Mother's Day Dinner: Spaghetti with Spicy Tomato Sauce

“I’m upstairs crying…” was how I started my Facebook post. I was having a hard week and I slept in, which for moms with little kids, this translates to– it was 7:15 a.m. I heard my boys whispering and busily moving downstairs. I lay in bed a bit longer since oddly enough no one was bickering or fighting.

But then they came up the stairs, one by one, like the three wise men each holding their gift.

Well it wasn’t gold, myrrh and frankincense but I was moved by their little hearts. My oldest had a tray with pancakes that looked a bit tattered and disfigured but were edible. My middle child had a plate with eggs that were brown and cold but at least they were cooked. My preschooler had a bowl of chopped fruit and thankfully free of little fingers. (Who knew they could chop fruit.) It was all for me. Just for me.

It wasn’t Mother’s day but it was the best “We Love You Mom” moment I’d ever had. See the thing was no one told them to do this. My husband didn’t hint at it or help them. They got up and went downstairs all on their own and decided to make their mama breakfast. So now you know why I was upstairs crying. It was tears of a proud mama, overwhelmed with joy with mis hijos (my kids).

Since Mother’s day is around the corner make sure you remember to pamper your mom. Even if it’s just a note on a napkin, every mom deserves this and more. I love my mom and the thought of not being close to spoil her, on her day, makes me sad. She has taught me so much about life.

“My mother never finished school but she’s one of the wisest women I know. The wrinkles through the crows feet around her eyes all have a story to tell of her courage, strength and faith.”

So, here’s a simple but yummy meal that will make mom feel loved, and the kiddos can make this with a little bit of help from an adult. I pretty much followed the recipe I found over on Barilla® website you can hop on over and compare our recipes here. I slightly adapted it to meet our families needs.

Mother’s Day Dinner: Spaghetti with Spicy Tomato Sauce

1 pound Barilla® Spaghetti
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Small Onion Minced
2 cloves Garlic Minced
1/2 cup Black Pitted Olive Coarsely Chopped
2 tablespoons Capers Drained Rinsed
1/2 cup White Wine
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper Freshly Ground
1/2 teaspoon ground Ancho Pepper
28 ounces Crushed Italian Tomatoes Canned
1/2 cup Fresh Basil Chopped

1. Chop your veggies: onion, garlic, red bell peppers and zucchini. Add oil to your large pan and when the oil is hot, sauté for 3 minutes.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add olives, capers, white wine, salt, pepper and ancho peppers seasoning.

3. Cook, stirring occasionally until the white wine has reduced by half, about 5 minutes then add the tomatoes and simmer until reduced slightly, about 20 minutes.