Snowed-in Pasta in Meat Sauce - Easy

It only snowed 6 inches ast night.  No snowpocalypse like a few weeks ago, when we shoveled 3 feet of what was supposed to be 6 to 12 inches of the fluffy white stuff off the sidewalks.    But at least we didn't have mudslides or floods.  Yet ... spring is in a few months.

In advance of the snowmageddon, theHubby and I, along with most of the town again yesterday morning, headed to the Try 'n Save, where provisions were purchased.  We stocked up on pasta, then bought the required eggs, bread, milk and toilet paper.  I especially didn't need more toilet paper, having lugged home a case the last time, but hey, it's the law.

This is the kind of sauce you make when you are exhausted from watching the guys shoveling snow.  Quickly saute the ground beef, dump in jarred sauce and let simmer while the pasta of your choice, in the quantity of your choice, cook according to package directions.  In fact, if you have a large microwave-safe covered bowl large enough, feel free to nuke the beef on high for 2 minutes, breaking up the large pieces with a wooden spoon, then repeat every minute until no pink remains.  Carefully pour off grease then dump in contents of sauce and you're good to go.  Or stay inside, really.

I list quantities here for the cooking-impaired, but feel free to use more or less of any ingredient as needed.  The nice thing about this sauce is that it doesn't really matter how much meat or pasta sauce you use.  More people show up?  Just add more sauce.  Less meat per person, but you did make that resolution to eat less meat, remember?

Snowed-in Meat Sauce - Easy
serves 4-6

1 lb. pasta, your choice (I prefer thin spaghetti, but penne works just as well)
2 tsp. table salt (optional)
3/4 to 1 lb. pkg. ground beef
1 jar (26 to 32 ozs.) marinara sauce

Boil 4 quarts of water in a large pot over high heat.  When water comes to a rolling boil, add salt (if desired), then slowly add pasta.  Cook according to package directions.

While water is heating, place a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When hot, plop in ground beef.  Let sear for two minutes, untouched.  Then, using a wooden spoon, break up the beef into small pieces, size your choice.  Continue stirring with the spoon until no pink remains.

Carefully pour off grease.  Return skillet to heat, then dump in entire jar of sauce.  Reduce heat to medium-low and allow sauce to bubble.  Reduce heat if sauce starts to splatter.  Simmer, uncovered, while waiting for pasta to finish cooking.

When pasta is done, drain then divide onto plates.  Ladle sauce over pasta, amount according to individual preference.  Serve hot.

Let any remaining sauce cool, then store, tightly covered in fridge for up to 5 days.