Look. I’m 100% Italian, and let me start off by saying my two  grandmothers are likely simultaneously rolling over in their graves as I post this.

Every Sunday of my life for the first 18 years of my life, we ate dinner at my grandma’s house where she would have made homemade sauce, meatballs, sauce meat, and would also have bread baked fresh from the local Italian bakery–the one where my Papa also used to be a baker. So yes, very much #traditions and #homecooked and #realfood and #homemade and all that good stuff that comes with true Italian roots.

I would also, however, like to think that my dear and amazing grandmothers would more than understand the need for a busy mom to make a quick and (kinda) homemade pasta dish that her kids would love (and they do love this one!), without having to spend 8 hours making her own sauce and saucemeat. Therefore, this recipe.

Forgive me, Nana and Grandma. The next one will be all homemade, I swear.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

4-5 cloves fresh garlic

1 yellow onion

salt and pepper (to taste)

olive oil

1 jar marinara sauce* (I prefer Rao’s Marinara)

1 lb. spaghetti

Directions:

Drizzle pan with olive oil.

Chop garlic into small pieces and drop in, along with 1/2 to whole onion, depending on how much you want in recipe. I like onions, so I use the whole thing.

Break up ground beef into small pieces and put into pan.

Stir frequently until meat is cooked and onions are sautéed.

Boil 1 lb of spaghetti.

When drained, pour ground beef mixture over noodles.

Add whole jar of marinara.

Mix.

Watch your kids actually–and happily–eat a home cooked meal.

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See you next time, friends!