Here’s a recent “conversation” (in quotes because we were actually chatting online) I had with a friend about blogging:

*  *  *

Me:  I’m just not feeling it anymore.  I bore myself with the things I write and since I like everyone else am inherently enamored with myself, this stuff must really be boring.

Pal:  Well, the stuff you’re writing isn’t your voice.

Me:  Whaddya mean?  I’ve written every word on that blog RIGHT FROM MY HEART.

Pal:  That right there is what I mean.  You never say things like “right from my heart”. Your blogging personality is Mythical Sarah.  You’d have more fun if you wrote like Real Sarah.

Me:  But Real Sarah is sorta full of it and often offensive.

Pal:  And we love her anyway.

*  *  *

[Deep Breath]

And so I’m going to start writing this blog like Real Sarah.  What better way for people to Notice the Dirt in my life than to blog with my full-of-it and often-offensive voice ringing clear and true?

Let’s start with THIS dirt.  While typing this post, I’m supposed to be cooking spaghetti for dinner.  The Gentleman and I are spaghetti-a-holics.  I can my own spaghetti sauce each year, combine it with a trade secret mixture of Italian sausage, ground turkey (so we can pretend it’s healthy) and ground beef and serve it with WAY too much Parmesan cheese.

Tonight I put the meats in the pan, turned the burner on and….blogged.  Do you know what happens to ground meats when you don’t break them up as they cook?  A gigantic hamburger happens.  And gigantic hamburgers + sauce + noodles means a Sucketti dinner.

I’ve been serving you readers Sucketti too.  I’m going to start making sure I stir the pot, let the grease spatter and maybe even accidentally fling a gross-looking piece of raw meat out of the pan from time to time.

Here’s my Spaghetti Sauce Recipe (no processed sugar!) just so this post is worthwhile to you somehow:

 Spaghetti Sauce

1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 zucchini, sliced
1 cup Baby Bella mushrooms, chopped
1 29 oz can crushed tomatoes*
1 29 oz can tomato sauce*
4-6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 tsp. fresh oregano leaves chopped
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp honey
1/3 lb lean ground turkey
1/3 lb lean ground beef
1/3 lb hot Italian sausage

In a large pot heat olive oil, onions, garlic and bell pepper for about 5 minutes.  Stir in zucchini and mushrooms and continue to cook 3-5 additional minutes.  Add tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, pepper and honey.  Bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes – 1 hour.

While sauce simmers, brown meats in a large skillet.  Stir in 1/2 of the tomato sauce (the tomato sauce part of the recipe makes two meals’ worth).  Serve over spaghetti pasta.

*Hunt’s brand as well as several others make tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes with no added sugar