Category: DISNEY

Jack Jack’s Num Num Cookie Recipe

Jack Jack's Num Num Cookie Recipe from Incredibles 2
INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! I hope this post finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy! This week we’ll be baking Jack Jack’s Num Num Chocolate Chip Cookies from Disney and Pixar’s Incredibles 2.

Jack Jack's Num Num Cookie Recipe from Incredibles 2This recipe is featured when Lucius Best (Frozone) checks in on Bob Parr (Mr. Incredible) in his new homemaking role. Bob is struggling with Jack Jack’s abundant powers, but has discovered he will temporarily settle down for cookies.

Jack Jack's Num Num Cookie Recipe from Incredibles 2These chocolate chip cookies are slender, soft and scrumptious. Pixar recently released an official recipe for Jack Jack’s cookies that looks and tastes absolutely fantastic, but the cookies come out much thicker-looking than the ones in the film so I decided to create my own independent recipe for the fun of it. I imagine Jack Jack wouldn’t discriminate!

Jack Jack's Num Num Cookie Recipe from Incredibles 2 Jack Jack's Num Num Cookie Recipe from Incredibles 2

JACK JACK’S NUM NUM COOKIES
  • 1 cup of butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups of packed brown sugar (I used dark)
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/4 cups of cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
INSTRUCTIONS (COOKIES)
  1. Using a mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar.
  2. Add the vanilla and then the eggs in one at a time, mixing after each egg.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the cake flour, baking soda and salt with a whisk.
  4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing well after each addition until a thick fluffy dough forms.
  5. Using a mixing spoon, fold in the 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips until well-distributed throughout the dough.
  6. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for about 24 hours. This step is optional if you’re in a rush for the cookies, but they will spread a little less if chilled.
  7. After the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 325F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  8. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and using a small ice cream scoop or a regular spoon (I used a spoon), begin portioning out the dough into balls of cookie dough (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter), and placing them on the baking sheet.
  9. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 14 minutes. Baking time may vary depending on your oven so please keep an eye on the cookies and find a time that works for you.
  10. Remove the cookies from the oven when they are golden brown on the edges and allow them to cool on the pan for about 2 minutes. Then remove them from the pan and allow them to completely cool on a wire rack.
  11. Enjoy!

DIY Tinker Bell Peg Doll

DIY Tinker Bell Peg DollDIY Tinker Bell Peg DollPart of the fun in raising Zoey is making things that delight her; I want to create lasting, meaningful toys for her that are made with love and will be loved! Wooden toys are classic and beautiful, when created and treated right, they can last a lifetime; so let’s make some!

It’s no secret that Cameron and I love Disney. Zoey’s middle name was inspired by one of my favorite Disney princesses, Belle, and that Belle in her name has also led to another Disney nickname, Tinker Bell. I cannot wait to create a whole set of peg dolls for her, but these two characters hold the most significance until she begins watching the classics on her own.

We’ve created a Peasant Belle Peg Doll, check her out!

This week I’ll be sharing the steps I took to create a Tinker Bell peg doll for Zoey.

DIY Tinker Bell Peg Doll

SUPPLIES
  • Blank peg doll (I used a “small angel” or “girl” shape/size)
  • Small, flat & fine tip paint brushes
  • Paint palette (or a tray for your paint)
  • Green non-toxic acrylic paint
  • Yellow non-toxic acrylic paint
  • Light brown non-toxic acrylic paint
  • Light blue non-toxic acrylic paint
  • Light pink non-toxic acrylic paint
  • White non-toxic acrylic paint
  • Black non-toxic acrylic paint
  • Non-toxic varnish (I used Duraclear Ultra Matte Varnish)
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. With a pencil, lightly sketch Tinker Bell onto your blank peg doll.

    DIY Tinker Bell Peg DollDIY Tinker Bell Peg Doll

  2. Begin painting your peg doll with the base layers first. I started with the green of her dress, the white of her wings and the yellow of her hair. Allow this paint to dry before moving on to avoid smudging, then apply a few more layers of each until you’re happy with the colors and textures.

