My Go-to Quick Meat Sauce

This is a dinner that I make very often during the week when I want to make something quick but something with substance. And all the ingredients I usually always have on hand. Bonus: this makes enough for leftovers to take to work the next day :)

• 1 to 1.3 lb ground beef
• 1- 28oz can whole tomatoes
• 1- 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 onion diced
• 1 bell pepper diced
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 cup red wine (whatever you have on hand)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• Red pepper flakes to taste (I add about 2 tsp)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• salt
• pepper
• 1 lb pasta of choice
• Grated cheese for garnish (I prefer Locatelli)

Fill a large pot up with water and bring to a boil while you prepare the sauce.

Heat up a big skillet at medium-high heat, once it's hot add the oil and the ground beef.  Salt and pepper the beef as it is browning.  Once the beef is browned (about 5 minutes) then add the onion, pepper, garlic, oregano, and basil to the pan.  Let that cook until the onion is translucent which should be about 5 minutes. Carefully add the wine while scraping the bottom of the pan...this will deglaze the pan getting up any of the yummy brown bits from the beef!  Let that cook for a few minutes to burn off the alcohol then add the two cans of tomatoes and some salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.  Turn the heat down to low and let simmer while you cook the pasta.

At this point you want to add the pasta to the boiling water with a handful of salt to the water.  Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box (I always cook mine one minute less to make sure it stay al dente!)

Serve the pasta with sauce topping with grated cheese.