Spaghetti Night

If there is one thing I can count on my whole family eating every time it is spaghetti. With or without meat, all three of my boys are spaghetti fiends. My favorite thing about it? It is one of the least expensive meals I can make. One pound of spaghetti and a quick homemade red sauce make for some seriously good eats.

I start out with getting a pot of water going for my pasta and then start in on my sauce. I saute some onion and garlic for a few minutes until they get soft and fragrant.

Then comes the easiest part, I open up a can of crushed tomatoes and a can of tomato paste and in the pot they go.

After the tomatoes go in, I throw in some Italian herbs, salt, pepper, and a touch of sugar to cut the acidity of the tomatoes. One of the problems of being an intuitive cook is that I hardly ever measure my spices and seasonings, but I'll do my best to get a decent measurement in the recipe. I cook by taste when it is something like this. Once it tastes right, I let it simmer while my pasta cooks.

Basic Red Sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3-5 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 6oz can tomato paste
• 1-2 tablespoons italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon sugar

1. Saute the onion and garlic in the oil until softened and slightly browned
2. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and stir to combine
3. Season and adjust as needed
4. Simmer until heated through

Note: You can add one half to a full pound of ground beef or sausage to this sauce to up the flavor