Keeping Thursday Casual

Casual. The whole point of today’s post was how to keep things around the dinner table casual. That is until I came across a photo taken 30 years ago today. I knew today’s post needed to go in another direction.

Hubby never saw himself as father material. He once told me that he thought he was too selfish to be a father. I guess the same could be said about a husband. After all, relationships are all about give and take, making compromises and putting others first. Yet he fell in love with me the moment I walked through the door. And I came with baggage – two pre-teen children. Talk about jumping into the fire. This man went from no children to teenagers. Just ripe off those parenting training wheels and go for it.

Teenagers are independent people. All formed and opinionated with mouths made for talking back. On the other hand, they can be helpful around the house, and can manage on their own when you need a little alone time.

I can remember our daughter (who always called Hubby “Dad”) put her arms around his neck and made a threat that in many ways she kept. She said she would never leave us. We were home, and that someday she would just build a house on top of ours and stay forever. Bad things happened to our beautiful girl. She got lost along the way. But she was true to her word. Kiddo, her son, came to live with us the day he came home from the hospital. We were with her during the delivery, and Hubby’s face was the first face Kiddo saw. He looked at Hubby with eyes that seemed to say “You are my safe place.” Thirty years ago today we brought that baby home. Hubby discovered he had the capasity to give and to love more than he ever realized before. That little baby boy became his world. Love you, Kiddo. You made our lives complete.

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Give me a minute to wipe away the tears, and then let’s get to cooking.

Baked Rigatoni with Ground Beef
2-3/4 cups uncooked Rigatoni Pasta
Salt as needed
4 Garlic Cloves
1 lb Ground Beef
Black Pepper to taste
3 heaping teaspoons Italian Seasoning
1 (26 oz) jar Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
Red Pepper Flakes to taste (optional)
2-1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Heat oven to 425-degrees. Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray, set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta al dente, about 12 minutes. Drain well.

While water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, peel and mince garlic. In a large skillet, brown meat with a pinch of salt as it cooks. Break ground beef into small pieces. Add minced garlic, black pepper and Italian seasoning to the meat. Drain meat well, set aside.

Return pasta to the pot it was cooked in. Add seasonend meat, pasta sauce, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Stir to combine. Add 1 cup of shredded Mozzarella to the pot. Stir to blend well, then pour into a casserole baking dish.

Sprinkle top of casserole with remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese. Cover with foil. Bake in the heated oven for 23 minutes or until casserole is heated in the center.

This creamy, cheesy casserole pairs beatuifully with warm garlic toast and a simple toss salad.

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Yes, for Your way and Your judgments, O Lord, we look to You; Your name and Your title are the desire of our souls.