Even if you know someone who isn’t really a cook, doesn’t enjoy it or professes they can barely boil water, I bet there’s at least one dish they’re known for. My mom made really good meals when I was a kid especially when she set her mind to it, but in recent days she’s told me she didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought she did (I wish she had One Potato back then to make cooking and meal planning easier).
One recipe my brother and I totally looked forward to as kids was her spaghetti. Unlike a classic Italian dish, this one is filled with peppers and onions, ground turkey and fresh tomato sauce in a more Americanized version of spaghetti. When Kenya was a baby he called it P-sketty. It was so cute we would ask him over and over what he wanted for dinner just to hear him say it. This beloved dish has even turned into what the kids refer to as Ma Susu’s Spaghetti. I can offer a plethora of spaghetti recipes to the kids like Crock Pot Spaghetti, Spaghetti Pie, Lemon Spaghetti or Pesto Spaghetti with Cherry Tomatoes and while the kids love them, Ma Susu’s Spaghetti is still their favorite.
Even though my mom doesn’t enjoy cooking she always keeps huge containers of her White Chicken Chili and Ma Susu’s Spaghetti sauce in the freezer to enjoy all year round. It’s perfect for a last minute group dinner or even a single serving when you’re too tired to cook. That should sound more than familiar to plenty of moms out there just like mine!
Ma Susu's Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, in juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- to taste, optional
Instructions
- Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper and salute for 5 minutes.
- Add the ground turkey, and use a spoon to break into small pieces. Cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the can of tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes.
- Toss with cooked spaghetti and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
- Freezing: after cooling the mixture, place in freezer containers, label and store in the freezer up to 4 months.
So glad it was a hit!
Such and easy and tasty recipe. Read it day before yesterday and made it today. It is tasty and my colleague says thanks to you for the recipe. 🙂
You can try ground seitan or another meat substitute!
Hi! I’m a vegetarian. What can I add instead of turkey. And if I leave it out altogether, would it change the measurements and taste of the recipe? But I would def like to know if I can substitute it for something else. Thank you!
So glad you liked it!
Yum – nice and simple. Thank you,.