Baked Spaghetti

A favorite comfort meal that can feed a lot. I will often double the recipe and put it in 3 of the foil baking pans that are a little smaller than 9x13 so that I can have 2 meals to give away and one for us.  I will also sometimes do this and freeze the other 2. This is a recipe that I think tastes better the second day anyway.

Baked Spaghetti

1 pint sour cream
1 pint cottage cheese
1 pkg. (8-oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pkg. (16 oz.) spaghetti, cooked
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1-2 bottles favorite spaghetti sauce (I add meat) or make the recipe below

Mix to blend sour cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese and Parmesan cheese.  Spread in the bottom of a deep baking dish or a 10x14 baking pan. Spread cooked spaghetti on top of cheese mixture.  Pour spaghetti sauce on top. Sprinkle with Mozzarella.  Cover loosely with foil.  Bake at 325* for about 40-50 minutes.

Spaghetti Sauce

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 sm white onion, minced
1 minced shallot
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red pepper and 1 small green pepper, finely chopped (optional)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
1 can (14 oz.) beef stock
1 can (16 oz.) stewed tomatoes
1 can (12 oz.) tomato paste
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1 cup red wine (I use extra beef stock)
Basil, tarragon, oregano to taste

1 small can chopped olives
2 tbsp. sugar

Heat olive oil and saute onion, shallot, garlic, mushrooms and peppers. Add ground beef, salt and pepper and brown.  Add beef stock and bring to boil then reduce heat.  Add the rest of the ingredients and heat through.

Tortellini Soup

     I'm visiting my sister this week and while she was working yesterday she had me make this soup for dinner.  It was good and full of vegetables.  We went out to her garden and harvested onions, carrots, potatoes (which weren't in the recipe but we wanted to use, peppers, squash and fresh basil -- Yum and so colorful. The recipe didn't call for salt and pepper but I think it is better with a little. The recipe is from the Ivory Family Favorites cookbook. You can make it without the sausage or just use 1/2 lb. and it is healthier and still tastes good

     Tortellini Soup
1 pound mild Italian sausage
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup water
2 (14 oz.) cans beef broth
1/2 cup white wine or apple juice
3 carrots, sliced
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup sliced zucchini (optional)
4 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
8 oz. cheese tortellini (refrigerated or frozen)
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

In large soup pan, brown sausage. Drain fat and add chopped onion and garlic, and cook until tender.  Add water, broth, wine or juice, carrots, tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, zucchini, parsley and green pepper.  Simmer for 30 minutes or longer.  Add tortellini 5-10 minutes before serving and cook until tender, but not soggy.  Garnish each serving with Parmesan cheese.