Spaghetti with Beef and Linguica Red Sauce

Spaghetti with Beef and Linguica Red Sauce:

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more if you like heat)

3/4 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. ground linguica *

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

3/4 cup beef broth

1 tsp. sugar

1 bay leaf

1 (13.25 oz.) box spaghetti

1 stem basil, leaves chopped

Preheat a large pan on medium high heat. Add oil then onion. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, stir. Add ground beef, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook beef until brown, breaking up into small chunks. Add linguica. Cook for 1 minute, using spatula to break up chunks. Pour in crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Add sugar and bay leaf. Stir and allow to come to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring a couple of times during this period.

While sauce simmers, cook spaghetti according to package direction. Drain. Serve sauce over pasta. Garnish with chopped basil. Makes about 4 servings.

*Ground linguica is precooked sausage. If you are substituting with an uncooked sausage, add it to the skillet the same time as the ground beef.