Spaghetti and Heinz Catsup or Ketchup?

What can I say about Heinz Catsup? It is a staple in our house. None of the off brands do what a dab of Heinz can do in many of my recipes. My cheeseburger wouldn't be the same without it, my pulled pork recipe has a little added, an egg sandwich makes my mouth water with a dribble of it, my shrimp sauce is killer with it included in the recipe. This brings me to my recipe for spaghetti sauce. It isn't really my recipe...it is one that my father-in-law used to make. I would go over to the house on Saturday and greeting me at the front door was the wonderful aroma of sauce cooking on the stove. He would start his sauce early in the day in a cast iron pot. It was slow cooking before the slow cookers were invented. Just a hint of a flame would keep this luscious mixture just bubbling. He didn't have a recipe, but it always tasted the same. For years I tried to replicate the flavor...I just couldn't get it to taste like his. After this went on for a few years...he finally told me the secret...Heinz Catsup...and it had to be Heinz. Saturday night was my favorite night to eat at their house.The boys were still living at home, but they didn't like the spaghetti and my mother-in-law would make them fish sticks and fries. I thought they were crazy...fish sticks and fries..when you could have this wonderful spaghetti?? It still boggles my mind. I think of him every time I make sauce from scratch. Here's the recipe...although not with precise measurements.

Grandpa Newman's Famous Sauce

About 2 lbs of ground beef browned in olive oil in a cast iron pot or large skillet with a medium onion chopped. After this is browned add 1 large green pepper chopped. Cook till tender and then add 2 cloves of minced garlic. Then add 2 cans of Hunt's tomato paste (6 oz) and 2- 8oz cans of Hunt's tomato sauce.  A  scant tablespoon of oregano, a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and a cup of water.After this comes to a boil add 3 jars of whole button mushrooms and then the good stuff...a whole bottle of Heinz Catsup. He used the Classic 14 oz bottle.Mix and turn the heat down to the lowest setting and let it cook for a long time. He only used whole button mushrooms, Hunts tomato products and Heinz catsup.If you change the brands...the flavor isn't the same. He had a burner with a very low flame that you might think was just keeping it warm. I don't know if he added any liquid as it cooked down...I do...sometimes I'll have to add a little water. The pasta he used was the thin vermicelli. He wasn't fussy about the pasta brand...but it had to be thin.
His garlic bread was to die for...He took two loaves of French bread sliced...and dipped the slices into a mixture of 2 sticks of melted butter, some garlic powder, and many shakes of Parmesan cheese...just till it gets kind of thickened. After dipping you spread the leftover butter mixture over the bread and broil...careful don't let it burn.
A tossed salad....his favorite dressing...bleu cheese.

My mouth is watering right now...I can just see him at the stove, with a smile on his face knowing that he would go down as the best spaghetti maker in the family.
Balisha

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