Busy Days

It's an incredibly busy week for us this week and dinners have to be quick, easy and flexible. We are not necessarily all eating at the same time and I have very little time to cook. This recipe is a brilliant one for weeks like this. It all cooks in one pan and is made from ingredients you probably already have on hand (feel free to vary the vegetables!) It also requires next to no effort - aside from a little light chopping - and tastes amazing.

The 21st Century Housewife's Emergency Spaghetti

Serves 4 - 6 (depending on size and appetite!)

500 grams lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 cup frozen peas

1 x 500 ml jar ready prepared spaghetti sauce, such as Ragu

3 x 500 ml jars full of water

2 good "fistfuls" (about 300 grams) of spaghetti, broken into small pieces

1 teaspoon dried herb mix such as "Italian seasoning" or about 1 tablespoon of an assortment of any fresh Italian herbs you have on hand (try basil, oregano, chives etc)

2 handfuls of grated cheese of your choice such as cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan or gruyere - or a combination of any of these

Brown the beef in a large frying pan. (I like to use my electric frying pan for this recipe.) When the beef is no longer pink, add the chopped onion and peppers. Saute for a few minutes over medium heat. Add the jar of spaghetti sauce. Now fill the empty jar with water and add it to the pan. Do this three times. Stir this all together and then add the broken spaghetti.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until the spaghetti is starting to become tender. Now add the frozen peas. Cook together for a few minutes.

Stir in the cheese until it is melted. Serve with a salad and/or crusty bread. Any leftovers can either be frozen or served the next day. But with this recipe, I find leftovers are a rare thing indeed!