Seriously Simple Spaghetti

By the end of the second day of being cooped up in the Atlanta snowstorm, I was sorely in need of a trip to the grocery store and tired of everything to eat in our house.  The one expedition we made out of the neighborhood got us as far as CVS, and while we made an attempt at Publix... the Honda just wouldn't have it.

So I was left to fend for something in the pantry and freezer.  Frozen pizza?  No thanks.  We wanted something hearty and warm { and preferably not soup from a can }.

Having used up the vast majority of produce on hand, and having not been to Costco in several weeks because I'm waiting on the coupons to arrive, the pickings were slim.  Or so I thought.  With less than 30 minutes of easy prep from start to finish, we pulled off a pretty darn good Italian dinner.

You see, most of the cooking I do is from a recipe { or at least a variation of one }, so when Spencer declared this dinner a "repeater" and it came from my head and not from a book... I deemed it worth sharing. : )  Enjoy!

Seriously Simple Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 lb. Sausage - I used the Jimmy Dean Sage variety because that's what we had on hand; I imagine that the Italian blend would work just as well.
• 1-2 teaspoons of Italian Seasoning, to taste - Omit if using Italian Sausage.
• 1/2 jar of Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce - I used Barilla, again because it's what was in the pantry.  Marinara would also work.
• Whole Wheat Spaghetti - My favorite? Alma's.  It's imported from Italy and less expensive than Barilla or Mullers.  Plus, it's delicious without being so dense as other whole wheat pastas.
• Mozzarella, Parmesan or Asiago Cheese for topping

Optional Additions

• Diced Onion
• Mushroom slices
• Zucchini

Directions

1. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and saute, stirring often.  If you're adding any additional vegetables, now is the time to toss them in as well.
• Tip: Don't have a garlic peeler?  No worries.  Just grab a large kitchen knife (like a santoku), lay the knife on a cutting board with the clove under the middle portion of the blade and give it a good whack.  The peel should come off easily, and you've got a great head start on crushing the garlic if you don't have a garlic press.
3. Once garlic is translucent, add Italian Seasoning and sausage and cook until browned.  This will take several minutes and occasional stirring to break up any large pieces of meat.
• Tip: The easiest way to get all of the meat from a package of sausage is to cut the cylinder in half, then squeeze each half into the pan much as you would toothpaste.  No waste and clean hands!
4. When the sausage is finished cooking, add approximately half the jar of tomato sauce and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Stir well, being sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Allow sauce to simmer gently until pasta is al dente.
• Tip: Now's a great time to start on some Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread { recipe below }.
6. Drain pasta, spoon meat sauce over top and sprinkle with cheese.
7. Serve with Caesar Salad and/or Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread and enjoy!

Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• Thick Sliced Bread - My sister gave me a sourdough starter for Christmas, so we've had plenty of  sourdough bread laying around.  Wheat bread or rolls would work fine, as would a nice crusty baguette.
• 2 tablespoons Softened Butter or Buttery Spread - I used good ol' Brummel & Brown because it was already in the fridge and it spreads easily.
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 tablespoon grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 cup Mozzarella or Asiago Cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven on broil setting.
2. Arrange bread slices on aluminum foil-lined sheet pan.  For crispier garlic bread, toast slices beforehand.
3. In a small bowl, mix butter, garlic, Italian Seasoning and parmesan.
• Tip: Forget to set the butter out to soften?  No worries.  Just stand the butter up on its end in the microwave and zap at five second intervals.  Time required will vary with wattage, but setting the butter up on its end allows it to soften more evenly.
4. Using a knife or pastry brush, spread butter mixture onto bread slices and sprinkle with mozzarella.
5. Broil until toasted and bubbly.  But keep an eye on it,  broilers are notorious for burning!  { Or, at least mine is. }

We have another package of Sage Sausage in the freezer... and I have a feeling this one's going to be back in the dinner rotation pretty soon!