I was so surprised to pick up a recent issue of “Bon Appétit” Magazine and find a picture of Spaghetti and Meatballs on the front cover. I had thought spaghetti and meatballs a much too plain food for that magazine and further, I knew of few people who thought that spaghetti and meatballs is as comforting as it is for me.

They wrote what I had known for many years, “Last winter, my wife invited an old friend over for Sunday dinner. Craving something simple and homey, I suggested spaghetti and meatballs. Someone agreed, adding garlic bread and a big salad to our menu. That was easy I thought. Within a few hours, we sat down to a dinner with our nine year old son and Simone’s friend. After crunching into the fragrant butter saturated garlic bread, cutting into a plump meatball laden with sauce and taking a few bits of iceberg coated in a bright acidic dressing, something else crossed my mind. Why not make this every Sunday? I cannot remember a better home cooked meal before or since that has hit every pleasure point--------rich, crisp, indulgent and nostalgic………….”

That is what I believe completely.

The joy of it is that it is a meal that can be made as difficult or as easy as you want to make it. I usually make my own meatballs, frying them in a pan on the stove. They contain hamburger, breakfast sausage, oregano, crushed up bread, eggs, milk, cheese and seasonings. They are good but you can get just as good at Nalivka’s in Havre or Borrie’s in Great Falls. They are old style and as wonderful as mine.

For my sauce, I use lots of whole tomatoes, lots of sautéed vegetables like onion, celery, carrots and mushrooms. I let that all cook down for a long time and then puree it all before adding the meatballs.

Both Nalivka’s and Borrie’s have wonderful old style spaghetti sauce as well. The pasta aisle of your grocery store has wonderful bottled sauces too so you don’t have to do much but heat them up. One friend raves about Emeril’s Pasta Sauce and I like a roasted garlic sauce. So, you can take as much time or as little time as you choose and get a great comforting meal.

One thing, the meal needs meatballs if you are cooking spaghetti and it needs a salad and crunchy garlic bread.

Try it twice and you may be having it every Sunday too.

Bon Appétit!