THE EASIEST & BEST 20 MINUTE PASTA!

​Let's set the scene: It's 4:00, you haven't planned dinner ahead of time. Hubby will be home in an hour, hungry and worn out from his workday. The children are in the midst of their witching hour. Why on God's green Earth does this happen every day without fail?

Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Anyone else have afternoons like this? I thought so.

So, what do you do? Do you cave and order pizza? It's certainly convenient but definitely not the healthiest option. Besides, isn't pizza supposed be a Friday night treat equipped with a movie and board game? It is in our house!

I think it's safe to say most moms usually have a jar of pasta sauce and a package of pasta, any kind of shape, in their pantry at a given time. If you don't, we need to do a lesson on a well stocked cupboard.

But that sounds gross, doesn't it? A jar of pasta sauce with noodles. Yuck! It reminds me of college, a time I don't necessarily want to relive.

I have perfected the basic spaghetti recipe! My husband, children, friends, and family always think it is "soooo good" but it's as simple as could be!

Here's what I do:

Grab your ingredients. You'll need a jar of pasta sauce, a box of pasta, a can of tomato sauce, 1 lb of ground meat {chicken, turkey, Italian sausage or beef all work}, oregano, garlic {3 cloves minced or powder}, basil, fennel seed, parsley, salt, and pepper.

I almost always make homemade pasta sauce. I know, I know, food snob. Guilty as charged! But I recently tried Prego Light Smart Traditional and really like it. I also like to keep Simple Truth Tomato Basil Sauce on hand for stressful nights! Both of those sauces are lower in sugar which is something everyone should pay attention to! Plus, they don't have as many preservatives as most of the food lining our grocery store shelves.

Did you notice I used a veggie pasta? It's SO good! It tastes like regular pasta but it's loaded with veggies! Perfect for the kids! And it's lower calories and carbs! Win-win-win!

While your pasta is cooking (according to the package instructions), start cooking your meat in a hot skillet (med-med high depending on your cook top). I prefer lean ground beef because it's always stocked in my freezer. If you haven't tried Costco's organic ground beef, you're missin' out!

Measure the following: 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 tablespoon basil, a pinch of fennel seed, 1/2 tablespoon of parsley, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Once your meat has mostly browned and you've broken it down into small bits, throw in your spices. Garlic cloves will give the richest flavor but if you're pressed for time, as I was the night I made this, powder works fine too. Just make sure it's out of arm's reach of your toddler or you'll end up with a mess like mine. Ah!

Your pasta should be finished cooking now. Drain the water off and let it sit tight. After you've given the meat enough time to finish cooking with the spices, add your tomato sauce and pasta sauce. Stir that until well combined. Reduce your heat to low/simmer and let it cook 5-10 minutes. You could let it go longer but we're rushin', remember?

Pour the sauce into your pot of pasta and toss to coat. Voila! Your meal is ready! Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Serves: 6-8 | Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups | Approx. 226 calories per serving

Do you have a favorite last minute supper recipe? Leave me a comment below. I'd love to hear about it!

** click HERE for a printable version of this recipe **

Blessings,

Anna

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