    DIY Tinker Bell Peg DollDIY Tinker Bell Peg Doll

  3. Paint the very bottom and edges of the peg doll green to signify her slippers.
  4. After the base layers have dried, paint a border of darker green on the edges of her dress. If you don’t have a darker shade of green, you can create some by adding a small amount of black paint to the original green and blending.
  5. Paint an accent of lighter green on the inner layer of the dark green border of her dress. If you don’t have a lighter shade of green, you can create some by adding a small amount of white paint to the original green and blending.
  6. The wings can stay matte white, or you can add a pearly white finish to give them a sheen. Once the wings have dried, border and accent them with light blue paint.
  7. Paint light brown accents on and around the hair.
  8. Once the hair has dried, paint a small light blue ribbon around Tinker Bell’s bun.
  9. Taking something small and round (I used the opposite end of one of my smaller paint brushes) dip it in black paint and dot the two eyes. Using the finest tipped paintbrush you can find, give her an eyelash or two on each eye.
  10. Once the eye paint has dried, add a highlight dot to each eye with a fine tipped paintbrush and white paint.
  11. Using the same method as the eyes, dip the opposite end of a slightly larger paintbrush into light pink paint and dot the blush under each eye.
  12. With a little white paint, give her a few sparkles of pixie dust on the hem of her dress or wherever else you feel it will look right!
  13. Allow for all paint to completely dry, then apply a varnish and allow it to dry. You can apply as many coats as you want for the finish you want, just allow them to dry in between applications and before handing her over to your child.
  14. Voilà! Tinker Bell is done and ready to be played with! Enjoy!

DIY Tinker Bell Peg Doll DIY Tinker Bell Peg Doll

Randall’s Be My Pal Cupcake Recipe (Monster’s University)

Be My Pal Cupcake Recipe from Disney and Pixar's Monster's University

INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be baking the cupcakes Randall bakes in the hope of making new friends at Monster’s University in Disney and Pixar’s Monster’s University.Be My Pal Cupcake Recipe from Disney and Pixar's Monster's University

These “Be My Pal” cupcakes are featured right before Randall leaves for a campus party. He’s baked them to impress members of the fraternity he’s trying to join and asks Mike to join him, but Mike declines to study instead.

Be My Pal Cupcake Recipe from Disney and Pixar's Monster's University Be My Pal Cupcake Recipe from Disney and Pixar's Monster's University

In all honesty, I feel a little guilty for not making the cupcake portion of this recipe from scratch. I am rationalizing it by an idea that a college student probably wouldn’t want to take the time to bake everything from scratch, but on the flip-side this is Randall we’re talking about; it could go either way! I look forward to revisiting this recipe in the future and re-creating it completely from scratch, but in the meantime, enjoy and substitute butter for a more homemade flavor!

Be My Pal Cupcake Recipe from Disney and Pixar's Monster's University Be My Pal Cupcake Recipe from Disney and Pixar's Monster's University

CUPCAKES
  • 1 box of Devil’s Food Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines)
  • 1/3 cup butter (or vegetable oil)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup water
  • Cooking spray
INSTRUCTIONS (CUPCAKES)
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and set it aside to cool.
  3. Line a muffin/cupcake pan with cupcake liners and spray them lightly with cooking spray.
  4. Place the dry cake mix in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, eggs and water.
  5. Slowly add the combined wet ingredients to the dry cake mix a little at a time, mixing until smooth.
  6. Distribute the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling each liner about about 2/3 full (you can use an ice cream scoop or I used a small measuring cup).
  7. Bake the cupcakes for 18 to 21 minutes, until a toothpick poked into the center of each cupcake comes out clean.
  8. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
FROSTING
  • 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese (room temperature)
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream (cold)
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered confectioners sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS (FROSTING)
  1. Refrigerate or freeze your mixing bowl and whisk attachment(s) for 10-15 minutes before using, then whip the heavy whipping cream on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until it’s thick, fluffy and spreadable.
  2. In a second mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar slowly until well incorporated, then add the vanilla extract.
  3. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
  4. Separate out about a third of the frosting out into a small bowl and add red food coloring until it reaches the desired hue for the “Be My Pal” letters.
  5. Spread the white frosting on each cupcake using a butter knife.
  6. Place the red frosting into a piping bag and spell out “Be My Pal” onto 7 (or more) of the cupcakes.
  7. Enjoy!

