The only bad thing about having an online book club is the inability to meet up, have a good meal, maybe a glass of wine and hang out with some literary friends.

But just because Book Lovers Unite Online Book Club can’t meet up and eat good food, doesn’t mean you should suffer. Each month, when I host Book Lovers Unite Online Book Club- I’ll be providing a recipe. An idea for a food for the book club. Is this stuff I’ve created? Oh heck no- listen, honestly, the dishes in the kitchen quake with fear as I walk through. I’m terrible. I make messes. I drop things. I need SIMPLE.

However, some people’s dishes positively sing when they walk in the kitchen (I’m giving you the stink eye, people!) So, my recipes will be easy. Simple. Possibly even allowed to be prepared ahead. You kitchen goddesses, though, feel free to fancy up the recipe as much as you can!

I just finished Reconstructing Amelia this morning. And Amelia and Kate needed some comfort food. Something to stick on their ribs and make them feel full. Something they could linger over.

Spaghetti. They NEEDED spaghetti.

Fancy Spaghetti:

Here is the fancier Paula Deen recipe for Baked Spaghetti. The picture and description sounds pretty good (regardless of your feelings about ole Paula.)

Here is how my mother, S, makes spaghetti (it ain’t any kind of fancy, folks!):

Brown hamburger meat (whatever type you prefer). Pour Del Monte Spaghetti sauce on it and let it simmer. Cook your noodles (she prefers thin, I prefer penne). After everything is cooked- bring to table and dig in ( we usually have garlic bread and a salad as side items). Got meat and noodles left over? Mix them together in a bowl- stick them in the fridge and re-heat for next day.

This is how I made spaghetti in college:

Cooked noodles (penne, usually) and either warmed Del Monte sauce or Ragu Meat sauce up- mixed together and boom! There was a version of spaghetti that was cheap, easy, and could feel a bunch of us!

Drinks:

I drink Moscato generally (most do not prefer it as they say it is too sweet- but to me, it’s exactly what I like). Usually in my IRL book club- we have a couple of wines (a white and a red) and have a glass while people are arriving. Dinner is usually served with non-alcoholic beverages.

Dessert:

Tiramisu would make my day- HERE is a recipe that looks pretty interesting. If that does not work, I suggest something easy: Chocolate Chip cookies with a big glass of milk ( in the whole comforting food thing- chocolate chip cookies and milk go hand in hand.)

Have a happy book club meeting 🙂