Spicy Spaghetti

I had barely walked in the door when my fifteen-year-old-always-hungry teenager says, "Mom, what's for lunch?"

Quick on my feet, I tell him I have ground beef thawed out and could make spaghetti. "What kind?" he asks. "My kind, of course."

"Spicy?"

"Of course sweetie. What other kind is there?" I replied.

So while whipping up a batch of his favorite spaghetti, I thought of INSPIRED WOMAN!

I think you'll love this recipe that originated from a lack of ingredients and a need to make my spaghetti sauce thicker!

You'll need these ingredients:

• 1 lb. Ground Beef
• 1/2 pkg. Spaghetti Sauce Mix (dry)
• 1 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes (or Rotel will also work)
• 2 Tbsp. Dry Peppered Gravy Mix
• Spaghetti Noodles

Brown your ground beef (I like to add some season salt to mine) and start boiling your water for the noodles. In a blender or bullet, mix the canned tomatoes and dry seasoning with 1/2 can WATER to make the sauce. After meat is cooked thoroughly, drain the grease and add the sauce mix. (The water will probably be ready for noodles by now so don't forget to cook!)

Now for the secret ingredient: Add your dry peppered gravy mix to the sauce and meat as it begins to bubble a bit. I used to get this at Sam's (it's great for Saturday morning biscuits & gravy --a southern favorite!) but now our local Walmart sells it as well. Use your spatula or spoon to mix into sauce and allow to bubble a few more minutes. The sauce color will change some, but the results are fantastic! Not only does this add a little kick to your spaghetti, but it also creates a nice, thick sauce.

Serve with your favorite veggies and/or garlic bread! Voila! Hopefully this will become a new favorite for your family too! Enjoy!