DIY Frozen Mickey and Minnie Baby Treats using Candy Molds

DIY Frozen Mickey and Minnie Baby Treats using Candy MoldsDuring these Summer months, and even into Fall, we get some pretty warm and sometimes uncomfortably hot days. To cool Zoey off and soothe her teething gums, I thought it would be fun and refreshing to make some frozen treats using the food she already eats and candy molds!

DIY Frozen Mickey and Minnie Baby Treats using Candy Molds

SUPPLIES
  • Candy mold of your choice (I used Mickey and Minnie)
  • Baby food
  • Yogurt (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Wash and dry the candy mold.

    DIY Frozen Mickey and Minnie Baby Treats using Candy Molds
  2. Choose the flavor of baby food and/or yogurt you would like to freeze and spoon it into the candy molds until it’s even with the top of the mold. I wiped the top of my mold down to make it look better, but you do not need to do this.

    DIY Frozen Mickey and Minnie Baby Treats using Candy MoldsDIY Frozen Mickey and Minnie Baby Treats using Candy Molds
  3. Place the mold in the freezer for an hour or more until the contents are frozen.

    DIY Frozen Mickey and Minnie Baby Treats using Candy Molds
  4. Remove the mold from the freezer and pop out one or two frozen treats at a time for baby to enjoy!

    DIY Frozen Mickey and Minnie Baby Treats using Candy MoldsDIY Frozen Mickey and Minnie Baby Treats using Candy Molds

“Try Everything” Lyric Page from Disney’s Zootopia

Try Everything Lyric Page

I love singing to Baby Zoey and she loves being sung to! This is also a song Zoey loves moving to or dare I say, dance to. She’s still learning to walk, so we do the dancing for her with her in our arms, but she laughs and squeals the whole time!

I used to know all the songs from Disney movies by heart, but I’m a little rusty. I’ve started making lyric pages to refresh my memory or teach me new songs I’ve never known! Feel free to save them to your phone for a quick reference, and please let me know if there are any songs you would like to see lyric pages for!

Nick and Fennec’s Pawpsicle Recipe (Zootopia)

Nick and Fennec's Pawpsicle (Popsicle) Recipe from Disney's Zootopia.INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be creating the pawpsicles (popsicles) the enterprising Nick Wilde and Fennec create and sell to the lemmings in Disney’s Zootopia.

Nick and Fennec's Pawpsicle (Popsicle) Recipe from Disney's Zootopia.Pawpsicles are featured after Nick and Fennec hustle a jumbo-pop from Judy and Jumbeaux Cafe’s owner, then turn it into their own smaller pawpsicles to sell for a profit. 

Nick and Fennec's Pawpsicle (Popsicle) Recipe from Disney's Zootopia. Nick and Fennec's Pawpsicle (Popsicle) Recipe from Disney's Zootopia.These are sweet, juicy and delicious, although they start to melt quickly so eat quickly! I wanted to use real fruit to make these with only minimal sugar added. Quite honestly, these probably would have been just as delicious without adding any sugar. I think I want to try that too!

Nick and Fennec's Pawpsicle (Popsicle) Recipe from Disney's Zootopia.PAWPSICLES
  • 1 cup of raspberries
  • 1 cup of strawberries, chopped
  • 1/2 cup of sugar, divided
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla
  • 2 cups of cherry juice
  • Silicone paw print molds
  • Popsicle sticks
INSTRUCTIONS (PAWPSICLES)
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare a parchment lined sheet pan.
  2. Combine the raspberries, strawberries, vanilla and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a large bowl and stir to combine.
  3. Place the combined ingredients onto the parchment-lined sheet pan and place it in the oven. Roast for 20 minutes.
  4. In a saucepan, heat the cherry juice and 1/4 cup of sugar for about five minutes or until the sugar dissolves, then pour it into a bowl to cool.
  5. Once the fruit in the oven has roasted, add it into the bowl with the cherry juice, then place the bowl in the refrigerator to cool.
  6. Once cool, puree and pour the juice into the paw print molds and place in freezer for 5 or more hours.
  7. Serve and enjoy!

