2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 cup celery, chopped (or 1 teaspoon celery salt)
1 pound ground beef
1 to 2 14-ounce cans plum tomatoes, diced
1 14-ounce jar tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 6-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
½ cup black olives, sliced
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon thyme
Dried basil, to taste
Dried parsley, to taste
Salt, to taste
½ pound No. 5 spaghetti
Fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté onions, garlic, and celery. Add meat and brown. Drain excess fat, then add tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, mushrooms, olives, herbs, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 1 hour. When ready to cook pasta, remove sauce from heat and set aside to let flavors blend. Reheat when pasta is ready, if necessary. Ladle over drained pasta and top with grated cheese. If eaten in mid-ocean, serve in bowls with high sides! Sauce makes enough to serve four.
Pot Luck Cole Slaw
Even though these ingredients may sound like a strange combination, this salad is absolutely delicious, and perfect for pot lucks.
16 ounces cabbage, shredded
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup slivered almonds
2 packages beef-flavored ramen noodles
1 small bunch green onions, chopped
Mix above ingredients, crumbling the noodles and saving the flavoring packet for use in the dressing.
Dressing:
1 cup canola oil
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup wine vinegar
2 beef seasoning packets from ramen noodles
Combine and toss with cole slaw just before serving.
Pot Luck Artichoke Dip
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts (NOT marinated)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 7-ounce can diced green chilies
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
Chop artichoke hearts into small pieces. Combine all ingredients well and put in an ovenproof dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until top is brown and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.
