Time to get Busy

I owe a couple of people some packages so I need to get busy

before it's time to get out in the garden.

I've made some more microwaveable bowl hot pads and 

have to send a couple to my mom.  I find my machine struggles

with the thickness of two layers of batting when I have to sew 

the seams together where the darts are, even though I have trimmed 

them. I have to go very slow but I still think I'm not doing it

the best way even if I follow the tutorials.  Regardless,

they are functional.  I have two double thick here for the microwave

and one single batting layer for cold items like a bowl of ice cream.

Then I found an entire set of Betty Crocker recipe cards

that must have been collected a packet at a time.  There are dividers

for each category with the first card in each set listing all

the recipes in that category.  Then there is a main index.

A couple of the sets are not even out of their packaging

so they are in pristine condition.  Looking at the date on

the index, this must have been from the early 70's.

I paid a whopping $1.99- but that's not all-

I donated some clothes to the thrift store and got

20% off the $1.99!  What a bargain.

My husband's brother and his wife are living next door 

in my mother in law's house since she is up at the nursing home

and they have her box of similar recipe cards.  I said we'll have to each

make a 70's meal once a month and invite the other family.

So twice a month we'll be back in the 70's, which for me was

my high school years.  It sounds like fun but I'm a little concerned.

Does this mean we have to learn to play bridge? ???

Today is the St Pat's parade in town.  I'm not attending but my 

husband is there with the Knights of Columbus setting up the BBQ.

He'll be back soon and we're having a family gathering next door 

with corned beef and cabbage.  It is my least favorite meal

of almost all times  (except for liver) but an Usher family tradition.  

They are all excited, filling their bellies every year with a huge feast.  

I have the rye bread and potatoes.  

This year is different- we're bringing mostaccioli!

This is a St Louis favorite and my mother in laws meat sauce is fantastic.  

You start with a chuck roast, homemade spaghetti sauce ingredients

 and a crock pot. It cooks for hours and hours until 

the meat just falls apart and then you mix in the noodles 

and top your plate off with Parmesan cheese.

Crock Pot

2 lb. Chuck roast

¼ cup olive oil

½ cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic

2 Tb sugar

1 Tb salt

1 ½ tsp dried basil

½ tsp fennel seed

¼ tsp pepper

2 lb. 3 oz. canned tomatoes

2 6 oz. cans of tomato paste

1 lb. dried rigatoni noodles

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil. 

Put everything, except the noodles, in the crock pot 

Cook until the meat falls apart. 

I start it off on High and then switch to low later on.

Boil the noodles, drain and add to the sauce.

Stir and serve, topped with Parmesan cheese if desired.