Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Lighten up..and..that Spaghetti recipe

Ya know, my blogs have almost gotten too heavy for even ME to read!
I just re-read the one from yesterday and cried like a baby. (thank you "E" for the earphones because it IS 4 a.m. and I used them.)  By the way,,,,if you own a Mac, there are two holes in which you put your earphones.  Be sure to get them in the right hole,,,,,or you WILL wake up the whole family at 4 a.m. and they WILL be mad at you....
anywhoo
I will give you a Mom update before I re post my Spaghetti recipe (the one that I promised I would post a while back)
Comfort food,,,
First Mom....
Okay,,,,,I have never seen a fighter like my mom.  Even the nurses are just baffled.
I went there at 7:30 yesterday morning.  She had 104 fever, very little breath left in her sweet, precious 98 lb. body.  Her doctor came in,,,,said it would be today (meaning yesterday),,,,nurses came in, said it would probably be any minute.  Hospice came in,,,,yep,,,,any minute now...."Do you have any family members you'd like to call to be with you?"  Ya know, I really sort of wanted to be by myself for some reason.  But ended up calling Sister, and my two brothers.  Sister came and we just sat there, and sat there, and sat there. Until 12:00.
Decided we would follow my mom's own favorite quote "a watched pot never boils" (idn't that the truth by the way)
and went home.
Now...  If you've ever stayed at the hospital with someone you realize how utterly exhausting it is.
I mean seriously folks.  I felt like I had been hit by an 18 wheeler.
So, back to J's house to take a 2 hour nap.
Went back up to the hospital with Sister at 4 yesterday and whadda ya know? She's stable.  Go figure.  Mrs. Independent.  Has to do everything on her terms.  Ya know?  she just ain't quite ready!

So..anyway...here's that Spaghetti recipe!! (my mom's btw)
I blogged about this right at a year ago and let me just tell ya folks. YUMMERS.


It is fool proof, guaranteed to make Mr. Wonderful kiss your feet, as well as everyone else in the fam. Just plain ole spaghetti. Well if you wanna get really ITalian it's bolognese sauce but we folks here at the Boggs' house just call it "Spaghetti". (since we're not Italian) They come a runnin when momma has "spaghetti" on the stove.
Start with these simple items:
2 lbs. ground chuck
1 large can whole tomatoes
1 large can crushed tomatoes (be careful not to buy that stuff with all the spices in it.)
1 can of large tomato sauce
2 cans of large tomato paste
2 packages of McCormick's (I guess) I couldn't fine Lowry's but Lowry's is what I usually use (that is where I cheat) but it's worth it.
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 tablespoon sea salt
secret ingredient (we'll get to that in a bit)
Brown the ground beef really well adding the oregano and the sea salt
Add the McCormicks packages and 1 can of water. Mixed that up really well
Then add all the other cans of stuff. Cook forever, I mean like all day, bring it to a boil (don't let it splatter on you cause you'll never forget that one), take it down to a simmer and let it go ...like 4 hours or so. DO NOT forget to stir frequently and COVER. This is not a "let it go on it's on" kinda dish.

Don't forget a really good glass of vino or two, or three, heck, why not the whole bottle???? while you're cookin 
The Secret Ingredient -----can anyone guess yet????? shuuu don't tell!
There it is!!! One HEaping tablespoon of Nestles chocolate - makes is yummerlicious - put this in about 1 1/2 hour before serving. Remember, don't burn it...have I said that enough yet? I'm only saying that because I can't tell you how many times I've burned my "spaghetti"
Remember....cover the darn thing cause it WILL splatter and it WILL hurt (and make a mess in your kitchen.) period
While simmering you can do these other things:
Like grate fresh - yes, fresh, not that packaged stuff, not that stuff in a can but FRESH Parmesan cheese.
And make some garlic bread. I use a cheese slicer for the Plugra butter and lots of really good fresh smashed garlic
Make those noodles - I use only angle hair pasta. and yes, I drain them and rinse them. Too bad all you chefs out there that say don't do it. I'm rebelling.
There ya have it. Why did my pic have to be so blurred????? So sorry. oh, boy is it GOooooooooood!
By the way, the left overs are even better (especially if you freeze the sauce) oh be still my heart!
have a FABULOUS Wed. y'all
xo
kb

9 comments:

  1. I found your blog thru Abby's - which I found her's thru someone else's! HA! But, I wanted to say that I'm not sure which hospital your Mom is resting in, but I am doing chair massage @ UAB's Palliative Care Unit tomorrow from 9:45-12 & if you are at UAB, please come get a little chair massage. I am praying for peace for your family!

