Cowboy Spaghetti

A few years ago my husband was over at a friends house and his wife made the boys Cowboy Spaghetti, and my hubby raved about it. When I asked for the recipe she told me that it was one of Rachael Ray's 30 minute meals. A real hearty man-meal, the kind that are great on a rainy cold night. Living in New England in the winter you are never sure what kind of weather you are going to get, and this week has been right on que. We have gone thru many different weather patterns from snow, rain, sleet and sun so this meal was a welcomed feast. It is a great quick meal, that can be used again later in the week for oh say Stuffed peppers, or you could throw it into tacos. Yummy!! As usual I made a few changes mostly because I didn't have an ingredient. 

Cowboy Spaghetti
Items Needed:
Pasta Pot
3 1/2 qt saute pan 
( if you don't have just make sure it is a deep pan)

• 3/4 lb Whole wheat spaghetti
• Salt
• 3 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 lb ground beef 
• 1 med onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp hot sauce, more or less to taste
• 1tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 jar tomato sauce, I used Rao's **
• 8 ounces sharp Cheddar

• Bring a large pot to a boil and add spaghetti, adding a good handful of salt 
• Heat the saute pan over medium high heat, adding the bacon ( if needed some olive oil) I did not need to the grease from the bacon was enough, brown bacon until crisp about 4-5 minutes string frequently so as not to burn, remove with a slotted spoon making sure to leave about 1 tbsp of the grease( yummy) 
•  Add ground beef and and brown, 3-4 minutes
• Add onion saute 2-4 minutes then add garlic saute 2 minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper and Worcestershire  

****The original recipe  called for 1 can diced tomatoes and 1 can tomato sauce which I would have used, after all I always have them on hand...... Or so I thought but apparently  I must have been looking in somebody elses pantry because when I got home from work all I had was a jar of tomato sauce. Which worked just as well and gave it the consistency that I was looking for.

***The recipe also called fora 1/2 cup of beer  added at the end, but unfortunately I didn't have one, I know the horror... So if you have it, use it and finish off the rest of the beer yourself.... Yummy!!

Eat and Enjoy!!!