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Friday, October 3, 2008

Foodie Friday - Tag, you're it

I got tagged by Sallye at thegardenexperience. She is so sweet y'all. And I do believe this is the first time I've actually been tagged for one of these.





Being tagged requires a response on my part. So, I'll play along...

Answer these questions with one word answers:

Where is your cellphone? Desk
Where is your signficant other? Work
Your hair color? Brown
Your Mother? Asia
Your Father? Asia
Your Favorite Thing? Brownies
Your dream/goal? An Inn
The room you're in? Office
Your hobby? Scrapbooking
Your Fear? Losing it
Where do you want to be in 6 years? Hawaii
Where were you last night? Debate
What you're not? Skinny
One of your wish items? Apple Macbook
The last thing you did? Eat
What are you wearing? NEW
Your TV? Off
Your Pet? Dogs
Your Computer? Home
Your Mood? Ecstatic
Missing Someone? Val
Your Car? Volvo
Something you're not wearing but love to wear? Straw hat
Favorite Store? SteinMart
Your Summer? HOT
Love Someone? Lots
Your Favorite Color? Blue
When was the last time you laughed? Earlier
When was the last time you cried? Thursday

Now I believe I'm supposed to tag someone else. In the words of my 3 year old son, "Hmmm. Let's see. How about..." Brittany because she is such a long time internet friend that I've never had the opportunity to meet in real life. I think I'm supposed to tag more than one... but I'm at work and don't have a lot of time.

Question...

Do you ever get tagged in real life? It happened to me last week. Something was said that required a response on my part. A gauntlet was thrown, if you will.

I made a quick spaghetti meal one night. You know, it's after work, I'm exhausted, the kids are hungry, and so I threw some ground beef in a skillet along with a jar of Classico spaghetti sauce (well, I poured the jar out actually... there was no breaking of glass) and boiled some noodles. Quick, easy, no fuss meal, right.

Until.

My man says during dinner, "For all the big deal you make about doing stuff homemade... you never do spaghetti."

Oh, that was a gauntlet if EVER I've heard one.

And it required a response.

So this past Wednesday on my day off of work, I made me some homemade spaghetti sauce.

Here's what I did.

1/2 onion, chopped
1 shallot, minced (not necessary, I just had it lying around)
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed
crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb ground beef (approx)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tamato sauce
1 (small) can tomato paste
1-2 tbsp sugar
1/4-1/2 cup white table wine
a bunch of chopped fresh basil
and oregano
and parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

I always saute my onions first in oil. Then add the shallots (if you've got 'em lying around) and garlic and saute until fragrant. Add ground beef (and any stray sausage you happen to find in your fridge that hasn't gone bad) and cook until brown. (that sounds weird) Then just start adding everything else. Be sure to taste as you go. And don't forget the salt and pepper... very important.


So, that's what I did. My man got home and I had him look around the kitchen and asked him what he noticed. It took a few minutes, but he finally raised his eyebrows, smiled and said, "A-haaah. No jar."

So, now, tag... it's your turn.

Do you make your own spaghetti sauce? I know there have got to be some italians out there who do. Care to share your recipe with us? Either leave it in the comments or post it on your own blog and leave a link in the comments. I'm not prepared to do a Mr. Linky at this point.

9 Comments:

Melinda said...

About 15 years ago now, my man was complaining similarly about how people "just don't cook like they used to" (aka: nobody does it like momma). I, too, took it as a gauntlet, and prepared for his arrival the next evening. This is what he found upon entering the door:

*His wife and two little daughters, all dressed in their Sunday finest, complete with strands of pearls.
*Daughter #1 holding the newspaper
*Daughter #2 holding his slippers
*His loving (and beautiful) wife holding her apron and declaring the menu for the evening: pot roast with potatoes and carrots, tossed green salad with homemade dressing and a homemade German Chocolate Cake with scratch (stir for hours at a hot stove) frosting. With cold milk, of course.

A Ward Cleaver sort of statement deserved a June Cleaver sort of response.

Hugs my Texas friend,
Melinda

Pam said...

I make my own spaghetti sauce too... most of the time. I posted about it back in July. Here's my link-

http://notesfromthewall.blogspot.com/2008/07/and-tastes-lot-better-too.html

I also have a really yummy crock pot recipe for it.

Brittany said...

Awwwww! I feel special! I'm game. Check out my blog for the answers in a day or two!

As for spaghetti sauce...or anything for that matter. NOPE! I don't make anything from scratch. I'm all about being in and out of the kitchen in as short of a time as possible. I like to cook, but I'm the one who has to clean up the mess and I'm just not all about that. So, some day when my kids are grown (or more grown), I might be into that, but certainly not now.

Brittany said...

Melinda,
I just wanna know what his response was?

Beth Cotell said...

I've only made spaghetti sauce homemade once and that was this summer when we were being overrun with tomatoes from our garden.

It was o.k. My husband loved it, the kids and I could take it or leave it. I would be willing to try again some time but I'm not in a big hurry!

Melinda said...

Brittany,

I think you can imagine what his response was...every Ward loves a June! :o) However, I told him not to get too comfortable with the whole scenario. We weren't, after all, on the set of a '50's sitcom. And, just so you know, those pearls can sometimes strangle your creativity in the kitchen!

Have a great day,
Melinda

Edwina at The Picket Fence said...

I want to be in Hawaii too!!! Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Holly said...

Hey Donna,

I have been changing my blog links around to help me stay in touch and I added you. I hope that't OK.

Got your book in the mail this week, friend. Hope you enjoy it much!
Love,
Holly

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

Oh dear. I don't know the diff between an onion and shallot.