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  2. I'm still praying for you and your whole family. I must say that your blogs are so interesting. I never knew you could write so well. The recipe sounds yummy but I have a question - 2 pkgs of McCormick's or Lawrys what???

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  3. Spaghetti! The Bryant family has eaten LOTS of spaghetti!!! But my secret??? RAGU sauce to the meat:):):) Guess that's why we ate so much. I could make it REAL quick:))) BUT...actually yesterday 2 Clark's and I were discussing this. The Bryant's ate spaghetti, lasagna, etc..... A LOT, really anything with pasta or carbs!!! :):)))) The Clark's didn't, they are healthy eaters:):):) SO, I have to either introduce them (or him) to what I'm use to cooking OR learn to cook healthier. Probably the healthy cooking should be it:) BUT, maybe a little of both! Thanks for the recipe. I'll try it:) prayers continue:)

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  4. oops to Anonymous!!! It's dried spaghetti mix! Would love to know who you are!!! Funny story. That sounded just like something my mother would have said to me. I was in a beauty pageant one time. (Miss South Alabama). I sang the song "Raindrops on Roses". After the pageant was over my mom said "I never knew you could sing" (I really can't sing a lick) but your comment just reminded me of that!!! Thank you for commenting!!!

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  5. I'm so sorry I didn't know you were going through so much! I just re-read the last week or so of blogs, and umph. The last I'd read she was on the road to recovering at your sisters house. This brought back so many memories. The waiting is excruciating, but I think the Lord does it to prepare us. Think where you would have been if you had lost her a week ago? I know for us, He brought us each to a place where we were not only prepared to let Mom go but eager for her to be relieved of all the suffering...and eager to stop watching her suffer, for us. I know Mom is going to be bouncing up and down in a line to greet her as she enters.

    On a lighter note and keeping with the spaghetti, have you ever posted your Mom's chocolate chip cookie recipe? I have the most vivid memories of Jordan and I in her kitchen eating rock candy (watching them explode in a cup as well) and making cookies with her. I'll never forget her telling me how to measure Crisco by how much water it displaces in a measuring cup :) And then the most delicious cookies ever...straight out of the oven.

    Love to all of you! I'm praying.

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  6. Kendall, I found great comfort in the following words and hope that you will too.


    Praise to the Lord of the small broken things,
    Who sees the poor sparrow that cannot take wing.
    Who loves the lame child and the wretch in the street,
    Who comforts their sorrows and washes their feet.

    Praise to the Lord of the faint and afraid,
    Who girds them with courage and lends them his aid,
    He pours out his spirit on vessels so weak,
    That the timid can serve and the silent can speak.

    Praise to the Lord of the frail and the ill
    Who heals their afflictions or carries them till,
    They leave this tired frame and to paradise fly
    To never be sick and never to die.

    Praise Him, O praise Him all ye who live
    Who’ve been given so much and can so little give
    Our frail lisping praise God will never despise
    He sees his dear children through mercy filled eyes.

    Written by Johanna Anderson

    Sending prayers your way,
    Amanda
    (Clay's "secretary"/assistant)

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  7. Kendall, you are a valiant young lady! Not only have you gone to the store, cooked comfort food for your family, and then shared the recipe with us, but all of this when you are going through a very difficult time in your life. If that isn't a tribute to your mother, I can't think of a better one. You, your brothers, and your sister have all pulled together in this, and as a mother myself, I know that I would feel that I had achieved everything if my children should handle a situation like this in the way that you have. Well done and the best tribute of all to your mother!! And hasn't she done her best in giving you time for acceptance of her going! Blessings and prayers! A2

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  8. I love spaghetti since I was a child. My mom always cooks me, my brothers and my sister whenever it's our birthday or other special occasions that needs celebrating. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Now I can cook for my mom.

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  9. Driving home from the beach and needed your spaghetti recipe for my grocery list, so I found your blog with it! :)

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