Last Tuesday evening was just another night for most people but in our home it was “Spaghetti, S’mores, Sleepover” night. For hours I listened to five girls sing pop songs, laugh, share secrets, play dolls, jump on the trampoline, dine al fresco on the back patio and roast marshmallows (more like burn them to an eternal crisp) outdoors before they passed out with exhaustion in their respective beds. It was lovely, really.
Watching my youngest daughter and her “B.F.E.” (best friend ever) was probably the most fun. While they sat at our little red café table on the side patio, I watched them . At first they were talking and then laughing. Next, one of them snorted and the two of them started laughing so hard they nearly fell off their chairs. I thought to myself “I gotta get me some of that”.
And by “that” I mean “joy”. Life has gotten too damned serious lately. The simple pleasures of fresh air, music, laughter, pasta, a roaring fire and a good night’s sleep are being overshadowed by all the “debt”, “bailouts”, “foreclosures” and “loss” swirling around us. We need to reclaim our joy…remember how to throw our heads back and snort and laugh with abandon. “Spaghetti, S’mores, Sleepover” night may have been organized for the benefit of my daughters but, in the end, I had fun too. Where do you find your happiness?
Spaghetti Sauce
(Serves 6)
4 tablespoon good olive oil
1 onion, chopped finely (1/2 cup)
garlic, minced, to taste (1 tablespoon)
1 kg of tinned tomato pieces in their liquid
handful of fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
sugar to taste
Directions
1.Put all the ingredients into a big pot.
2.Simmer uncovered for about half an hour to an hour until it is reduced and concentrated by about one-third.
S’Mores
(Serves 5)
15 Marshmallows
One Packet of Rich’s Tea biscuit or Graham Crackers
Chocolate bars cut broken into small squares
Directions
1.Roast a marshmallow on a long stick over hot coals or a fire.
2. Place a chocolate square on top of one Rich’s Tea biscuit.
3. Next put the roasted marshmallow on top of the chocolate square.
4. Cover with a second Rich’s Tea biscuit and gently press the two biscuits together.
5. Wait a minute for the marshmallow to melt the chocolate and then eat.
In an Irish Home 