When I first went off meal plan junior year, I was 90 percent certain that it wouldn’t be a big deal. I was one of those kids who was obsessed with Gordon Ramsay’s cooking videos in middle school. I grew up critiquing and brainstorming revisions for recipes on the Food Network shows with my grandmother, and judging the meals on MasterChef as if I could do better. Growing up with a mother, grandparents, great aunts, great uncles, and extended cousins who somehow could never make a bad meal, food naturally became a haven and a hobby for me. 

Then, junior year hit me like a brick, and food became another item on the to-do list. I didn’t expect all of the stress and overthinking that sapped my energy away, the assignments and club obligations that piled up. Thankfully, the first semester, my friends would swipe me into the dining hall, and my stomach motivated me to exhibit better time management in the second semester. Yet, by the end of the year, I was still eating mostly Chef Boyardee and Shin ramen—just enough. 

I know as college students we sometimes forget to eat, or we lose our appetites from the stress of our everyday lives. For me, food can often be a good relief from those worries. Whether it was getting out of work at 10 p.m. on a school night or struggling to prepare for an AP exam, food was a good excuse for motivation in high school. A meal always gave me something to look forward to—perhaps delayed gratification. I won’t parrot the age-old advice of how important it is to eat for survival, but it’s a nice feeling when you can enjoy a fulfilling meal—even just a quick one, even if it’s the only peace you’ll have that day. And when you eat with friends? You’re just making memories, and you can never have enough of those.

When I could find the time and energy to go to Eastside Marketplace (rest in peace), my shopping cart would always have a pack of long noodles and Prego sauce (or Hunt’s, if I wanted to save money). This recipe emerged from being tired of the boring spaghetti noodles and sauce. I drew upon the random Gordon Ramsay cooking tips I had stored, and added seasonings, meat, and an onion to liven up my spaghetti. While I did become a huge proponent of eating basic or cheap meals, I felt happier and more motivated to eat when the meal was flavorful. So hopefully, whether you’re going through a stressful finals period or you’re tired of the Ratty’s pasta, you can try this out and substitute whatever you have or don’t have.

Spaghetti Sauce

Can serve 1-4 people

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10-15 minutes

Total Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 jars of marinara pasta sauce
• Garlic powder (or real garlic if you’re feeling it)
• Onion powder
• 1/2 of an onion (sliced or diced)
• A little over half a pack (or more if you want) of pork bacon: Cut into squares, or smaller if you like 
• Season-All seasoning (or something akin to it)
• Chili oil (I recommend Lao Gan Ma) or chili powder (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut the bacon into squares. Slice or dice the onion. Set these ingredients aside.

2. Heat a frying pan on medium heat. Add the bacon to the pan. 

3. Once you see the bacon fat/grease appear, add onions and mix, making sure the onions are covered in the bacon grease. 

4. Add garlic powder and onion powder directly into the pan to lightly season the bacon and onions. Stir well.

5. As the bacon and onions cook, place a large pot on the stove on medium heat.

6. Add both jars of marinara sauce to the pot.

7. Mix in some more garlic powder, onion powder, and season—all seasoning to taste. 

8. Let the sauce simmer. In the meantime, check on the bacon and onions. Once the bacon is cooked and the onions are caramelized, pour these contents into the sauce. 

9. Stir well and let the sauce simmer for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. (My grandmother simmers her sauce for two hours with the logic that time builds more flavor. However, I make this sauce in 10-15 minutes, so do whatever works for you or is most convenient.)

10. After the sauce has cooked down, ladle it over some pasta (no matter the noodle).* 

11. Enjoy!

*If you are using chili oil like I did, stir it directly into each bowl of pasta before eating so the flavor pops more. If you are using chili powder, you can add it during the bacon/onion seasoning stage or the sauce seasoning stage. Trust your instincts.