I grew up in an Italian family and Sunday was THE day for dinner (supper). Grandma Vittoria started early -- probably before sunrise; we never knew -- none of us were ever up before her. There was always pasta and usually 2 or 3 kinds and always including spaghetti. There was always at least two sauces - a light sauce and a husky meat sauce. The meat sauce wasn't "ragu" (tomato base with ground meat); the meat sauce was made meaty by the addition of meatballs, sausage, pork-something-or-other (we LOVED pigs' feet) and/or bracioli (we called our Sicilian version braccioloni -- others call it farsumagru -- and it included sausage, peas and whole eggs). Sometimes there were some special sauces and pasta amendments: a fish sauce that was out of this world, a sauce of simply toasted bread crumbs (yummmmm), sometimes just olive oil and garlic. There were never any pestos nor cream sauces nor anything with butter. On the better days, we had a full platter of meats -- the meatballs, the sausage, the braccioloni, the pork thingies that were pulled from the sauce before the sauce was brought to the table. Sometimes, we had fried meat after a light pasta. The pasta was the "primi", the meat the "segundi", much as you find in the better Italian-American restaurants today. The meat was exactly that -- "fried". It was some inexpensive cut that was thin sliced into cutlets and then beat into scallopines and then fried fast and furious in olive oil. Sometimes great, sometimes chewy. There was always loaves of fresh-baked bread (or at least what was left of loaves after we ripped them all apart for dipping in the sauces while they were cooking in the kitchen). Salad was there but I'm sure I didn't eat much of this "silly" food when I was a kid. Dessert was a wonderful mix of fresh fruit, some of it from grandpa Ambrogio's own trees in the yard. And believe it or not, I grew up a very skinny kid. Joe

We have our main meal about the same time every day--7 p.m. When we worked, I didn't get home until 6 so it's still a habit. Also, by eating later DH doesn't snack all evening. Grew up like you. Sunday dinner after church. Same menu every week. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, a vegetable or two (depending on the season) and home-made yeast rolls. Only thing that varied was the type pie mother made. My favorite was banana cream. Made her own crust using lard and it was flaky and delicious!!! Once in a while we'd have cake--all made from scratch. That was back when cake mixes first came out and most cooks looked their noses down on them! LOL!! Sunday evening my dad cooked--he made popcorn!!

Yep, sometimes even TWO Sears catalogs were used! LOL My dad was one of ten sons and many a Sunday was spent at my grandma and grandpa's house with all the uncles and aunts and cousins. Everybody brought food and I have many great memories of us all getting together. Of course, there was the time that all the kids climbed up on the woodshed and me, being the smallest, was afraid to climb down! The word went out and one of my uncles came and rescued me. Also, the time that the team of mules, Old Kate and Coalie were tromping along behind me in the barnyard. They would not have hurt a fly, but the faster I walked, the faster they followed me and I was terrified! LOL Thanks for making me think of all of that, SheilaJoyce.

I had roasted a turkey breast last week, then made stock from the bones - turned that into a turkey vegetable soup seasoned with poultry seasoning, a little wasabi powder, and a cup or so of sauerkraut. Yeah I was in an experimental mood! and wanted spicy. It was good! I finished it off tonight.