Family Spaghetti Night Tips – with Johnsonville® Meatballs

By Kenda - December, 29th 2014

Our family night dinner was made even more delicious by using Johnsonville® Meatballs as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars. #MeatballMasters

One of the best times of the day is when everyone is home from school and work. It’s the time the kitchen is warmed up with aromas of dinner soon to come. The way the kids gravitate toward the area once I start cooking reminds me of old days when mom or grandma would ring the dinner bell. Our five year old drops his crayons and rushes in to take a peek. Even our teen climbs from his video game cave (aka the bedroom) and pokes his nose in to ask, “What’s for dinner?”

Conversations are sparked, chairs are pulled out at the table and everyone comes together to talk about their days. A grand meal is nice…sometimes. But, most often I like to prepare something easy so that I can enjoy the family time as well – instead of spending hours at the stove. We like to have Spaghetti Night. It’s a food that is not only quick, healthy and delicious – but everyone loves it. No fussing from the kids (and usually no leftovers). Here are a few tips to ensure that your next family spaghetti night is stress free.

Tips For Perfect Pasta

1. Never put your pasta in before you have a rolling boil. Sitting in water without cooking makes it sticky or gooey.
2. Adding 1 teaspoon of olive oil or a small tab of butter will keep your pasta from clumping together.
3. Don’t mix your pastas! Each type needs a different cooking time and they won’t be the same texture in the same pot.
4. Don’t rinse! Your pasta has a tasty starch on it that also serves as a way to make your sauce stick to your noodles.
5. Don’t forget a bit of salt. No matter how tasty your sauce is, unsalted pasta water results in bland noodles.
6. What is al dente?! That’s when you cook your pasta until it’s chewy but NOT hard. Perfection!
7. Don’t let your  pasta sit longer than needed after it is drained. The colder it gets, the more it sticks together.

Tips for Perfect Sauce

1. Simple is best. Find a few ingredients you love and stick with those. Adding too many flavors isn’t always best.
2. To reduce the acid taste of the tomatoes add a tablespoon of brown sugar.
3. If your sauce is too thin, try adding a splash of heavy cream and let simmer.
4. To make a super creamy sauce try adding a scoop of fresh, soft cheese like ricotta or mascarpone.
5. To make your sauce more rich, add a pat of real butter.
6. Try baking premade meatballs in the oven before adding them to the sauce for more robust flavor.

The #1 Tip: Family Spaghetti Night Should Be Easy – Johnsonville® Meatballs Can Help

With two grown men in the family (my 17 year old is 6’1″…yikes he can eat) I can’t serve just sauce and noodles. They’d be raiding the fridge thirty minutes later. Sometimes I toss in fresh ground beef or turkey. Other times we love hearty meatballs. I could spend all the extra time shaping and seasoning them by hand. Sure. But, I would much rather be done and enjoying the meal while our kindergartener tells us the most recent sandbox gossip. The solution? Johnsonville® Meatballs – fully cooked, seasoned to perfection and ready to add to your sauce in a moment’s time.

I know what you’re thinking: Frozen Meatballs?! Yep. Trust me – these things are delicious. You can find them in Homestyle or Classic Italian and, unlike other frozen meatballs, Johnsonville® is made with only premium cuts of meat and spices for a great taste your family will love every time.

With Johnsonville® you can spend less time at the stove and more time with your family.