Hey Bob, at WLOS in Asheville, this is for you. Spaghetti My Way. We also call it "Oh, my gracious, you mean this only takes one pot"!

Actually, I call this, Spaghetti My Way. That's because I really don't like cooking spaghetti, but this is too easy and too delicious not to make. It's a one pot meal. So, in my opinion it should be called, "Oh my gracious, this only takes one pot" spaghetti.

Several years ago, I was taping five television shows for WLOS, Channel 13 in Asheville, NC. The host for Carolina Kitchen, who was also the lead anchorman for the station, was very skeptical of this spaghetti cooked in one pot. Also, notice that it has regular cheddar cheese to top it, and he was even more skeptical of how that would taste on spaghetti. Well, he loved it, and at the end of our taping segment, he picked up my heavy Le Creuset pot, and started for his car. I had to find something to put the rest of the spaghetti in so that he could take it home without taking my expensive pot with it! Hey Bob, that would have been $200.00 worth of spaghetti, bud. I taped five shows in a little over and hour that day, and he was a wonderful host. He has since retired.

I hope you will enjoy this spaghetti as much as we do at our house. I've been making this for years, and the recipe is in my book, Memories From Home. I make changes along the way depending on what I have in my kitchen or pantry at the time.

1 pound ground sirloin (I often use half a pound and then add one teaspoon of beef granules for flavor)
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, or diced tomatoes with oregano, garlic, basil
2 cans water-yes, I use the tomato cans
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon salt or to taste
12 ounces spaghetti- angel hair or regular, my husband's favorite is angel hair. NO MORE than 12 ounces, PLEASE, or it will be too dry
2cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

In a Dutch oven or heavy pan, sauté the beef until it is no longer pink. Add the onions, celery, pepper, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes and the water. Add seasonings. Bring to a boil, stirring. Add the spaghetti, and stir. Turn the heat to low, and cover, checking and stirring occasionally to make sure it does not stick. When the spaghetti has cooked, check for seasoning. If it needs more salt, add it now. If adding the cheese, cover the top of the spaghetti with cheese and let it melt before serving. It can be placed in casseroles and frozen if you have leftovers.