Baked Spaghetti

The late Mr. O-P loved pasta. And because of this love, and because we shared cooking duties, we would have pasta in some form once a week. That tradition came to an end when he did, and I’m sorry about that. I do like pasta; I just don’t often think to make it.

Today I was looking for something comforting, reminiscent of the old days, and in casserole form. It seemed a bit of a tall order initially, but then I thought about how much Jim used to like spaghetti and I thought why not make a big spaghetti casserole, and so I did. It was as good as I hoped it would be.

Baked Spaghetti

8 oz. spaghetti
1 lb. ground chuck
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ c. chopped Italian flat-leaved parsley
½ t. Montreal steak seasoning
1 32-oz. jar spaghetti sauce (your favorite)
½ t. seasoned salt
¼ t. dried basil
¼ t. dried oregano
2 large eggs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
5 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 15-oz. container of ricotta cheese, divided
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a 1½-quart baking dish; set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 12 minutes; drain.

While pasta is boiling, cook beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat until meat is browned and onions are soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and parsley and cook 1 to 2 minutes more; drain. Turn off heat; return drained meat mixture to pan. Stir in spaghetti sauce, seasoned salt, basil, and oregano.

Whisk eggs, Parmesan cheese, and butter in a large bowl. Add drained spaghetti to egg mixture and toss to coat.

Place half of the spaghetti mixture into your baking dish. Top with half of the ricotta cheese, 1/3 of the mozzarella, and half of the meat sauce. Repeat this layer once more. Top with the final third of the mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes longer.

Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serves 6

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Another delicious baked pasta dish is Baked Ziti.

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Baked Spaghetti

Once the kids start back to school, I can't help but think about fall. Don't get me wrong, I am loving this most unusual, temperate summer, but fall is on the horizon and I like to be prepared. It seems that once September hits the plans and parties start coming at such a rapid pace that there is no looking back. Advance preparation is the only thing that keeps me relatively sane during the onset of what will ultimately be a very busy season.

Part of this preparedness involves stocking the freezer with meals in the form of soups, stews, and casseroles, in serving sizes that range from individual (for those lovely evenings alone), to two, four, or even eight. Being able to pop a casserole (or pie) into the oven makes an impromptu dinner so much easier and enjoyable.  

To get you prepared for what's ahead, from now until year's end I am going to have a “Casserole of the Month.” Something crowd pleasing, that freezes beautifully, and requires nothing more than reheating (or baking) to give you a wonderful meal.

This recipe is a favorite of mine. It's from a lovely volume by Phyllis Hoffman called Gracious Tables, a book full of great recipes, pretty table settings, and party ideas. This recipe takes a bit of work to get it all together, but once you do it will provide you with 8 generous servings to be divided up however you see fit. (I made mine in oval au gratin dishes, and got four servings for two.) A salad and crusty roll is all you need and dinner is served!

Baked Spaghetti

(Adapted from Gracious Tables by Phyllis Hoffman)

1 pound ground chuck

1 pound bulk Italian sausage

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

8 ounces uncooked linguine

1 16-ounce container sour cream

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup chopped green onion

2 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese blend

In a Dutch oven or large stock pot, brown ground chuck, sausage, garlic, bell pepper, and onion over medium-high heat, until meat crumbles and vegetables are tender; drain fat.

Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil and sugar.  Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions, draining well.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place pasta in individual baking dishes or a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, cream cheese, and green onions. Spread evenly over hot pasta. Top with meat sauce.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

This post is linked to:

Show and Tell Friday 

Friday Unfolded
Fridays Flash Blog

Simple and Sweet Fridays

What To Do Weekend 
The Weekend re-Treat