I think I’ve mentioned this before, but my husband and I are opposites when it comes to food. He tolerates and has learned to enjoy my love for all things decedent and complicated, and in return I have learned to cook and appreciate his classic favorites. He has always said that this is one of his favorite dishes that I make, and I really think its because its so simple and uncomplicated…it’s delicious without all the fuss. Its the opposite to my Spaghetti Bolognese, see the recipe here.

Normally when I make this, I always think I make too much, but then my husband and son eat it almost just as fast. My mom says that’s how you know when your food is good, when people clean their dinner plates, and leftovers don’t stay long in the fridge.

As with a lot of recipes, this one allows for some flexibility. If you want equal parts sausage and beef, that’s allowed, it just means your sauce will be a little meatier, and that’s ok. If you want your sauce to be a little thinner, add more water, and if you want a thicker sauce, add less…both are ok too. See lots of options and ways to make it your own. We like thicker sauce in our house, but the best thing about spaghetti, is that there are no rules. Now for toppings…yes, in our house there are spaghetti toppings. Hubby tops his spaghetti with hot sauce, and American cheese…yes, crazy I know, but he loves it. And I love him, so I like to make his favorite meal, just the way he likes it. Please enjoy!

Traditional (American!) Spaghetti

• 1 lbs ground beef
• 1/2 lbs Italian sausage, pork
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
• 1 beef bullion cube
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 box spaghetti noodles

1. In a saucepan on medium-high heat, fully cook the sausage and beef together. Make sure the mixture is no longer pink, but don’t overcook. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Once cooked, remove from heat and put the meat in a strainer. (This will allow the grease to drain from the meat before you mix it with the spaghetti sauce. Its best to drain off all the grease because it will not mix with the sauce, and instead will just sit on top…not good.)
2. In a clean pan, add olive oil and cook onion, green pepper, red pepper and garlic. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Once the vegetables have softened (the onions will become translucent), add the chopped tomatoes and stir to mix thoroughly.
3. To the same pan, add spaghetti sauce, beef bullion cube and tomato paste. Mix thoroughly, and add the meat mixture. Bring the sauce to a boil, and reduce the heat to low and cover for approximately 30 minutes. If the sauce is too thick add a little water to the sauce to thin it out.
4. Cook spaghetti noodles according to the directions on the box.
5. After about 30 minutes, remove the cover and stir. If you think the sauce is too thin, turn the heat to medium-high and allow some of the water to boil out of the sauce. Once the sauce is the desired thickness, remove from heat. Pour over hot spaghetti, and serve.