Dinner & A Movie Jan. 19, 2013

The delightful Mamma Mia! from Universal Pictures.

Tonight's movie fare is the film adaptation of Mamma Mia! Unlike her turn as Cosette in Les Miserables, I think Amanda Seyfried was the perfect choice to play Sophie. She's young and fresh and exuberant and gave a wonderful performance. A bit of slapstick, some surprising vocals (Meryl Streep and Christine Baranski) and some winceable ones (Pierce Brosnan) and a clever plot make this one of my favorite movies. I love to listen to the soundtrack while I'm doing chores around the house. Sometimes I go crazy and dance like a wild woman.

To go along with Mamma Mia, I am making my dad's special spaghetti sauce. This recipe is absolutely yummy and tastes better if it simmers on the stove for a few hours. Three or four at the least.

Dad's Spaghetti Sauce

1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound sweet Italian sausage (Hot can be used but it changes the entire taste of the dish)
1 bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 15-ounce cans of Hunts Tomato Sauce + 1 28-ounce can of Hunts Tomato Sauce ( I don't know why it's broken out like this but it is and we never vary)
Ground Oregano to taste - I add 1 TBS when the meat is browing, then 1-2 TBS during the cooking
Italian Herbs to taste - same as above
Button Mushrooms (optional)
Black olives (optional)

Directions:
Brown meat and sausage in pan, drain off fat. Return to pan and add onions, bell pepper, garlic, tomato sauce and seasonings. Simmer for three to four hours, adding more seasoning as needed. About 30 before you intend to serve it, add mushrooms and olives.

Serve over pasta and with warm garlic bread.
Yum!

Happy reading,
Jennifer