College Spaghetti with Spinach & Meatballs

Quick and Hearty!

Serves: 3

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Times: 30 mins

Ingredients:
- 24-26 oz jar of spaghetti sauce. Your pick of flavor.
- 1 lb ground beef, I used extra lean
- 1 10oz bag of spinach
- 1lb of spaghetti
- salt
- pepper
- Italian herbs

Directions:
1. Let ground beef warm up to room temperature by taking it out of refrigerator for at least ½ hr.
2. Wash spinach
3. Simmer spaghetti sauce in a saucepan.
4. Cook 1 lb of spaghetti al dente according to instructions. Be sure to add salt, black pepper, and other desired herbs into the water cooking the pasta. Cooking of pasta takes approximately 12minutes boiling uncovered.
5. While the pasta is cooking, add 1 tbsp olive oil to pan, med-high heat.
6. Once pan is hot cook the ground beef. Add some salt, black pepper, basil, and other Italian herbs as desired.
7. Place the cooked ground beef in a bowl and set aside temporarily
8. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to pan.
9. Once the oil is hot add 1 tspn of minced garlic. Sauteed for approximately 1 minute.
10. Add spinach into pan and cook until all leaves have wilted.
11. Place cooked spinach in a bowl.
12. Strain all excess water from spinach and from cooked ground beef. (Prevents dilution of spaghetti sauce.)
13. Return both the spinach and ground beef to pan: low heat.
14. Once the pasta is done cooking strain the pasta. Be sure to reserve some of the pasta water (approximately ¼ to ½ cup should suffice.). Do not pour cold water over the strained pasta. Keep the strained pasta hot and immediately add the hot pasta to the pan with spinach and ground beef.
15. Add the reserved pasta water to the simmering sauce. Stir well.
16. Pour the hot simmering sauce into the pan over the spaghetti, spinach, and ground beef. Increase pan heat to medium high.
17. Stir and cook pasta in pan until sauce is evenly distributed. Add black pepper, basil, oregano to taste.
18. Serve while hot.

Recipe Source: The Boyfriend