Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

My mom makes a mean spaghetti sauce. And lucky for you? It's super easy, too.

Now that my littlest sister is the only one left at home with my parents, I LOVE when my mom makes spaghetti. Why? Leftovers, of course! My mom is wonderful, and she often comes with a bag full of goodies when she pops in for a visit. (Bag full of goodies means a super random sack of things only she can give me- books to borrow, clearance socks for my boys, a little treat, or a container of leftovers.) The best news about leftover spaghetti sauce is that it freezes really well for a night when you need a quick meal. Just put it in a quart jar and don't forget to leave a little space at the top for expansion.

You can get fancy with this recipe if you want. Do you prefer Italian sausage to ground beef? Well then go ahead and swap it out. Do you have a ton of garden veggies you're dying to use? Feel free to grate in extra carrot or even some zucchini or squash. Add extra onion if you prefer. It's pretty hard to mess this up.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
from my mom :)

16 oz spaghetti

1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 lb ground beef (preferably 93% lean)
1 carrot, peeled
1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
1 T dry basil
1/2 t salt
1/4 t nutmeg
2 T butter

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain.

In a large pan, saute onion in a little cooking spray until translucent. Add beef and cook until brown and crumbly. Grate in carrot and cook for a minute. Add tomato sauce, basil, salt, and nutmeg. Simmer sauce on medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in butter and remove from heat.

Pass Parmesan cheese with pasta and sauce at the table, if desired.