RECIPES AS REMEMBRANCES--MARGARET'S MOSTACCIOLI

Margaret and Her Couster

Some people no matter how much we love them and pray for them leave us too soon. My cousin, Margaret, and I were raised together in the first years of our life because her Dad was off fighting with General Patton in World War II and her Mom had to go to work. The Grandma that lived with us took care of Margaret so she and I ended up in the same playpen. Because we had the cottage, she and her family spent great blocks of time with us all the summers of our growing up years. We called each other Cousters, a combination of cousin and sister. Almost 11 years ago, she was called Home which was a great blow to the family as we had lost her husband just six months before her passing. After her sister-in-law recovered from the shock of the news, the first thing she said was, “Does anyone have her mostaccioli recipe?”

Years before I had been working on a family recipes cookbook and I had asked Margaret for her recipes.  She responded that she just threw things together and had no recipes. I kept after her, for years! Finally she took the time to write down her version of Macaroni and Cheese for me plus a Chicken Salad she loved. I am so glad she did as whenever there is a special occasion for her son and family, I bring Margaret’s Macaroni and Cheese. We know she is with us in Spirit, but we also have something tangible to stick a spoon into that was hers.

I am so glad this recipe was not lost.

MARGARET’S MOSTACCIOLI
Margaret clipped this recipe from the Grand Rapids Press. On the yellowed clipping I found in her recipe box, she had marked, “Excellent”. Depending on the brand of tomatoes, I sometimes like to add a pinch of sugar to the sauce. You can tell this is an old recipe as it calls for bacon grease. People use to routinely save their bacon grease in a container to use for cooking. It also calls for a 1 pound can which is no longer available; they are now down to 14.5 ounces.  This is one of the recipes I look to for taking food to people in need of meals because of sickness or disability as adults and children enjoy it.  If possible, always put take-out dinners in disposible aluminum pans so that others don't need to worry about returning them.

1 lb. lean ground beef
2 T fat (bacon grease is good)
½ c green pepper, chopped
½ c onions, chopped
1 lb. can tomatoes (2 c)
1 can ((6oz.) tomato paste
1/2 c water
1 t salt
½ t oregano
I add a little dried basil, about ¼ t
¼ t pepper
7 oz. mostaccioli noodles, cooked and drained (Iuse half a 16oz. box)
6 oz. Mozzarella cheese (in slices)
Grated Parmesan cheese

Ingredients--mostaccioli pasta is getting hard to find so if you can't find it substitute penne pasta.

Pan fry ground beef in 1 tablespoon fat until browned. I saute in a pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Remove meat from skillet, add green pepper and onions. Sauté in remaining tablespoon fat until tender. Add a little water to the pan to deglaze, to scrap up all the goodies on the bottom of the pan. Add tomatoes and cut up or mash, tomato paste, water, salt, oregano, (basil if desired) and pepper. Add the meat. Mix well. Simmer to blend flavors, about 10 to 15 minutes.  In a two-quart casserole, layer noodles, mozzarella cheese and meat sauce. Repeat layers, ending with meat sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350° oven for 30 minutes.

Chop.

Brown and drain.

Cut in half to make slicing easier.

Slice.

Chop up tomatoes.

Simmer to blend flavors.

Cook pasta.  I always cook a minute less than the time on the box when I am going to bake the pasta.

First layer pasta.

Do as I say, not as I do.  Second layer is cheese.  I think I have made this mistake every time I make this casserole.

Third layer is meat sauce, not cheese like I have it.

Mozzarella should be under meat sauce.

Delicious no matter how it is layered, but don't make my mistakes.