IRENE FOSTER was born, raised, and lived all her life in Charlotte, Tennessee. She was a mother of nine and grandmother to twenty-one, who affectionately called her Granny. Grandson BRYAN CURTIS (Nashville, Tennessee) recalls that he and his grandmother shared a love of the soap opera All My Children. Growing up before there were VCRs or DVRs, if he didn’t catch an episode, Bryan would call Granny to catch up on any scoop he missed. Bryan says he wishes he had a dollar for every time she said, “That Erica Kane.” If you have it, Bryan says the secret to this recipe is using home-canned tomato juice, like Granny did. Her family always tried to re-create this dish, and it affectionately became known as Granny Spaghetti.
¼ cup bacon drippings
½ cup finely chopped onion
8 ounces spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
4 cups tomato juice
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 Add the bacon drippings to a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender. Add the cooked and drained spaghetti, tomato juice, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS.
NOTE: Granny would serve this with white beans, slaw, and cornbread.