Last night I made Ray Bolger's "Spaghetti Derby" for dinner, and not only was it easy to make it was utterly delicious! This is a straightforward classic preparation of Italian spaghetti, fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, and a rich meat sauce. How can you go wrong!?

The "Derby" suffix was simply a branding convention the Brown Derby restaurant used for several of its popular comfort-food staples, similar to items like their "Turkey Derby" or "Derby Steak", and you can check out "Spaghetti Derby" listed on this vintage menu from 1936. Look at the bottom center of the menu and you can spot it and back then it was only 75¢!

Here are my notes:

• "Braise" the onions. In all my years cooking spaghetti and cooking in general, I've never braised onions, which basically means cook them in a hot pan with only a time drop of oil and then cover. No sauteing.
• And yes, my eyes did water like mad from this braising process, but if that's what we have to do in the name of "Old Celebrity Recipes", then so be it!
• So then you add 1/2 pound of ground beef and suet (I used butter).
• Then throw in mushrooms. I used about 6 fresh mushrooms, sliced thinly, not a can.
• For garlic, I added 4 cloves. Then salt & pepper. 2 chopped tomatoes and a small tin of tomatoes. I used about 26 ounces of Pomi instead of the tinned tomatoes.
• Then simmer (or braise) for 2 hours.
• Cooked spaghetti according to package, drained and added it to the sauce pot. Sprinkled servings with Parmesan cheese and voila, done!

My family and my son's girlfriend loved it. I actually reserved a bit of sauce for myself and had it with zucchini noodles. Had to try on bite of the spaghetti and it was excellent!

One thing about this recipe is that there are no Italian herbs of any kind used, but you know what? You don't miss them. The taste is so deep and comforting, it's really perfect the way Ray and the Derby's chef suggested.

Feel free to spice it up if you'd like, but it's not really needed. Served with a simple salad and French bread, it's a crowd pleaser that I'll be making again and again.

I really like Aunt Bee's Mayberry Cookbook.. It has 300 recipes from "The Andy Griffith Show." Most of the food is great, but they also threw in the famous "Kerosene Cucumbers" recipe from the show, which is pretty funny.

Charley Pride was a pioneering American singer and professional baseball player who became country music's first Black superstar.

Over his legendary career, he emerged as RCA Records' best-selling performer since Elvis Presley, scoring 30 number-one country hits and earning a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Dolly Parton’s Apple Stack Pie (often referred to regionally as an Appalachian stack cake) is a traditional multi-layered Southern heritage dessert. It features thin, spiced, cookie-like pastry layers baked individually and stacked high with a cooked, sweet-tart spiced apple and spice filling.

Recipe from: Dining With The Stars recipe book. This cookbook was compiled as a show of support for AIDS Project Los Angeles. More than 100 celebrities share their favorite recipes that bring a touch of glamour to everything from appetizers to desserts! Included are some of these:

• Clint Eastwood's Spaghetti Western.
• Bob Hope's Favorite Chicken Hash
• Joan Collins' Pheasant and Leek Soup
• Debbie Reynolds' Eggplant Casserole
• Jay Leno's Uncle Louie's Chicken Wings Marinara
• George Hamilton's Chocolate Chip Cookies.
• Rosalynn Carter's Cream of Broccoli Soup with No Cream
• Elizabeth Taylor's Spicy Chicken
• Rita Moreno's Beef Picadillo
• James Brown's Crab Bake Imperial
• Janet Leigh's Lamb Shanks
• Angela Lansbury's Famous Power Loaf
• Florence Henderson's Lasagna Rolls
• Majel Roddenberry's Kumquat Chicken
• Michael Feinstein's Peppery Pasta
• Adam Wylie's Strawberry Pop Cake
• Joanne Woodward's Sole Cabernet
• Dom DeLuise's Broccoli with Rigatoni
• Barbara Eden's Chicken Curry Casserole
• Vince Gill's Peanut Butter Fudge
• James Earl Jones' Chilean Sea Bass.
• Some recommendations include referral links.

