Baked Spaghetti

Submitted by: JustRightMenus

Description:

This is a great meal to prepare ahead and then bake before serving.

Similar to my lasagna process, I make this in two 9" pans and freeze one of them. For the one I freeze, I line it with tinfoil first. That way, once it's frozen, I can pop it out of the pan, all wrapped in tinfoil, and get my dish back. I'll put the tinfoil package in a gallon freezer bag. When I plan to make it again, I'll unwrap it from the tinfoil, lay it in the baking dish, and defrost it overnight.

Servings: 12

Categories: ground beef, pasta

From the kitchen of:

Taste of Home, August/September 2006

Ingredients

1 package (16 oz) spaghetti

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 chopped green pepper

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1 can condensed tomato soup, undiluted

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 c. water

2 TB brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

1 c. mozzarella cheese

Directions

Break spaghetti in half; cook according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a deep heavy-bottomed pan (like a cast iron or dutch oven), cook the beef, onion, and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. 

Stir in the sourps, tomato sauce, water, brown sugar, and seasonings.

Drain spaghetti; stir into meat sauce. Add 1/2 cup of the cheese.

Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9in. x 2-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.