Baked Spaghetti

Per request. No pictures, sorry.

I always cook entrees for an army, so you may have to adjust.

1 pound of sausage (Italian, sage, or hot)
1 pound of ground beef
Cook together, until done, drain, set aside.

At least 1 of the following, some times more, depending on what I have to use up.
1 onion
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
(1 yellow pepper - if I have one to use, or they're on sale)
(Mushrooms - fresh or canned, depending on what I have or what's on sale)
garlic
Use oil, and cook together until soft.

To make my own sauce I then add...
a bunch of diced tomatoes, I like to buy fresh, but sometimes for time or if it's cheaper I buy canned.
So at least...
12 Roma tomatoes, or 2 big cans of diced
1 can of tomato paste
1 can of tomato soup (if I have some in the pantry)
a little water or V8 spicy tomato juice
a bit more olive oil
basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar, other Italian seasonings - whatever I have on hand or sounds good.
Add meat and simmer. For.ever.

If I'm pressed for time, or cash, I will use prepared spaghetti sauce. Of course, I doctor it up. I still cook my onions, and peppers, add at least a can of diced tomatoes, because I like chunks, and add the jar of prepared sauce, meat, and more spices. Simmer.

I boil my spaghetti, I like to use the very thin spaghetti noodles, or angel hair, because that's what I like. For kids it's better to use penne, or rotini (easier to pick up and cut). I cook my noodles al dente, just a bit hard still, they'll finish cooking in the oven. I drain my noodles, add butter, Parmesan cheese and garlic salt. (I learned this from my friend Jessica, it's sooo good!)

Then layer up my spaghetti. Noodles, sauce, cheese and repeat. I use a mixture of Parmesan and mozzarella. I wait to add my last layer of cheese the last 10 minutes of baking. So, spaghetti, sauce, cheese, spaghetti, sauce. I bake covered with foil 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 until bubbly. If all your ingredients are hot, you bake less time. When it's bubbly and your house smells like an Italian joint, add the last layer of cheese, bake uncovered 5-10 minutes until cheese is melty.

When I take dinner to a family, I typically do not bake this for them. Since I'm living in the boonies now, and it would be cold by the time I delivered it. So I add the last layer of cheese, but stress to cook it covered, otherwise the cheese gets too done.

I always think it tastes better the next day too, so typically I prepare the day before, then bake for dinner the next night.