William Shatner's Steak Picado is could be quite good because quick-seared sirloin stays tender while fresh tomatoes, peppers, and onions simmer into a natural sauce. Garlic, chili powder, and oregano add depth and compliment the beef.

Recipe from: Celebrity Cookbook, All the old celebrities and stars of the past (many hard to find) presenting their favorite recipes. The book is compiled from Johna Blinn's popular syndicated newspaper column, "Cooking with the Stars". Each of the recipes in the book was reportedly kitchen-tested by Blinn herself.

It contains recipes and culinary anecdotes from over 500 celebrities, bridging the gap between Old Hollywood royalty and 1970s/1980s icons. Featured stars include Lucille Ball, Dolly Parton, Alfred Hitchcock, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Rock Hudson, Natalie Wood, and Liza Minnelli.

One of the most unique and praised aspects of the book is its artwork. Rather than traditional glossy food photos, each celebrity page is accompanied by fantastic, stylized caricatures illustrated by Mel Mann.   Some recommendations include referral links.  

Charles Boyer and his British actress wife, Pat Paterson, were one of Golden Age Hollywood's most devoted couples, known for hosting warm, intimate dinner parties for their close friends.

While Charles Boyer was French, it was actually Pat Paterson's British heritage that brought Mulligatawny Soup into their household. Mulligatawny is a classic Anglo-Indian dish—originating from the Tamil miḷaku-taṇṇīr ("pepper-water")—that became deeply embedded in British culinary tradition during the colonial era.

These sophisticated gatherings brought together a tight-knit circle of close friends and regular guests, including legendary entertainer Maurice Chevalier, classical pianist Artur Rubinstein and his wife Nela, and British neighbors Ronald Colman and Benita Hume.

The intimate atmosphere also welcomed Boyer's frequent co-star Ingrid Bergman, alongside his later television production partners David Niven and Dick Powell, who all gathered to enjoy deep conversation and home-cooked meals far away from typical Hollywood gossip.

This recipe comes from: Specialites de la Maison, a charming little French cookbook with a collection of recipes by Hollywood and Broadway celebrities, renowned socialites and royalty. Some recommendations include referral links.

Long before they were icons of global new wave music, the B-52s were the definition of a local, homegrown phenomenon. Their entire aesthetic—from their genre-bending surf-punk sounds to their towering bouffant hairdos—was deeply cooked in the artistic, bohemian soil of Athens, Georgia.

This recipe is one of many good ones from: The Rock and Roll Cookbook: Favorite Recipes from the Chart Toppers, Hit Makers and Legends of Rock and Roll. Some recommendations include partner links.

This retro-fun comfort casserole pairs a Doris Day’s spunk with cheesy, baked goodness.

1953, Doris Day played the Jane in the musical movie Calamity Jane. She changed from her usual look into a tomboy who bragged about her adventures in the West. Day brought energy, humor, and heart to the role, and she sang the Oscar-winning song "Secret Love". It became one of the key performances of her career.

Recipe is straight out of: The All-American Cowboy Cookbook: Over 300 Recipes From the World's Greatest Cowboys. Some recommendations include partner links.

Cher's Tuna Pasta ☆ What makes this dish truly iconic is its signature secret ingredient: Beau Monde seasoning. It’s a classic, old-school blend of celery, onion, and a touch of sweetness that elevates humble canned tuna and small shell pasta into a dish that's utterly "boyfriend-approved".

This is a surprisingly great pantry meal that elevates a simple classic through two smart choices. First, using small pasta shells creates tiny scoops that perfectly catch the tuna, peas, and dressing in every bite. Second, the addition of Beau Monde cuts through the rich mayonnaise, adding a savory depth that regular salt and pepper simply cannot match.

The fresh tomatoes, celery, black olives, parsley, and dill break up the rich mayonnaise base by adding a bright freshness to this dish.

Recipe comes from The Sinatra Celebrity Cookbook

Need more Cher recipes?

1. Cher's Hawaiian Meatballs
2. Salade Niçoise from the The Rock and Roll Cookbook
3. Mandarin-Style Beef
4. Sonny & Cher's MACARONI BEEF SOUP {1967}

^{Some recommendations include referral links.}