Opa's Baked Spaghetti

Opa LOVES baked spaghetti. It is one of his very favorite things. He and Oma had a little restaurant they would go to every couple of weeks just so he could have their baked spaghetti. I've been there once or twice myself so I saw what he was eating ….. looked like spaghetti with a lot of cheese on top to me ….. but evidently they 'did something else' too because when Oma melted cheese on spaghetti at home, it just wasn't the same.

Then a very unhappy event occurred. The little restaurant closed. A search for a new place to have baked spaghetti was not successful ….. either the restaurants had 'regular' spaghetti or the supposed 'baked' spaghetti did not past muster.

One Friday night, I thought “hmmm.... baked spaghetti would be just the thing” for a special treat and I started looking around to see what we had 'on hand' without a trip to the grocery store. We had a 13.5 oz box of thin wheat spaghetti, 2 (24 oz.) jars of spaghetti sauce (one veggi, one meat-flavored), a package (8 oz.) of mozzarella cheese slices and onion, garlic & Mrs. Dash's Seasoning Blend – Italian Medley.

I got online & started looking for baked spaghetti recipes – I finally found one that looked pretty good, but it had ricotta cheese in it ….. Oma said 'no way, no ricotta'. I also knew (from seeing Opa eat his favorite baked spaghetti) that it did not have ricotta in it. So ….. recipe in hand for a general guide, the modifications and cooking began. When Opa walked by, I told him I was making 'baked spaghetti' ….. his eyes lit up and he said “Really? Baked Spaghetti?? Oh boy!” I think he approved of the final product - he ate a very large piece! We'll be making 'baked spaghetti again in the near future. Here is what I came up with:

Ingredients:

• You will need about 6 cups of spaghetti sauce or 2 (24 oz.) jars. Use what you really like because that is going to be the flavor of your baked spaghetti. You can add meat or sauteed veggies or both. Spice it up to your heart's desire.
• 1 lb. ground beef (we just happened to have some in the freezer – you could definitely use ground turkey, venison, sausage - whatever floats your boat)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 teaspoons garlic (out of a jar 'cause that's what we had – I prefer fresh garlic & probably would have used 2-3 cloves, minced fine)
• 3 Tablespoons Mrs. Dash's Seasoning Blend – Italian Medley
• 1 box (13.5 oz) of thin wheat spaghetti (if you use regular, it would probably be a 16 oz box – that's ok)
• 5 tablespoons of butter
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• Mozzarella cheese. We used an 8 oz. package of mozzarella cheese slices (there were 12) because that is what we had on hand. For a future batch, I think grated would be a better choice … for the top, at least.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees & grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.
2. In a large pan, saute onions and ground beef until the onions are soft and the meat is cooked through.
3. Add the garlic to the onions/beef the last minute or two – if the garlic gets overdone (begins to brown), it will be bitter.
4. Add the two jars of sauce to the meat mixture & season to taste with whatever you like – I added 3 tablespoons of Mrs. Dash's Seasoning Blend – Italian Medley.
5. Put the sauce on 'simmer' and while that is happening, cook the spaghetti per the instructions.
6. Cut the butter into tablespoons size pieces and put in a large bowl.
7. Beat the two eggs & measure out your parmesan.
8. When the spaghetti is done, drain it well and put it in the large bowl with the butter – mix until the butter is all melted and has coated the spaghetti.
9. Add the eggs & parmesan, mixing well to coat the spaghetti.
10. In the 9 x 13 pan, layer half the spaghetti.
11. Add half the spaghetti sauce on top.
12. Layer half the mozzarella (6 slices …. or grated) on top of the sauce.
13. Repeat the spaghetti & sauce layers (reserve the very top cheese layer for later).
14. Put foil over the top and crimp the edges down.
15. Bake the spaghetti for 40 minutes.
16. Take the foil off and put on the last cheese layer.
17. Return to the oven uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until cheese has melted and begins to get little golden patches or the color is to your liking, then take it out of the oven & serve.

Cooking Notes:

• This baked spaghetti cuts into blocks so it makes a pretty presentation.
• You can add a ricotta layer if you like …. makes it more like a spaghetti 'lasagna'.
• Mrs. Dash's Seasoning Blend – Italian Medley makes a fabulous dipping sauce for bread …. just put a teaspoon/tablespoon on a small plate, pour on the olive oil and give it a stir, then wait a couple of minutes for the spices to soak up the oil and soften a bit .... dip in your bread & enjoy! This beats anything I've ever had in a restaurant.