Recipe(tried): Spaghetti and Meat Sauce with Sausages, Double Chocolate Swirl Cake with Homemade Chocolate Frosting

Hi Everyone,

What do you feed a husband and his football loving friends? Spaghetti and Meat Sauce with Sausages and a scrumptious Double Chocolate Swirl sheet cake to go along with the meal!

I discovered at Costco the most delicious French Baguette, le petite francais. They come packaged 2 to a bag and are simply wonderful for meals!! You get about 6 bags in the box and keep them in the freezer until you are ready to bake them. Then you simply defrost for 15 minutes and then bake!! You would swear you were eating them from a French bakery!!

As for dessert, nothing better and quicker than doctoring up a box of chocolate cake mix...this one gets chocolate chips thrown on top and then gets topped with homemade chocolate frosting. Makes the men happy!!

Have a great Saturday!! Gina

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce with Sausages

Sauce:
2 lbs. ground sirloin
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, washed, cored and chopped
3 T. olive oil
1 lb. mild Italian Sausages
2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes with puree
1 T. dried basil
1/4 c. fresh chopped parsley
1/2 t. crumbled thyme
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 t. sugar
1/4 t. crushed dried red pepper
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1/4 t. oregano
1/4 t. marjoram
1/4 t. rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 t. Italian seasoning
12 oz. cooked spaghetti
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Brown the sausage and set aside. Brown and crumble up the meat, drain any grease and set aside. Saute onions, peppers and garlic in large pot. Add tomatoes, paste and sauce and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and add next 13 ingredients, the browned beef , the browned sausage and simmer uncovered for 2 hours, stir occasionally. Serve over spaghetti topped with a generous amount of grated parmesan cheese and garlic bread!!

Double Chocolate Swirl Cake with Homemade Chocolate Frosting

This is very easy and delicious!!

1 box Betty Crocker Double Chocolate Swirl Cake
1 c. chocolate chips

Follow instructions for making cake and swirling the chocolate on in back of box. Spray a 9x13 baking pan, pour batter in and sprinkle the cup of chocolate chips on top. Bake in 350 oven for 35 minutes. Cool before frosting.

Homemade Chocolate Frosting

1 stick butter
8 oz. cream cheese
3 c. powdered sugar
2/3 c. Hershey's Cocoa
1 t. vanilla extract

Cream the butter and cream cheese well, add the powdered sugar and cocoa and continue creaming. Add the vanilla and cream well til nice and smooth. Frost the cake when it is cool.