SPAGHETTI DINNER

When we bought our first microwave, in 1981, I discovered that I could make my homemade spaghetti sauce in it. What used to take HOURS of simmering on the stove could be done in the microwave in one hour! What a time saver!! Through the years my recipe has evolved as I've discovered some really good pre-packaged seasonings. This is a recipe that I am frequently asked for. The dessert we like with this dinner is Italian Cream Cake, a good and impressive triple layer cake that presents beautifully when brought to the table on a nice pedestal cake plate. The cake recipe is from my Aunt June, who is a wonderful cook and whom I have gotten MANY recipes from.

Here's the menu:
Spaghetti
Tossed Green Salad
French Rolls or Garlic French Bread
Italian Cream Cake

SPAGHETTI SAUCE
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb Italian style sausage (pork or turkey)
3 - 15 oz cans Italian style stewed tomatoes
4 - 15 oz cans tomato sauce
Minced garlic to taste (I use 1 Tablespoons of prepared minced garlic in a jar)
1 cup Tone’s Spicy Spaghetti Seasoning mix
1 pkg Lawry’s or Schillings Spaghetti Sauce seasoning
2 Tablespoons sugar (cuts the acid of the tomato sauces)
In 5 qt microwaveable baking dish with lid (corning ware), crumble meats and microwave, uncovered, on high for 3 minutes. Stir and break up meat, heat for 3 more minutes, stir and heat in 1 to 3 minute increments until meat is completely cooked. Drain fat. Place remaining ingredients in baking dish with the meat, stir well, cover and microwave for 15 minutes at power level number 6. Stir well, cook for 15 minutes at power level 6; repeat cooking and stirring two more times - giving a total cooking time of 1 hour.
Note: Sauce freezes well in sealed plastic container or in Ziploc freezer bag.
Tone’s Spicy Spaghetti Seasoning mix is available at Sam’s Club and some super WalMarts. The ingredients are salt, dehydrated onion, spices, dehydrated red and green bell pepper, sugar, parsley, dehydrated garlic, red pepper.


ITALIAN CREAM CAKE
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup Crisco shortening
2 cups sugar
5 eggs, separated
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup angel flake coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a small mixing bow, beat the egg whites until stiff. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and shortening, add sugar and beat until smooth. Add egg yolks and beat well. Combine flour and baking soda, add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well. Stir in vanilla extract, coconut and nuts. Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 8 inch pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until cakes test done with a toothpick. Cook 5 minutes, remove from cake pans onto cooling racks and let cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
8 ozs cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
In medium bowl, mix butter and cream cheese at medium speed on electric mixer. Add vanilla extract and mix well. Add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Spread between layers and on top of cake (do not frost the sides). Sprinkle chopped nuts on top