Fall Food!

Yum-O

I know in the last couple of posts I have been saying, "fall is here. fall is here." But it is OFFICIALLY here in Toronto. The temps are cool here- like not making it out of the 50's during the day. We are living with the windows open and a great fall feel in the air.

With the season officially changing, this means it's time for new fall food! With each season there are different things I love to make. My summer recipes are filled with fresh tomatoes and corn. They are light and fresh and perfect in the heat. My favorite fall recipes are warm, cozy, and filling. They stick to your ribs and are rich in color and taste.

For my first "fall meal" there wasn't a better recipe to try out than a one-pot spaghetti. I came across this new recipe in a food blog archive. I found the original recipe on a Southern Living website, and the rest is history...or dinner.

One-pot spaghetti is so easy! I also loved the fact I only had one pot to clean...guess that's the appeal. It even called for uncooked spaghetti noodles to be simmered in the sauce instead of boiling them separately. It also was appealing since I could tell by the ingredients that it would be different than a traditional spaghetti that we are used to. Don't be scared off when reading the list of ingredients. We really liked the kick the chili powder gave. It's not gourmet or anything out of this world, but it's a good solid recipe that is easy, most ingredients are probably in your pantry, and it's delish.

One Pot Spaghetti

Cook Time: 1 Hour
Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 3 cups tomato juice
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Dash of pepper
• 1 (7-ounce) package spaghetti, uncooked (we used whole wheat)
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Garnish: fresh Italian parsley sprigs

Preparation

• Cook first 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink; drain well. Return beef mixture to pan. Stir in tomato sauce and next 8 ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, 30 minutes.
• Add pasta; cover and simmer, stirring often, 20 minutes or until pasta is tender. Serve with cheese, and garnish, if desired.

There's dinner for tonight if you were stuck. It's like Rachel Ray without having to listen to the show :) Enjoy!!! There are definitely more fabulous fall dishes to come so keep checking back for great recipes! And Mom, I know you hate when I post recipes, but this one is a great pocket recipe for a busy night. xoxo