Mostly Homemade Spaghetti

I make a lot of Italian food. Probably because I'm Italian. Our kitchen reeks of garlic and wine-based sauces all the time. Anyway. I call this "mostly" homemade because the truth is that I use a spaghetti sauce mix packet. My mom does nothing but use the packet and sauce, but I add a whole bunch of junk to it. Mostly because I'm addicted to garlic. My spaghetti sauce doesn't follow the recipe on the packet of spices and it's much better and more exciting.






Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey (/beef/tofu/human)
1 packet of spaghetti sauce mix (I use Lawry's)
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
3 oz water
6-8 cloves pressed garlic
1/8 cup minced onions
1 tsp basil
a dash Italian seasoning
1/3 box spaghetti

First, brown your ground meat. It's okay if there's a tiny bit of pink left over, that will cook out later. DRAIN. Mix in the minced onions. You want to incorporate it with the meat really well.

Add the can of tomato sauce and the water. Explanation for my water measurement: my mom has this rule that sticks in my brain, when it comes to spaghetti sauce: 2 cans of sauce, a half a can of water. She uses the little mini cans of tomato sauce. The recipe calls for paste. So I guess her rule gives the sauce the right consistency, since sauce is much thinner than paste. Anyway, long story short: I've estimated proportions and I only use the 15 oz can (and not the 7 oz cans) because I shop at Costco and they sell it that way cheaper.

Mix this up! Bring it to a boil. It should take just a minute or so. Beware, because tomato sauce tends to burst everywhere. Cover. Reduce the heat to low. Set a timer for about 16-18 minutes.

Begin to cook your pasta: boil the water.

While you're waiting for the water to achieve a boil, return to your sauce. Press your garlic and place it in the sauce mixture. TIP: unless you want three bites of garlic and the rest tomato sauce, you need to really mix that garlic in. I use a spoon with a sort of flat head, and I push the flat head on top of the garlic and mix it around. At this point, you can also add the basil and Italian seasonings. Don't overestimate the power of Italian seasonings: too much can be really really bad. Recover the sauce and let it keep cooking.

By now the water should be boiling. Cook your pasta as the box directs.

Of course, when all that is done you just combine ingredients and there ya go.

Note on this recipe: I have made more authentic sauces before. They vary from blegh to pretty good. I make spaghetti about once every week, so I know my spaghetti. Trust me on this: the sauce packet is God's gift to spaghetti. I have tried everything to make something without the packet and it's just not quite the same. I recommend this sauce in particular for spaghetti, BUT if you want to make something like ravioli and tomato sauce, you should make a watered down version. I'll put a recipe up for that later. :)