October just seems to be the month we eat spaghetti. Probably because we would take all our kids to Papa and Nana's house to trick or treat. We all lived there at different times, so knew the neighbors well. It was and is still a great neighborhood to trick or treat in. Nana would always make spaghetti for the kids to eat before they went out. It sort of evolved into a tradition and after a few years we all came looking for the spaghetti dinner on Halloween. We would hand candy (gobs of it) out the side gate of their house to all the trick or treaters. Good stuff to the little ones, penny candy to the ones too old to be out. We have our standards after all. Hope you like this recipe, it is really good.
Of course spaghetti is good anytime and we eat a lot of it during the year. October just inspires the good memories of time spent at Nana's bar eating a quick dinner before the sugar buzzz began. My family loves spaghetti, but as you know, everyone has their own little twist when they make it. There are many great recipes out there for spaghetti sauce. Taya married into a really good sauce recipe (thanks Kevin), but I am basically lazy, so I have simplified it, but kept the general flavor. Taya and Kevin will put their version in our file too, but in the meantime…
Everything in it could be on your pantry shelf, or in your garden.
Spaghetti Sauce in a Hurry
In a stock pot combine:
1 jar approx. 4# spaghetti sauce (I use Prego because that’s what Costco carries and I like it)
1 28 oz can tomatoes (already chunked or whole and you can cut them however you like)
a pinch of basil, (fresh is good if you have it)
a pinch of oregano (also good fresh if you have it)
In a large skillet brown:
2# lean ground beef
optional: can substitute 1# hot spicy Italian sausage for 1# ground beef
2 cloves fresh garlic chopped as fine as you like
2 onions
Red onions are good, I use brown or mayan sweet, but they all work
Salt to taste
Brown until onions and garlic are very tender and beef is well done. If your beef is lean enough, by the time it is well done there should be very little if any fat left in the pan. Drain if necessary and add to stock pot.
Deglaze the skillet if necessary and add a little extra virgin olive oil. Saute together:
2 medium green peppers cut as fine or chunky as you like
1 medium red, yellow or orange pepper same cut as above
1 yellow squash
2 zuchinni
(I cut the squashes into 2” sections, then once in half from the top and then in slices for long thin pieces (like sticks). You can also coin them, it’s just whatever you like)
Salt to taste
When tender add to stock pot and simmer on low at least 30 minutes. Serve over spaghetti noodles, angel hair, linguini, or even ziti. If you like your sauce really thick you can add a 12 oz. can of tomato paste, to thin it down and stretch it a little add a small can of v-8 juice.
This recipe serves 10-12 really hungry people. It would serve 15-18 normal appetites. Who knows how many it would serve if everyone were on a diet!
(is easily multiplied for large groups since you would times the ingredients by however many Prego jars you are using.)
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