Saturday 3 September 2016

Million Dollar Spaghetti

If you're a resident of Alberta, you know that September long weekend sits on a knife-edge of weather.  Either it will be freezing cold or smoking hot. 
 
This long weekend of 2016.  Freezing cold.  Which is fairly average.
 
So let's do a pasta casserole. 
 
That name though - it cracks me up every time.  I suppose it's because the casserole itself is quite rich.
 
Feel free to use a fancy spaghetti sauce if that's what blows your skirt up.  But an inexpensive sauce like President's Choice Marinara Sauce is perfect (and tastes delicious).

 
In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese.

 
Sour cream.  And the cream cheese (I forgot it's picture!).

 
Cook up the ground beef and add the pasta sauce.

 
In a 9 x 13 baking dish, place half the butter (cut into "cubes) in the bottom of the dish.

 
Then add half the cooked pasta. 

 
Spread the cottage cheese mixture on top of the pasta.

 
Then add the rest of the cooked pasta and the rest of the butter.

 
Top with the cooked beef.

 
Bake for 30 minutes, top with desired amount of cheddar cheese (I wish there'd been more!), and bake a little longer.

 
Very rich - it's a hearty meal that's ready pretty quickly.  Definitely use a pasta sauce that you love!
 
I would reduce the amount of cream cheese for the next time as I found it to be a little overpowering.  (I'll note the change in the recipe below)

 
While this pasta is not great for your waistline (so few casseroles are!), it's a great "feel good" recipe for when the rain is persistent and the wind is cold. 
 
Every now and then, a cold and gross September long weekend turns into a beautiful and spectacularly warm fall.  I've got my fingers crossed that we're in for that.  While we're waiting for that to happen - fill yourselves up with casseroles!
 
Xoxo - Heather

 
Million Dollar Spaghetti
 
1 pound ground beef
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
6 ounces of cream cheese (please note that the original recipe calls for 8 ounces)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 pound cottage cheese (equals 1 cup)
1/2 cup butter
1 16 oz package of spaghetti
Grated cheddar cheese (as much as desired)
  1. preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Boil the spaghetti according to package directions until Al dented.  Drain and set aside.
  2. Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese in a medium bowl until well blended.
  3. In a large frying pan, brown the ground beef until no pink remains, then drain as necessary.  Stir in the pasta sauce.
  4. Cut the butter into cubes.
  5. Place half the butter cubes into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.
  6. Pour in half the cooked pasta noodles.
  7. Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the noodles.
  8. Pour the rest of the cooked pasta noodles on top of the cream cheese mixture.
  9. Put the rest of the cubed butter on top of the pasta.
  10. Pour the ground beef and pasta sauce over the top and spread to each edge.
  11. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Remove the dish from the oven, top with grated cheddar as desired and bake for 15 more minutes.

1 comment: