Baked Spaghetti-Foodie Friday

     It is Foodie Friday again! Please join our hostess Michael @ Designs by Gollum for some of the best recipes in all of Blogland. I have been cooking up a storm the past few weeks. My dad has been staying with me, my son has been coming over many nights for dinner because grandpa is here and therefore I'm cooking for 3 men! I feel like I'm a mom again, raising a family and trying to keep them full. My husband and I tend to eat much lighter meals than what I've been cooking lately. I've gained about 5 pounds since dad arrived!

     My grandmother (Dad's mom) used to make something she called Baked Spaghetti. I thought my dad might enjoy a meal that reminded him of his youth, so when I saw a recipe by Phyllis Hoffman, I combined elements of it and of my grandmother's recipe and came up with something we all enjoyed. I did however forget to take a picture of the finished product...those men were digging in very quickly.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I used beef for my dad, but I will use turkey when it is for the 2 of us)

Fresh mushrooms, sliced (canned would work)

1 Bell pepper, chopped-any color

olive oil

garlic powder, salt, pepper

1 T. Italian Seasoning

2 cans (14.5 oz) diced or crushed tomatoes

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

1 pound thin spaghetti-cook as directed, set aside

3 cups Shredded Cheese-I used Italian Blend, but anything you have on hand would work.

Brown the meat, mushrooms and pepper in a little olive oil until meat is completely cooked. Drain. Stir in a pinch each of garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and Italian seasoning and simmer about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. In a greased 9 x 13 pan, starting with a thin layer of the sauce in the bottom of the pan...layer half the spaghetti noodles, half the remaining sauce, half the cheese...the rest of the spaghetti, the rest of the sauce and finish with the rest of the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until casserole is hot and bubbly and cheese is melted, about 20-25 minutes. Serve with a green salad and garlic bread. It was a delicious, manly meal and I could make it ahead of time. If you do make it ahead and have it in the refrigerator, it will take a little longer to bake and heat all the way through.

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