A Dude's Spaghetti and Meatball Recipe Hack

Previously in this space, I've given away my Japanese "impress your babe" dinner recipe, and the "next morning, good morning" buttery scrambled eggs recipe.

But this is the recipe I should have started with. This is the meat and pototoes, my old standby. A simple dinner for the dude in all of us. From college student (trying to impress the sorority wench) to bachelor (attempting to impress himself) to married man (trying to give his wife a break).

This is It. My old Spag and Meatball dinner hack. Why hack? Because we're cheating a little. Making it taste better. Making it seem like we cooked it from scratch. With my simple cooking hack technique.

Here's what you need:

• Spaghetti.
• Meatballs (Costco frozen kind work for me, but any frozen will do).
  
• 1 fresh tomato.
• Spaghetti sauce (in a bottle).
  
• Pesto (in a bottle).
• Garlic bread (store bought).
  
• Optional: wine (red), CD (you can't go wrong with The Big Night soundtrack).
  

Here's what you do:

• Prep: slice tomato into small pieces (about 1/2").
  
• In a med/large pot, boil water and cook the spaghetti, as normal.
• In a small pot, put tomatoes, meatballs and pour spaghetti sauce over meatballs. Add 2 teaspoons of pesto. Cook over low heat. (The fresh tomatoes add a tad of "cooked from scratch" flavor to the dish).
  
• Heat garlic bread in toaster oven.
• Spaghetti and the sauce should be done about the same time. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and serve.
  

That's it. But remember: presentation counts and goes a long way. Use nice plates, arrange artfully, i.e. put a cloth in a bread basket and cover the bread like they do in the restaurants.

Here's the general cooking hack that has served me well: mix fresh ingredients with store bought ones and present and serve nicely.

Bon appetit!

Photo by: mikha_el (stock.xchng).