MetroVan Independent News November 2015 | Page 18

18 METROVANINDEPENDENT.COM November 2015 FOOD INGREDIENTS Photo by Tota Mendez Ma-Dear's Sweet Spaghetti Sauce ala Jollibee. Ma-Dear's Sweet Spaghetti Sauce ala Jollibee EASY & DELICIOUS By Tota Mendez Who doesn't love Spaghetti? As a child it was my favorite food and to this day I still crave for spaghetti any day of the week. I can eat it for days! My Mom used to make a big batch of spaghetti sauce with fried hotdogs. Yes, you read it right. Hotdogs! It is the Filipino way of making spaghetti. The more you simmer the sauce, the more flavor it produces from the meats and ingredients. Spaghetti in the Philippines is often prepared at birthday parties along with Pancit or any long noodles. (For long life.) It is often paired with Pork Shish Kebabs. Yummy! If you are a big fan of Jollibee's spaghetti sauce then you will like this one. I don't know who invented adding hotdogs in spaghetti sauce. Should I give credit to Jollibee or my Mom? Nah! I'll give credit to my Mom. Directions: 1. In a sauce pan heat oil with medium high heat. Fry the hotdogs until cooked. Set aside in a bowl. 2. Add more oil in pan. Add onions, chili flakes, bay leaves and garlic. Sauté until onion is translucent. 3. Add the ground beef, ground pepper and hotdogs and cook beef until its brown in color. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, ketchup and salt. 4. Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer covered for 30 minutes to an hour. Add more sugar according to your taste. 5. Prepare the spaghetti noodles as per package directions. Once the noodles are Al Dente, add sauce and parmesan cheese. Serve with Garlic bread. Enjoy! Tota Mendez is a musician and avid food lover originally from Manila, Philippines. Her recipes are inspired from her days of traveling all over the world which is mostly Asian Cuisine.