Pasta Optional

The pastas, they needs a sauce.

I'm not a big leftover fan. If I do bring myself to save extra food to eat at a later date (this happens a lot more now that I actually have to pay for food), I have to mouth-breathe when I open up the container of leftovers because no matter what they are, they inevitably develop a weird smell until they are heated up again. I'm not a snob, I just genuinely hate the thought of once-good food sitting in the fridge getting smelly, and never acheiving the same level of delciciousness it once did. Leftovers are the Tara Lipinskis of the food world - one brief, shining moment of glory, then a lifetime of mediocrity in a traveling show. Sorry, Tara. It's true.

In an effort to be normal, and inspired by one of my roommates, an 80-year-old Italian Nonna masquerading as a 21-year-old blonde, I made a big pot of this sauce, then actually saved it, and ate some more last night...and, actually, it was pretty good.

Meat Sauce

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 lb. ground beef sirloin
2 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a large sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and beef and cook until onions are golden and meat is no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
2. Add garlic and oregano and stir.
3. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste, then simmer uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes. Add water, 1/4 cup at a time, if sauce is too thick.
4. Discard bay leaf and serve with pasta that hopefully you know how to cook.