Baked Spaghetti by
Vivianlea60
Ingredients
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 jars homemade spaghetti sauce, or 2 jars (26 oz each) Ragu or Prego spaghetti sauce
1 large onion, chopped
4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
2 to 3 tsp Lawry's garlic salt (to taste)
1/4 tsp dried oregano (optional)
1-1/2 lbs sharp Cheddar or Mozzarella cheese, sliced about 1/8" thick (you can also shred and sprinkle on top if desired)
10 to 12 oz spaghetti
2
lbs lean ground beef
Instructions
Brown meat and onions; drain grease. Add minced garlic, garlic salt, spaghetti sauce and oregano. (I add about 1/4 cup water to the sauce jar and shake it to get all of the sauce out.) Stir this into the meat mixture, mixing well. When it starts to boil, turn fire to low and simmer while you are heating water and cooking spaghetti. Stir sauce often as it will want to spatter.
Fill a large kettle or Dutch oven about halfway with water. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp oil; bring to a boil. Add 10 to 12 ounces of spaghetti to the water, breaking in thirds as you add it. Don't use more spaghetti than 12 ounces or it will be dry. Stir and boil for about 2 to 3 minutes LESS than the time on the cooking instructions for the spaghetti. You want to undercook spaghetti slightly as it will continue to cook in the oven.
Spray a small roasting pan (about 15" x 10" -- doesn't have to be exact) with Pam or other non-stick cooking spray. Pour cooked and drained spaghetti in pan; pour meat sauce over spaghetti and mix well. It should look like there is a generous amount of sauce. The spaghetti will soak up the sauce in baking, especially when warmed up the next day. Top with slices of Cheddar or Mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly