MY SPAGHETTI #Recipe #giveaway @vmburns

 VMBurns: Spaghetti is believed to have originated in China. Yet, it is most commonly considered an Italian meal. It is a dish that is loved and eaten by people from a variety of different cultures. I can't speak for all Black folks however, I have noticed a few differences between how spaghetti is prepared in my ethnic circle. First, spaghetti as prepared by most Black cooks isn't tomatoey. It tends to be meatier and spicier. I think it is sweeter than most traditional Italian spaghetti meals that I've eaten. Another difference may actually be regional. Fore reference, I grew up in the Midwest. My sister and I have talked about this because neither of us can remember ever attending a church fish fry where the fish didn't come with spaghetti. In our community, spaghetti was treated more like a side dish than the main course. I have no idea why. So, here's my version of spaghetti. If you expect this to taste like your traditional Italian Spaghetti, you're going to be disappointed.  However, if you keep an open mind, you might find that you like it. 

SPAGHETTI

INGREDIENTS

1 lb hamburger

1 lb mild Italian sausage

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1/2 box spaghetti

Mushroom, sliced (optional)

1 (15 oz) can of crushed tomatoes, undrained

2 Tablespoons Tomato paste

1 Tablespoon light brown sugar

1 can tomato sauce

Olive oil (just a splash in the water with the pasta)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon each of Basil, Thyme, Oregano

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (Optional)

Salt and Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add onion, bell pepper, Italian sausage, and ground beef to a skillet. As the meat browns, it will render fat which will keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Cook until the veggies are soft and the meat is brown. Drain fat and return to stove.
   
   
   
   
2. Add minced garlic and cook for a minute or two. Then add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, seasonings, and sugar. I know this will seem odd, but the sugar removes some of the acidity of the tomatoes. 
3. Add mushrooms. Turn the heat to low and let simmer.
   
4. Cook the spaghetti according to the directions on the package. I usually cook 1/2 of the package. I prefer more meat sauce than noodles, but it's up to you. My only addition is to add a generous amount of salt to the water.
5. Combine the noodles and sauce and serve with grated parmesan cheese.
   
   

READERS: Do you like trying variations on familiar recipes? Or, do you prefer to stick to the tried and true? Let me know in the comments for a chance to win a copy of Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder, the 1st book in my Baker Street Mystery series (US Only). Please remember to include your email address if you want to be included in the giveaway. 




TWO PARTS SUGAR, ONE PART MURDER,Baker Street Mystery #1



Available everywhere books are sold


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V. M. (Valerie) Burns

In this delectable new cozy mystery series, social media maven Maddy Montgomery’s perfectly ’grammable life has come undone, and she’s #StartingOver in a tiny town with one giant problem—a killer on the loose . . .
 
When Maddy Montgomery’s groom is a no-show to their livestream wedding, it’s a disaster that no amount of filtering can fix. But a surprise inheritance offers a chance to regroup and rebrand—as long as Maddy is willing to live in her late, great-aunt Octavia’s house in New Bison, Michigan, for a year, running her bakery and caring for a 250-pound English mastiff named Baby.
 
Maddy doesn’t bake, and her Louboutins aren’t made for walking giant dogs around Lake Michigan, but the locals are friendly and the scenery is beautiful. With help from her aunt’s loyal friends, aka the Baker Street Irregulars, Maddy feels ready to tackle any challenge, including Octavia’s award-winning cake recipes. That is, until New Bison’s mayor is fatally stabbed, and Maddy’s fingerprints are found on the knife . . .
 
Something strange is going on in New Bison. It seems Aunt Octavia had her suspicions, too. But Maddy’s going to need a whole lot more than a trending hashtag to save her reputation—and her life.