cup coconut cream
2-4 cups sifted powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoons Vanilla and Coconut extracts

Beat the cream cheese, and butter together. Add pinch of salt. Beat in the whipping cream and coconut cream until fluffy and stiff white peaks are formed. Add vanilla extract. Beat in the powdered sugar; adjust amount to desired frosting thickness and sweetness.

For more Zesty Coconut Love, click here for Part 2…  -  Robyn