I’ve long posted about my Aunt Buzz’s go-to no fuss dinner, Zanzetti.
It is actually (I am pretty certain) a packaged foods version of Johnny Mazetti Spaghetti, which was pretty popular in the middle of the last century, and I have also made that a lot of times.
So, I found a sale on “meatloaf mix” – ground pork and beef at the market, had a coupon for Kraft Dinner, and now have this killer Garlic Sauce.
Let us go forth into Zanzetti!
INGEREDIENTS
Meat:
•1 tbsp olive oil
•1 lb meatloaf mix
•1 sweet onion, chopped
•1 tbsp steak seasoning
•1 tbsp Sherry Peppers Sauce*
•1 tsp Cajun Power Spicy Garlic Pepper Sauce – or your fave hot sauce, to taste
•1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Mac and Cheese:
•1 box mac and cheese
•1/4 cup (4 tbsp) butter
•1/4 cup milk
•1 can tomato soup
•1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
•1/2 tsp black pepper
•1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper
•1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
•Sliced black olives (optional)
•1 tbsp Garlic Dressing
*No Sherry Peppers Sauce? No Problem! Simply add a bit of decent sherry (none of that “cooking” stuff) and a dash or three of your fave hot sauce, to taste.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat, then add the meatloaf mix (plain ground beef is fine), and the onion.
Add the steak seasoing, Sherry Peppers, Cajun Power, and Worcestershire sauces.
Cook, breaking up the meat until it is cooked through and the onion is tender.
Note: I like to cook mine, stirring every now and then, until most of any pan liquids have be reduced and (I think) the flaovrs have intensified. This also saves me from draining any fat into the sink.
Transfer the now nicely seasoned meat and onion mixture to a bowl and set aside.
Allow the pot to cool off a bit, then fill with water and cook the mac and cheese according to package instructions.
Once cooked, drain the pasta and return to the pot with the butter, milk, cheese packet, seasonings, and tomato soup.
Stir until smooth and creamy, then return the meat (along with the black olives, if you are using them) to the pot and heat through.
You now have a pretty decent dinner that my Aunt Buzz would totally hate.
Oh well.
My kitchen. My take on recipes.
I stirred in one tablespoon of that perfectly lovely Garlic Sauce before serving.
Yeh.
You need to try this!