No matter what the weather, I’m a sucker for simplistic food and recipes. Don’t get me wrong, I love, love, love the French cookbooks I hoard and use them quite frequently (and those books have simplistic recipes too. )
This one here – Spaghetti Pie – is more of a home cooking, toss together, comfort food, kid friendly kinda meal. Nothing fancy but it’s hearty enough and pretty enough to grace the center of the table. Make sure a white table cloth isn’t under it if you are actually serving from the table. It’s good in any weather but it would be a heavy for hot summer days. Right now we are on the cusp.
Ground beef, ground turkey or a vegetarian textured vegetable protein (TVP) may be used to make this dish. The ground beef at Jones Country Meats I Climax Georgia can’t be beat for freshness and good quality so I use their beef.
Yuck, the color settings for this photo could have been better!
Spaghetti Pie
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) fat-free cottage cheese
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Directions
1. In a nonstick skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Now drain off fat. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt, garlic powder, sugar and pepper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the spaghetti, butter, egg whites and Parmesan cheese. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-in. deep-dish pie plate coated with cooking spray. Top with cottage cheese and beef mixture.
3. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and filling is heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.
I am sharing this with Beth Fish's Weekend Cooking Series.
Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.
I am so with you on fall! We're building a fire outside tonight -- it's JUST TIME! I love the sound of this easy dish; so perfect when you just want something delish and comforting.
ReplyDeleteYum! I'm ready for cold weather comfort food too!
ReplyDeleteMy kids would love this one!
ReplyDeleteMy grandkids would love this one, me too actually! And, bring on some cold weather for sure. At least as cold as it gets here.
ReplyDeleteYum! I'm a sucker for anything involving cheese and pasta and this looks fantastic! I know what you mean about cold weather foods. I'm ready for lasagna, roasts, meatloaf and soups! And sweaters and boots and scarves to wear when I'm eating it! Though my definition of cold weather is maybe 50!
ReplyDeleteI visited earlier, but guess I forgot to comment! It's still warm here in Mass. and I'm always late shifting seasons, so I'm not ready to give up the summer stuff yet. Corn on the cob, iced coffee, sitting on the porch in the mornings, reading in the backyard...I haven't had enough yet!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the nice comments, ladies! Appreciated :-)
ReplyDeleteIt's still too warm here, while I love some of the summery type foods, I am soooo ready for Fall and winter.
I'm so going to experiment with this - thanks! Cheers from Carole's Chatter!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds good. I'm all for a favourite that is simple yet tasty. I found a great 4 ingredient chicken recipe that we're having this week!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds good. I'm all for a favourite that is simple yet tasty. I found a great 4 ingredient chicken recipe that we're having this week!
ReplyDeleteLet me know how you adapt it, Carole.
ReplyDeleteMrs L, I would love to hear about your recipe. Please email or tweet or respond 😀
The weather this weekend is so fall-like and lovely but rest assured it will be back in the 80s next week. I'm so ready for cooler weather and comfort food, too, Tina.
ReplyDeleteDebra, you get some wickedly cold weather where you are! I am anxious for a fire in the yard and sitting around in sweaters. It won't be long. Bah to the hot temperatures now,
ReplyDeleteTina, I think I am going to melt soon! I would give a lot for some cooler weather. I did read that we will experience a cooler and wetter winter-it can be wetter as long as it is cooler (laugh).
ReplyDeleteI love a good spaghetti pie. I find food like this simple and darn near perfect. Its soulful. My problem? I would eat the whole thing!
Happy fall!
P.S. We will soon get ready for fall planting. My garden looks like hell right now.
Velva, I can't wait to see your planted garden. Our chard is thriving under the grow light & I waiting to put it in the ground.
DeleteThis makes me hungry! It looks so good. I am ready for fall too...and we, also, are on the cusp.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we will all be in our favorite sweaters soon, Debbie!
DeleteIt is still so hot here-however this sounds delicious.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Esme! I guess comfort foods aren't necessarily seasonal, right?
DeleteI have not made spaghetti pie in years! This brings back some memories. I love cold weather food, stews and pot roasts, etc. and cold weather clothes, chunky sweaters and boots.
ReplyDeleteYou will get it before I do, AGC! I hope you are feeling better today. I know you had a cold 😟
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