Poppie's Spaghetti Sauce

Sweet Italian Sausage Spaghetti Sauce
- Robert Nanto (Poppie) 

½ pound Sweet Italian Sausage broken up in small pieces.  

1 tbs olive oil.

½ Cup celery, ½ cup yellow Bell pepper, ½ cup orange Bell pepper, 1 small sweet onion, Cut up in ½ inch pieces.

1 small can of Basil, Garlic & Oregano Tomato Paste

1 14oz Can Petite cut Diced Tomatoes

1 14oz Can Diced Basil, Garlic & Oregano Tomatoes

2 tbs brown sugar. 

Spaghetti, rice or pasta.

In a 10” fry pan brown the Sausage in the Olive oil.  

When Sausage is about ¾ cooked add Onion and Celery.  When Onions are cooked clear,  add the Tomatoes and Tomato Paste.  Bring to a boil and add the Peppers.  Cook until peppers are half cooked. Add the Brown Sugar.  

Serve over Spaghetti, rice or pasta.    

The Best Mac&Cheese

Mac & Cheese

This is adapted from the Barefoot Contessa.  It is just as good as that old Martha Stewart recipe, and so much easier.

Salt
vegetable oil
1 pound pasta (Barilla cellentani, penne, or campanelle)
1 quart milk (4 cups, 2% or whole )
1 stick butter, divided
1/2 C flour
12 ounces cheddar cheese, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (2 cups)

a scant 1 T salt
about 1/2 tsp freshly grated pepper
about 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

5 slices of  fresh white bread, torn into crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Drizzle some vegetable oil in a large pot of boiling water.  Add the pasta and cook til al dente.  Drain and set aside. 
3. Heat the milk in a small saucepan.  Melt 6 T of the butter in the large Le Creuset pot, and add the flour.  Stir to "cook" the flour and butter for a few minutes.  Slowly add the warm milk while whisking.  Cook for a few minutes until thickened and smooth.  
4. Take pot off the heat, and add the cheeses, 1 T salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Stir until smooth. 
5. Add the cooked pasta, stir well, and then pour into a 9x13 pan. 
6. Drizzle the remaining 2T butter (melted) over the bread crumbs, and toss to coat. Sprinkle on top of the mac and cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes. 
7. ENJOY!  Great with plenty of steamed broccoli. 

Variation:  Before sprinkling the bread crumbs, lay thin slices of tomato over top of the mac and cheese.  Yum!