The Hua Family Pork Dumpling Recipe (Mulan)

The Faa Family and Mushu's Pork Dumpling or Potsticker Recipe from Disney's Mulan.INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be cooking up the dumplings or potstickers featured in Disney’s Mulan.

Mushu's Happy Porridge and Faa Family Dumpling Recipe from Disney's Mulan.This recipe is featured twice, once when the Hua family is eating dinner before Mulan departs for training, and again when Mushu pulls one out to roast towards the end of the film.

The Faa Family and Mushu's Pork Dumpling or Potsticker Recipe from Disney's Mulan. The Faa Family and Mushu's Pork Dumpling or Potsticker Recipe from Disney's Mulan.Dumplings, in this case potstickers, are delicious! This recipe would have been (and could be) easier if I had used store-bought wonton wrappers, but I was looking in the wrong place and couldn’t find them. It’s a happy accident though, now the whole recipe has been made from scratch!

The Faa Family and Mushu's Pork Dumpling or Potsticker Recipe from Disney's Mulan. The Faa Family and Mushu's Pork Dumpling or Potsticker Recipe from Disney's Mulan. The Faa Family and Mushu's Pork Dumpling or Potsticker Recipe from Disney's Mulan.DUMPLING DOUGH
  • 2 cups of all-purpose flour (plus a little extra for kneading)
  • 1 egg
  • 3⁄4 teaspoon of salt
  • 1⁄2 cup of water
  • Cornstarch (for rolling out the dough)
INSTRUCTIONS (DUMPLING DOUGH)
  1. Place the flour into a large bowl.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, salt, and water.
  3. Create a well in the center of the flour and pour in the wet ingredients.
  4. Mix everything together with a spoon (or your hands), until the mixture begins to come together.
  5. Turn the dough onto a hard surface, dusted with flour and knead for about 3 to 5 minutes. The dough should be firm, but smooth when you are done. If your dough is too tacky, add a little extra flour to your counter.
  6. Place the dough back in a floured bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and let it rest for 1 hour.
  7. Divide the dough in half. Cover one half of the dough with your towel.
  8. Lightly dust your counter-top with cornstarch (NOT flour), and roll half of the dough as thin as you can. Mine came out a little thick. but it worked out just fine!
  9. Cut the sheet into 3 inch circles (you can use a cookie cutter, I used a cup).
  10. Repeat with the remaining dough until you’ve cut the maximum number of circles.
PORK DUMPLINGS (POTSTICKERS)
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 1/2 cup chopped head cabbage
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
  • 3/4 teaspoon of sesame oil (or more to taste)
  • 1 lightly beaten egg white
  • 6 Tablespoon vegetable oil (for light frying)
INSTRUCTIONS (PORK DUMPLINGS)
  1. Season the ground pork to your preference and cook it In a skillet on medium high heat until it’s golden brown.
  2. Add the chopped cabbage and green onion to the skillet midway through so they can cook and get soft as the ground pork finishes.
  3. Place the individual dumpling wrappers on a clean, dry surface and scoop about a tablespoon of filling in the center of each one.
  4. Moisten the edge of each wrapper with the beaten egg white before folding.
  5. Pull the edge of each wrapper over the filling and use your fingers to crimp the edge into a folded fan pattern (see images above).
  6. Add 3 to 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a wok or deep skillet on medium heat.
  7. Place the dumplings in single layer on the bottom of pan and fry them on each surface until browned (about 2 to 3 minutes each side).
  8. Remove from the heat and enjoy!

