Need comfort food? Try Johnny Marzetti

Someone I know recently described a workplace situation where intimidation and disapproval had the effect of forcing an employee out of a company. When she spoke of the situation, she made the comment, “Hurting people hurt people.” In other words, sometimes people who have bad things going on in their lives tend to take out their misery on others — usually someone who is unlikely or unable to retaliate.

I don’t like bullying. I didn’t like it when I was in school, and was an occasional target. I didn’t like seeing my children or anyone else’s children bullied. I dislike it even more now, when I know as an adult the harm it can do.

People are sometimes deliberately cruel to others. Adults who bully are acting out a learned response. But what about children who are bullies? Where do they learn that?

When it comes to kids bullying kids, it doesn’t take much to start the cycle. All a child has to do to draw the attention of a bully is to look or act or dress “different.” When those first mean words are spoken, or one kid sneers at or threatens another, a bully is born — and so perhaps is a victim.

Some kids lack the support at home and among their friends — and perhaps they haven’t yet developed enough mental toughness — to shrug off hurtful comments that are said to make fun of them and break down their self-confidence — especially from a child their own age.

There’s quite a price to pay for allowing meanness, as we’ve seen very recently in London. We adults had better take a hard look at what’s going on with our children in the neighborhood, in and around school and on the way there and home again and get involved. Bullies count on nobody interrupting their activities.

If you see or hear someone harassing another person, don’t just look, listen, and take it all in, then talk about how rotten “kids today” or “men” are. Do something. Say something. Make a difference.

Sometimes a warm meal and someone to share it with can make all the difference if a child’s had a hard day away from home. Borrow from an old school lunch standby one day soon and have a pot of Johnny Marzetti ready when your kids come home. A hug makes dinner even better.

JOHNNY MARZETTI

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 16 ounce can tomato sauce

1 16 ounce can stewed tomatoes

1 pound egg noodles

1 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup chopped onion

16 ounces Colby long horn cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet brown ground beef, green peppers, celery seed and onion. Drain well.

Add tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes and noodles. Bring to boil; simmer over medium heat until noodles are cooked al dente.

Pour half of meat mixture into a buttered casserole dish, cover with most of cheese, then add second half of meat mixture ending with the rest of the cheese on top.

Bake in preheated oven until cheese bubbles and casserole is hot throughout.

Serves six to eight.

You can make sandwiches by omitting the noodles and warming the meat mixture on the stove top with 8 ounces cheese. Serve in hamburger buns.

Linda Conway Eriksson can be reached by e-mail at ieatatmoms@gmail.com.