Saturday Basghetti.

Friday I went to this old neighborhood Italian restaurant for a review for The Reader. Best thing I can say about them: superb, sweet, silky red sauce. I wrote how it was as good as my mother's. True. Sort of. Mostly it's just completely different. My mom's sauce isn't smooth. It's chunky, with chopped onions, diced tomatoes and meat.

Bailey came over after we volunteered at the Hope Center. Spaghetti seemed the simplest option for a quick dinner. One thing my version lacked, however, was the Italian sausage. My mom always adds this to give the meal a kick. This is the thing that makes this recipe a favorite of Craig's. We made it for that first Valentine's Day dinner in 2004 at the guys' Riggan House (on their one functioning burner), Craig has been subtly requesting it ever since. (Here you go Craig, in case you lost the last recipe I gave you).

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce:

3/4 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes

2 6-ounce cans tomato paste

2 cups water

1 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 bay leaf

cooked spaghetti

1 pound ground beef, cooked

Cook onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in next 8 ingredients. Add meat. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes; remove bay leaf. Serve over spaghetti.