Mushu’s Happy Porridge Recipe (Mulan)

Mushu's Happy Porridge Recipe from Disney's Mulan.INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be cooking the happy porridge Mushu serves to Mulan in Disney’s Mulan.

Mushu's Happy Porridge and Faa Family Dumpling Recipe from Disney's Mulan.This recipe is featured when Mulan is about to start her training. Mushu wakes her up the first morning with this happy breakfast to get her day started!

Mushu's Happy Porridge Recipe from Disney's Mulan.You can see little grains of rice in the porridge Mushu holds out to Mulan so to stay as true to the recipe from the film as I could I made congee. Congee is a type of porridge created with rice and enjoyed in China. It’s super easy to make and super delicious! I also chose to make the eggs in a muffin tin and the bacon on a baking sheet so I could cook them all at once and it was easier to keep them in the correct shape for the happy face on the porridge.

Mushu's Happy Porridge Recipe from Disney's Mulan.MUSHU’S HAPPY PORRIDGE
  • 4 cups of chicken broth
  • 4 cups of water
  • 1 cup of jasmine rice
  • Salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS (PORRIDGE)
  1. Bring the 4 cups of water and 4 cups of chicken broth to a boil in a medium to large pot.
  2. Add the rice and bring the combination back to a boil.
  3. Lower the heat and let it gently simmer with a partially closed lid, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  4. The longer the porridge cooks the thicker it will get, keep in mind it also gets thicker after it’s cooled off. Once you are happy with the consistency, remove your porridge from the heat.
  5. Season with salt to your taste.
  6. Serve Mushu’s happy porridge in a bowl, arranging 2 cooked eggs and a bacon slice (see below) to look like a happy face on top.
  7. Enjoy!
BACON AND EGGS
  • 8 eggs
  • 4 slices of bacon
INSTRUCTIONS (BACON AND EGGS)
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Grease 8 cups of a muffin or cupcake tin.
  3. Gently crack and place an uncooked egg into each greased cup of the muffin or cupcake tin. I personally only used the yolk and half of the white of each egg, but you can use the whole egg if preferred!
  4. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  5. Cut each slice of bacon in half and line the pieces out on the prepared baking sheet.
  6. Place the eggs and bacon in the preheated oven to cook. The eggs will take about 15 minutes and the bacon will take about 25 minutes, but keep an eye on them as every oven is different!
  7. Carefully (because they’re hot) remove the eggs and bacon from the pans and arrange them on the porridge (see above).
  8. Enjoy!

Lady’s Doughnut Recipe (Lady and the Tramp)

Lady's Doughnut or Donut Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be frying the Doughnuts (or Donuts) Jim Dear and Darling give Lady in Disney’s Lady and the Tramp!

Tony's Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe and Lady's Donut Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.These doughnuts are featured during a breakfast scene after Lady retrieves Jim Dear’s paper. Darling offers Lady a doughnut and Jim Dear offers her coffee to dunk it in.

Lady's Doughnut or Donut Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.I knew I wanted to make old fashioned buttermilk doughnuts with a simple glaze. I considered making cake donuts, but deep frying seemed like so much more fun! If you’ve never deep fried anything before, be very careful! I use a very heavy dutch oven and a frying thermometer, heating the oil up a little at a time so it doesn’t get too hot too fast!

