Here are more ideas for quick meals from my "Down Home Cooking" recipe box -- for the folks down home.
Wondering what to do with that wonderful leftover spaghetti sauce you made?
I always am sure to make a lot of extra sauce for easy meals to come. Here are some tips on how to use that leftover spaghetti sauce:Freeze it for a quick supper later in the month. I recommend putting it in a plastic freezer bag and let it freeze on a flat surface in the freezer. It is easier and quicker to thaw out if the sauce is in a flat shape rather than a big lump.
Spice it up with some chili sauce and add cooked red beans to it. Simmer till really hot throughout. This makes an awesome chili served with big hunks of warm french bread and a tossed green salad.
This is my favorite way to use up leftover spaghetti sauce -- I layer it with garlic bread, like a lasagna dish:
Spaghetti and garlic bread layers:
Lasagna dish
4 - 6 sourdough sandwich buns
3 - 4 cups spaghetti sauce
grated cheese (cheddar or jack, or both)
butter (or grape seed oil)
garlic powder
parsley
oregano
pepper
grated parmesan cheese
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice rolls in half lengthwise and butter each slice. I prefer brushing on the grape seed oil. The grape seed oil will make the bread crispier and give it a wonderful flavor. Sprinkle herbs and parmesan on slices (to taste). Place slices single layer on a cookie sheet and crisp bread up in a hot oven.
Heat spaghetti sauce in a pan on top of stove -- it does not have to get really hot, just so it is easier to spread and will heat more quickly in the oven.
If you did not buy shredded cheddar and jack cheeses, shred it now and set aside.
Butter your lasagna dish. Spread a little spaghetti sauce on the bottom, just to cover the bottom layer. Place the garlic bread on top of sauce in a single layer. Add another layer of sauce, making sure to cover bread completely. If you have a deep dish, you can add another layer of garlic bread and another layer of sauce. Top layer should be sauce. Heat in 350 degree oven till piping hot throughout. Top with cheese and pop back in the oven till cheese melts.
Serve with a tossed green salad and vegetable of choice. I like whole kernel corn with this meal. It is good fixin's for the folks down home.
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Image credits:
Boy with Spaghetti by Julius Moser, c. 1808.
Wikipedia, Public Domain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Moser_Spaghetti_essender_Junge.jpg
