Spaghetti and Beef Casserole

[abjcooking]

From Jack Daniel's cookbook

3 T. butter
2 lb. ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
2 4oz. cans mushroom stems and pieces, undrained
2 8oz. cans tomato sauce
1 6oz. can tomato paste
1 t. ground oregano
1 t. garlic powder
2 7oz. packages spaghetti
1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
2 cups cottage cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup fine buttered bread crumbs

Heat butter in a heavy skillet. Add ground beef and onion; saute until meat is browned, stirring to crumble. Drain off pan drippings. Combine mushrooms, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, and garlic powder. Add to meat mixture; mix well. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. Place half of spahgetti in a buttered 9x13 inch baking dish. Combine cream cheese, cottage cheese, chives and sour cream; mix well. Spoon cream cheese mixture over spaghetti layer, spreading evenly. Place reamining spaghetti over cream cheese mixture. Pour meat sauce over spaghetti and sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs. Preheat oven to 350. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

 

[Pam Leavy]

That sounds really nice!

Pam

 

[Barbara L]

Yum! This sounds really good.

Barbara

 

[Darkstream]

How long does it take to butter the breadcrumbs?

Seems like a lot of effort to me.

 

[abjcooking]

To make butter bread crumbs you just toss plain bread crumbs into some melted butter until the butter is absorbed (example 5ml butter melted, 50 ml bread crumbs), it only takes seconds to do this.

Really all you are doing in this recipe is making spaghetti sauce with meat and adding a cheese layer. If you want to cut back on the work you could try using a pre-made spaghetti sauce (Ragu) and then just cook the noodles and make the cheese layer. That should only take about 20 minutes to assemble.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

How long does it take to butter the breadcrumbs?

Seems like a lot of effort to me.

When I butter breadcrumbs, I use a tiny knife, about the size of a jewlers screwdriver. I pick up each crumb with tweezers, and once buttered, toss the breadcrumb into a seperate bowl. This way I don't get the unbuttered mixed up with the buttered. These are especially good for the wieight conscious. You use up more energy buttering and spreading jam, jelly, or whatever on the bread crumbs than you get eating them. Oh, and trying to make a grilled cheese sandwhich out of them, or a reubin, now that's a chore. They are alsof very dificult to get onto a fondue fork for dipping into melted cheese sauce.

Personally, I'd rather use whole peices of bread.

Yeh, I know, There's gotta be one in every crowd.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Haggis]

Where's the Jack Daniels? I was jipped!!!

Most definitely looks like a winter warmer.

 

[abjcooking]

For this recipe you put it into your glass Even better!!!

 

[Darkstream]

Yeah, I thought so.

I think I will leave the breadcrumbs out. Or fry them when I can afford to.

And I prefer Jim Beam anyhow.

Seasons greetings to all!

Regards,

 

[Michael in FtW]

Know where your thinking was headed Goodweed - I was thinking along the same lines.