Lady's Doughnut or Donut Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp. Lady's Doughnut or Donut Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.DOUGHNUTS (DONUTS)
  • 4 tablespoons of butter, melted
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 3 1/2 cups of flour, sifted
  • 3/4 cup of buttermilk
  • 6 cups of canola or vegetable oil
INSTRUCTIONS (DOUGHNUTS)
  1. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and sugar until they form a light, sandy texture.
  2. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the egg yolk, and then the vanilla extract.
  3. Stir in the baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt.
  4. Begin adding in one cup of flour, followed by 1⁄4 cup of buttermilk. Continue alternating the flour and buttermilk, ending with the flour.
  5. The dough will be very sticky. Flour your hands and sprinkle a little on the dough, cover it with plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for at least an 1 hour.
  6. In a large heavy bottomed sauce pot (I use my dutch oven), slowly heat the oil to about 325F as read on a candy or deep fry thermometer.
  7. While the oil heats, flour a large flat work surface and roll the dough out, flouring it liberally if needed to prevent sticking. Roll out to about 1⁄2″ thickness.
  8. Using a doughnut cutter, cut out doughnut shapes. Keep re-rolling and cutting the dough as needed.
  9. When oil is hot, gently slide the doughnuts into the pan using a slotted wire spoon to prevent splashing.
  10. Fry the doughnuts for about 90 seconds per side, or until a deep golden brown then remove them from the oil and place a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet.
GLAZE
  • 2 teaspoons of corn syrup
  • 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla
  • 1⁄3 cup of hot water
INSTRUCTIONS (GLAZE)
  1. Combine all of the glaze ingredients in a saucepan and stir until smooth.
  2. Place the warm doughnuts into the glaze mixture one at a time.
  3. Use a fork or spoon to turn them over and coat them completely in the glaze.
  4. Place the glazed doughnuts back onto the wire rack to set for about 20 minutes.
  5. Enjoy on them on their own, or dunked in coffee!

Tony’s Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe (Lady and the Tramp)

Tony's Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp. Tony's Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.INTRODUCTION

Welcome back friends! This week we’ll be cooking the Spaghetti that Tony serves Lady and Tramp in Disney’s Lady and the Tramp!

Tony's Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe and Lady's Donut Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.This recipe is featured when the Tramp takes Lady out to one of his favorite places to eat, Tony’s Restaurant. Once Tony notices Tramp is not alone and has brought Lady with him, he decides to treat this as a special night and serves them spaghetti and meatballs, then serenades them with “Bella Notte’.

Tony's Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.Spaghetti and meatballs are quite fun to make and did I mention delicious? I had to stop myself from snacking on the meatballs before I was done making the pasta! My only regret is that I didn’t make the pasta or the sauce completely from scratch. I chose the timesavers path and used pre-packaged pasta, canned tomatoes and tomato paste. The good news is, most of us do not have time to make everything from scratch, but I do look forward to revisiting this recipe in the future to bring you everything from scratch!

Tony's Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe from Disney's Lady and the Tramp.SAUCE
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons of grated onion
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar
  • 2 – 28 ounce cans of diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 – 12 ounce can of tomato paste
  • 1 cup of water
INSTRUCTIONS (SAUCE)
  1. Combine all the sauce ingredients together in a dutch oven.
  2. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer (uncovered) for about an hour and 15 minutes.
  3. While the sauce is simmering prepare the meatballs (see below).
MEATBALLS
  • 6 slices of day-old bread, torn into pieces
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 3/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley
  • 1 pound of ground beef
INSTRUCTIONS (MEATBALLS)
  1. While the sauce simmers, soak the bread in the water until fully saturated.
  2. Squeeze the excess water out of the bread, then place it in a large bowl.
  3. Add the beef, eggs, garlic, parmesan cheese, parsley, pepper and salt; mix well.
  4. Shape the mixture into meatballs 1 1/2 inches in diameter and place them on a rack over a shallow baking pan.
  5. Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
  6. Bake the meatballs, uncovered for about 20 minutes or until they are no longer pink then remove them from the oven and prepare the spaghetti (see below).
SPAGHETTI
  • 12 cups of water
  • 3 tablespoons of salt
  • 8 ounces of spaghetti noodles
INSTRUCTIONS (SPAGHETTI)
  1. Bring the water to a rolling boil.Add the salt and allow the water to return to a boil.
  2. Add the pasta to the salted, boiling water and stir.
  3. Bring the water back up to a boil again (don’t cover), then lower the heat slightly to avoid the pot boiling over and cook for as long as directed on the packet.
  4. Once done, drain the pasta.
  5. Remove the bay leaf from the finished sauce (see above) and add the spaghetti, stirring to coat.
  6. Place the meatballs (see above) into the spaghetti and sauce, and simmer until heated through.
  7. Garnish with parmesan cheese if desired, and enjoy!