Cheesy Spaghetti Bake

I realized this recipe looked pretty disgusting as I was taking the pictures, but it tastes great and can feed a bunch of people. It is from a 2005 Taste of Home magazine.


Cheesy Spaghetti Bake

1/2 lb. uncooked spaghetti, broken into 3-inch pieces
2 lbs. ground beef or turkey (I only used about 1 pound)
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped (optional)
2 c. milk
2 cans condensed tomato soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup (or celery)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cook spaghetti for less than the package says, because it will cook again later. Drain and place in a greased 13 x 9 pan. In a huge pan or pot, brown the beef with the onion and green pepper (if you are using). I also added two cloves of garlic and some Worcestershire sauce. Drain the beef when it is done and add back to the pan. Add the milk, soups and one cup of the cheese. Bring to a boil. Spoon over the spaghetti and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until slightly browned.

Mixing everything in the pot until it comes to a boil.

Just dump the spaghetti into the dish. I used Ronzoni Healthy Harvest spaghetti that I had uncovered during my recent pantry cleaning. Combined with the Healthy Request soups and low-fat cheese, I felt like I was doing something right!

As you pour the mixture over the spaghetti, it will look really soupy. That's okay- the spaghetti will absorb most of it. (That's why you didn't cook it all the way!)

I was expecting everyone to like this, which is silly of me. My one-year old son ate so much of it I thought he might get sick. He ate all of his, and as I stepped out of the room, he climbed into his sister's chair and ate all of hers too. (As if she would eat it! HA!) Husband and I liked it too, which is good, because there are tons of leftovers.