Molassas debate: Blackstrap vs. regular

Dear Heloise: I’m having a debate with my mother-inlaw concerning blackstrap molasses and regular molasses. She says they are not the same thing, but I think they are the same thing. Which of us is correct? — Hope W., Bellevue, Washington

Hope, sorry, but your mother-in-law is correct. Molasses, which comes from the juice of sugar cane or sugar beets, is boiled down to remove the sugar crystals. It’s the number of times the juice is boiled that makes all the difference.

Light or regular molasses is produced after the second boiling. Blackstrap molasses is what comes from a third boiling, and it’s very bitter. You’ll usually see it used in baked beans or barbecue sauce. — Heloise

Italian Spaghetti Sauce

Dear Heloise: We remodeled our kitchen this year, and somehow, someway my little book with all of my favorite recipes went missing. Your spaghetti sauce was in there. And now that the weather has gotten so cold, my husband has been asking me to make spaghetti again. Would you please reprint that for us spaghetti lovers? — Dorothy S., Muskegon, Michigan

Dorothy, this was originally my mother’s recipe and has stood the test of time. It was always popular at my house, too. Here it is. You’ll need:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup butter

1 cup finely chopped onions

1 pound ground beef 4 strips bacon, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped fine

3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1 bay leaf, chopped fine

1 tablespoon salt Freshly ground pepper to taste

1 teaspoon crushed dry red pepper

2 ounces red wine 2 15-ounce cans whole tomatoes or tomato sauce

1 small can tomato paste

1 cup water

1 finely chopped carrot Heat olive oil over low heat in a pot large enough to hold all ingredients. Add butter and simmer until melted. Add onions and saute until lightly browned. Add ground beef and bacon; saute until browned, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic, parsley, bay leaf, salt, black pepper and red pepper. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Add wine, cover and “steam” for a few minutes more.

Add tomatoes or tomato sauce, paste and water. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the chopped carrot. Cover and cook over very low heat for an hour, stirring occasionally. Serve over your favorite pasta —Heloise

From Concentrate

Dear Heloise: What exactly does “made from concentrate” mean? — Ella A., Anchorage, Alaska

Ella, it means water was removed from the fruit when harvested causing it to become very concentrated. When it’s ready to be turned into fruit juice, water is again added during the processing stage. — Heloise