SPAGHETTI UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Well, we had our first cool night last night. It's time a spaghetti was started. Now making spaghetti is no light task around here. It's a "look out kitchen" here comes the chef and "stand back I need lots of room", and "where's all the spices I just bought?", kind of construction.

Oh does the house smell terrific when this happens!!!!

Yesterday John was at Winston's, a farmer who has a produce wagon at the end of his driveway with an "honour system" for purchasing his cabbages, broccoli's etc. John came home with bags and bags of veggies and only paid a few dollars. Winston sells cabbages for .50 cents and these are big huge cabbages. He bought one green, and one red. Swiss chard for $1, beets that filled one whole bag (the cloth grocery bags) for $1. A large zucchini for $1, and we'll be making zucchini boats with that. (Zucchini Boats: This is where a portion of the spaghetti mixture goes) And .10 cents for a cucumber. And a cauliflower for .50 cents.

If there is any spaghetti mixture left after a few meals of it with pasta, and a zucchini boat supper as well (which can be made while the spaghetti is in construction too), then I like to add chili spice and brown beans and kidney beans and finish up with Chili Con Carne. So this recipe goes a long way.
*Zucchini Boats recipe follows Spaghetti recipe directly.


***** SPAGHETTI CONSTRUCTION RECIPE *****

5 Hot Italian Sausages (can be frozen)
Water to cover the sausages in a big pot.

Boil approx. 15 min's to break apart if they are frozen and from fresh to get all the fat out of them. Stab holes in them while they boil to release all the oils.
Dump water and oil. Set aside to cool and then slice into small pieces.

2 pounds hamburger
2 cups water

Cook hamburger in the water so it gets softened and loosen up into small bits to stir into the sauce, until it loses all it's pinkness.
Drain all the water and grease off the meat.


Add the spices:
At this point add in about 2 cups of fresh water.

NOTE * On adding spices. Whatever you have in the cupboard and you like will do.... EVERYTIME IT'S A NEW SPICE MELDEY. There are always the basics, but it's fun to try new things.....

1 TBLSP. Nutmeg
1 TBLSP. Celery Salt
2 Shakes of Ginger
2 heaping TBLSP. Parsley
1 tsp. allspice
2 heaping TBLSP. Italian Seasoning
pinch Tarragon
3 heaping TBLSP. Garlic Powder
2 TBLSP. Black pepper
1 tsp hot mustard
No salt is required as there is enough in other ingred's and it can be added individually at time of serving.

The sausages should be good and cool enough now to slice and toss into the pot with the veggies.

Add VEGGIES>>>>>

3 large cooking onions
1/2 a full bunch celery stalks
2 bunches green spring onions
1 cup diced orange pepper
1 cup diced green pepper

Add TOMATOES, WHOLE, STEWED, SAUCE>>>>

28 oz can whole plum tomatoes
28 oz can stewed tomatoes
700 ml can tomato sauce
* to add thickening to the sauce - add 1/4 cup flour, and to add zestiness 1/2 cup vinegar - mix these two together separately and stir into the hot sauce

SIMMER for a couple of hours and let it cool down. At that point see if it needs more thickening after the first simmer. If so, a little water(red wine can be used) and cornstarch mixed together if it needs more thickening.

* Last minute ingred.'s - 1 pound Mushrooms, 1 tsp. mint flavoring,
***Mushrooms will go away to nothing if they are cooked in the sauce. It's best to put them in just before serving. Put the mushrooms into the microwave and give them about 1-2 min's on high and then throw them in that way.
***red wine(6 - 10 oz added next day (no sense in having the heat boil the wine out of it when it's under construction)

************* ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Zucchini Boats:
wash a large zucchini
cut the top off by using a paring knife at a 30 degree angle all around it. Cut the sides straight when opened up and hollow it out with a spoon, flatten one side by peeling some of the skin off so it sits flat, cut ends if needed to fit casserole,
Scoop to bottom of the spaghetti sauce under construction and get some of the meat, and sauce, and veggies, and put into the hollowed out zucchini, sprinkle in pepper, parmasean cheese. Layer another layer of spaghetti sauce, and add sliced raw mushroom slices, tomatoes in pieces, peppers, and then the top piece cut off from the zucchini back firmly onto it and put in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour then turn down to 250 degrees check after 1 hour until zucchini is softened and cooked through. Serve with rice.