Sicilian Spaghetti

Delicioso! Or, something like that! This is a yummy recipe for mostly made-from-scratch spaghetti that will have your house smelling like Sicily! Just grab your honey and go for a gondola ride when you're finished eating! :)

You'll need:

1. 1 lb lean ground beef
2. 1 medium onion, chopped
3. 2 cloves garlic, minced
4. 2 15oz. cans tomato sauce
5. 5 oz. can Italian (or regular) tomato paste
6. 1/4 cup sugar
7. 1 tspn basil
8. 1 tspn dried parsley
9. 1/2 tspn crushed red pepper flakes
10. 1 box thin spaghetti or vermicelli

You'll do:

1. Heat medium pan over med-hi heat.
2. Add ground beef, onion.
3. Cook, using a wooden spoon to break up beef, until beef is browned completely and onion is tender.
4. Drain meat and wipe out pan with paper towel.
5. Place meat/onion mixture in medium-sized pot on medium-hi heat.
6. Add garlic to pot.
7. Add tomato sauce and tomato paste.
8. Fill 1 empty tomato sauce can with water, and add to pot.
9. Add basil, parsley, sugar, and red pepper flakes to tomato sauce in pot.
10. Bring sauce to a boil and then decrease heat to low.
11. Allow sauce to simmer for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
12. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente.
13. Serve sauce over pasta, with bread and salad.

Nam! Nam!

Turkey-Apple Sandwiches

These were a last-minute concoction that turned out quite yummy! They're very simple, with no cooking (duh--it's a sandwich!), but they have some tart granny smith apple slices for an added crunch.

You'll need (for 4 sandwiches):

1. 8 slices Wheat bread (I used 9-gram Sara Lee because they are large slices)
2. 1/2 lb. thick sliced turkey (again, Sara Lee, sliced fresh in the grocery store deli)
3. 1 Granny Smith apple, sliced
4. Spicy or Dijon Mustard

You'll make them by:

1. Preheat your oven broiler on high.
2. Place all the bread slices on a large cookie sheet and brown them for about 2 minutes, or until lightly toasted. I like the soft, freshness of wheat bread, so I only toast one side of it. But, if you want both sides toasted, just flip the slices over and toast another 2 minutes. It's helpful to toast at least one side to keep the bread from getting soggy if not eating the sandwiches immediately.
3. Spread mustard lightly on the toasted side of each bread slice.
4. Place apple slice(s) on 4 of the pieces of toast atop the mustard.
5. Top the apple with 2 oz. of turkey for each sandwich.
6. Place the other bread slice, mustard side down on top of the turkey.
7. Cut diagonally and serve with veggies and dip, fruit salad, or chips!

Nam! Nam!