S'ghetti in the oven

Baked Spaghetti

Made: June 27, 2011

I love spaghetti and wanted to try something new. While flipping through a cookbook I saw something with olives on top. I can't pass up the olives!

Ingredients

- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped green pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (4 oz) mushroom stems & pieces, drained
- 1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced black olives; drained
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 pound cooked ground beef
- 12 oz spaghetti; cooked & drained
- 2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup; undiluted
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

(Cook spaghetti & ground beef)
- In a large skillet, saute onion & green pepper in better until tender.
- Add tomatoes, mushrooms, olives & oregano.
- Add ground beef; simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Place half of the spaghetti in a greased 13x9x2in baking dish.
- Top with half of the vegetable mixture.
- Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheddar cheese.
- Repeat layers (spaghetti, veggies, cheese)
- Mix the soup and water until smooth; pour over casserole.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

Garnished with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese

I didn't have enough oregano, so I used some Ms Dash seasoning. I think it turned out really good. :D It was really cheesy and the spaghetti was nice and soft; not over or under cooked. :) I should've added a touch more sugar on the tomatoes; but overall I was quite pleased with the dish. :)

It was harder to make in one dish though; I made Granny a portion with only ground beef, tomatoes & cheese with the spaghetti. So it looked a little odd while cooking. But I think it turned out great. :D

(Recipe used: Taste of Home)

Pasta & Beans & Tomatoes ... Oh My!

Penne Pasta with Beans & Tomatoes

Made: June 17, 2011

Ingredients:

- 4 oz fresh green beans
- 4 oz penne pasta (1-2 cups)
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-4 ripe Roma tomatoes; chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
- Salt & Pepper

Directions:

- Wash beans. Remove ends and strings.
- Cut beans into 1-inch pieces
- Cook beans and pasta in lightly salted boiling water for 14 minutes (or until pasta is tender)
- Drain beans and pasta; set aside.
- Cook onion in oil in a medium saucepan for 2-3 minutes or until onion is tender.
- Add the tomatoes and wine to the saucepan. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
- Toss in the beans,pasta and Parmesan cheese.
- Serve immediately. Sprinkle with extra cheese if needed

I think this turned out pretty yummy. :) I shredded fresh Parmesan cheese from a wedge and I think the extra sprinkle afterward gave it a good flavor profile. I also sprinkled the onion with garlic salt and garlic powder as I roasted them in the oil. It smelled good! :) Enjoy!

(Recipe from: Shine! @ Yahoo!)

Just the perfect bite

Brownie Bites

Made: June 7, 2011

I wanted to try something new ... so I opted for bite sized brownies instead of squares.

Ingredients

- Your favorite brownie mix or recipe
- Mini cupcake/muffin baking pan
- Cooking spray/grease for the pan

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Prepare your batter as you normally would
- Make sure the pan is nicely sprayed so they won't stick to the bottom of the holes
- Put enough batter in to fill each of the molds 1/2 way
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a knife comes out clean

:D I made these for Ms Marge's birthday this past week and she seemed to enjoy them! 1-2 bites where the outside is flaky and the inside is gooey. :) Perfect!