I know many people claim this, but my mother is the best cook in the world! I attribute my health and good eating habits to her nutritious and delicious cooking. She wasn't big on baking goodies or having "junk" in the house and consequently, you won't find much "junk" in the homes of her children. She taught us to appreciate all kinds of vegetables, like artichokes, escarole, and dandelions. She never had to force us to eat our vegetables because they were always so good!
When my mother was first married, she lived with my father's family, Aunty Sarah and her husband Johnny, Uncle Nick and his wife Mary, and later on, my Uncle Al and his new wife, Joanne. It was during this time she learned to cook Lebanese dishes. She has long since perfected these dishes and sometimes she adds a bit of her own Italian influence to them. Her Italian cooking comes from Sicily, where both of her parents migrated from. I thus have had the benefit of eating the best of both Italian and Lebanese cuisines.
I had difficulty choosing favorite recipes, or her "famous" ones, because they are all my favorite and should all be famous!
Spaghetti Sauce
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion
2 small cans tomato paste (Hunts is best)
1 large can whole tomatoes (Progresso is best)
1 TBS salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
olive oil (about 6 TBS)
Brown garlic and onion in olive oil. Add tomato paste with a can of water for each. Add whole tomatoes and seasonings and simmer for not less than one hour. (The longer the better. I remember my mother would start her sauce first thing in the morning for a late afternoon meal). This makes enough sauce for about six plates of spaghetti.