Guest Author - Michelle Pendergrass

Confession time. When I first started cooking for my husband, I was lacking the skills of what I would consider a good cook, but after thirteen years I think I'm finally at a point that I would be comfortable saying I can cook.

We're living in such a fast paced, microwave world where everything is quick, easy and prepackaged. The problem is it never tastes quite as good a homemade.

I've started this series on cooking tips for some of the wives out there who emailed asking for instruction in the kitchen. Aside from talking about the Bible, I can't think of another area of life that I'm more comfortable talking about.

So, let's talk about spaghetti. In the beginning that meant a box of pasta, a jar of sauce and a pound of ground beef. Somedays that's what it still is. However, there are times that I like to spice things up a bit. I start with a basic, inexpensive canned or jarred sauce. Normally, Hunt's or Ragu. I add a few fresh vegetables, some garlic and spices, and it turns into a whole new sauce.

If you're like me, you'll double this recipe and freeze the leftovers for those busy days.

1 pound ground beef
1 can or jar spaghetti sauce
1 box spaghetti pasta
Crushed garlic (you can buy jars of this in the produce section of your local grocery)
Oregano
Thyme
Basil
(or you can buy "Italian Seasoning" which contains oregano, thyme and basil
1 medium onion
1 zucchini
1 small green pepper
1 can diced tomatoes (you can get the Italian seasoned ones if you like)

Side dishes: salad, garlic cheese bread, green beans, red wine

1. Dice the onion and green pepper.

2. Brown ground beef, add in onion, green pepper, about a teaspoon of crushed garlic, and a teaspoon of each the oregano, thyme and basil or a teaspoon and a half of Italian Seasoning.

3. Drain the fat from the ground beef.

4. Return meat mixture to pan.

5. Dice the zucchini, add to meat mixture.

6. Add diced tomatoes and can or jar of sauce to meat mixture.

7. Simmer on low/medium for about a half hour.

8. Cook pasta as directed and enjoy your better tasting spaghetti!