Spaghetti Night

So I wanted to make spaghetti.  Lots of spaghetti.  Enough spaghetti to feed the whole neighbourhood AND more!

Isn't that a good looking pot of spaghetti?

OK (let's be honest here), I wanted to make spaghetti to feed us, some friends and (because we're a working family) some to put in the freezer for a quick meal.  I usually make things like this in huge bunches, because coming home and heating something yummy is far better than hot dogs and grilled cheese - although the kids never complain when it's hot dogs and grilled cheese.  But then, some days neither do the adults!

So, prepare to witness the biggest pot of spaghetti EVER.  Massive.  And honestly, I'd have made more if I had a bigger pot.  *Note to anyone interested in what to get me for -insert holiday here-, I want a pot.  A big, huge, like-grandma-used-to-use pot.

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Makes: A lot.  A whole lot.

2 medium onions

2 small red peppers

3 large green peppers

2 fresh tomatoes

3 lbs ground beef

1-280 ml can of tomato sauce

3-769 ml cans of diced tomatoes

2-156 ml cans of tomato paste

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp chili flakes

1 tsp sage

2 tsp thyme

3 tbsp parsley

2 tbsp Italian Seasoning

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp basil

salt & pepper to taste

1/3 c red wine

2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 tbsp aged Balsamic Vinegar













Onions always make me cry!

Start by washing all your peppers and tomatoes, and then dice them all.  I tend to keep the dice pretty small because although I like a 'chunky' sauce, I like the tomatoes and the meat to make it chunky - not the onions and peppers.

Begin warming 2 frying pans (I use stainless, not non-stick) over medium to medium-high heat.  If you have 2, do one for the beef and one for the vegetables.  If using one, do your veggies first and add the beef when they are nice and soft.  It will not change the flavour to use 1 vs 2 - just makes for  more usable cooking surfaces because I'm doing a large batch of sauce.

When the pans are hot, add some vegetable oil and toss in your vegetables!  Cook until soft, stirring often enough so they don't burn. 

See how nice and soft they are!

If using 2 pans, start your beef when you start your vegetables and cook until browned and no  pink remains.  If using one pan, add the beef when the veggies are soft, and cook until browned and no pink remains.

Ahh - garlic.  Sweet, sweet garlic!

Next, grab yourself a pot.  A BIG pot.  I mean a h-uge pot.  You're making a boat-load of spaghetti here people, unless you are skilled enough to scale the recipe down, in which case I am jealous.  Once you have that big pot, put your beef and vegetables in and add the chopped garlic and heat it over medium heat.

Let your beef, vegetables and garlic sweat away for a while - about 5-10 minutes until it's well blended.

Now is also a good time to add your spices, wine, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and mix well.  Then, add the fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, sauce and paste in that big old pot and mix it up well and simmer over medium-low for as long as possible.  Like - hours and hours.  I think I started mine around 2pm for dinner at 6pm.  See - hours!!

A meal fit for an Army!

This is a great recipe for feeding loads of people, freezing and for left-overs.  Because left-overs get BETTER and BETTER!!



Serve with your favorite pasta (we usually us just plain old spaghetti noodles) and garnish with some fresh parmesan cheese. 





My advice - have a nice glass of wine with your fabulous spaghetti and meat sauce!!  Feed yourself, feed your friends or feed an Army!


Oh, and enjoy!


--The Cook