Spaghetti and Spaghetti Pie

Spaghetti Pie

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• garlic powder to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (optional)
  
• 1 (26 ounce) jar pasta sauce
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Drain and crumble. Put crumbled beef in skillet. Stir in salt, pepper, garlic powder, bell pepper and pasta sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. In a small bowl combine sour cream, green onions and cream cheese and set aside. Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and add the cooked spaghetti. Spread the cream cheese mixture over it, add the meat mixture and sprinkle with Cheddar Cheese.
5. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes until the cheese is bubbly.
   

Easier to serve than spaghetti and a nice change from spaghetti. The cream topping might not be healthy but it sure is good! Try light sour cream and light cream cheese.

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Spaghetti Sauce

2 cans diced tomatoes, Italian style or regular, or crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 c. diced onion (I cook mine along with the ground beef)
ground beef
1/2 pkg spaghetti seasoning
1/2 T sugar, or to taste
1 can tomato soup (I use sometimes to use up food storage and to give smooth consistency)
any other seasonings or veggies you want to throw in. I like to cook the ground beef and then throw it all in the crock pot for a few hours.

My kids love spaghetti. It is O's and I's favorite meal; maybe the only one O eats! We eat it with cottage cheese. May sound strange, but we all love it.