Wednesday, February 24, 2010

My "Famous" 3-Cheese Spaghetti

Back in the day, my mom used to make a 3-Cheese spaghetti that Alison Joyce and I would die over. When I first started cooking in my post-college days, that was the first dish I had to try on my own! All of my mom's best recipes are the ones she knows by heart - a pinch of this, a pour of that - so it was up to me to come up with an actual recipe. Over the past couple of years, this spaghetti has become something I'm famous for among friends and family. When I called Wes to tell him I was making my spaghetti tonight, he responded with "You must really love me!"...so here it is! I hope you enjoy!
Posted with love by Allison Y.

Ingredients: 1 lb. angel hair spaghetti noodles, 1 T extra virgin olive oil, 1 cup chopped onions, 2 - 3 cloves garlic (chopped), 1 lb. ground beef (or turkey if you prefer), 1 medium-sized jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce,
1 - 4.5 oz. jar sliced mushrooms (drained), 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 1 cup crumbled feta cheese, 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Saute chopped onions and garlic over medium heat until tender (approx. 3 - 5 minutes). Add ground beef and cook until there is no pink left in the meat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Pour the jar of spaghetti sauce over the meat. Add mushrooms and stir until fully combined. Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta to package directions. Drain pasta and dump it into a large casserole dish.
4. Toss the cheddar cheese in with the noodles.

5. Sprinkle the feta cheese over the top.
6. Pour spaghetti sauce/meat mixture over top of the noodles. Use a fork or spoon to make sure the sauce seeps throughout the noodles.
7. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese to cover the top of the dish.
8. Place the casserole dish into an unheated oven. Turn the temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts.


*The sauce can be changed to meet your tastes. If you don't like mushrooms, don't use them. If you like a chunkier sauce, add peppers to the onions and garlic. You might also want to try using hot Italian sausage rather than ground turkey or beef. I've used the hot sausage before, and it is really good. Just be sure your group can handle spicy. And - don't be afraid to use a lot of cheese - it's the best part!

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