Process Writing - German Spaghetti

     This is a unique recipe I learned from my mom growing up. Unlike regular spaghetti, the German variety is made with brown gravy instead of tomato sauce. This may sound unusual, but the gravy and spices give the dish a unique flavor and it is one of my favorite meals.
   
     First let's run through the ingredients. You'll need:

• one pound of ground beef
• 5 cups of water
• paprika
• curry powder
• ketchup
• a beef bouillon cube
• four packets of McCormick brown gravy mix 
• one packet of McCormick thick and zesty spaghetti sauce mix.
• two ounces of spaghetti per bowl you expect to eat
• pepper, cooking oil (optional)

     The first thing you'll need to do is brown your beef in a pot. Crank the heat up on one of your burners to medium high and break the beef up with some sort of cooking implement. Be sure to stir semi-frequently. Once all the beef is brown and you don't see any more redness, drain the grease in the sink. I like to do this by placing a lid on the pot and flipping it upside down. For safety, be sure to turn off any stove burners that aren't actively in use.

     Now that you've got a pot of browned beef drained of grease, it is time to add the spices. I was never given a measurable amount of paprika or curry to add, so I sprinkle on what I call a "covering." I sprinkle both spices on top of the beef until the entire surface is colored scarlet or yellow. It may take a few tries before you find the ideal amount of each for you. Unwrap and toss in the bouillon cube and then squirt in just enough ketchup to bind the powder to the beef. Stir it all together with a serving spoon.

    Grab a shaker or some sort of closeable bottle and begin mixing the gravy powder with the water. You'll want to maintain a ratio of one cup of water per packet of mix. Combine the mix and water in the bottle and shake vigorously until uniformly dissolved and add to the pot, repeating as needed until all of the packets are used. When finished, return the pot to the burner and bring to a boil. Once the pot is boiling, reduce heat and allow to simmer while you cook the spaghetti noodles. Be sure to stir the beef occasionally.

     Fill another pot with an appropriate amount of water for the amount of spaghetti you plan to cook. There should be enough water to fully submerge the uncooked noodles. I like to add a bit of pepper to the noodles in the pot for aesthetic purposes, and pouring in a very small amount of vegetable oil can help prevent the spaghetti from sticking together. Boil the noodles per the directions on the box, or until tender, stirring occasionally. When done, drain the noodles through a colander.

     Your meal is now ready to serve! Fill your bowl with whatever ratio of pasta to meat-sauce makes you happy. Although unorthodox, Parmesan cheese makes a great topping. Enjoy!