Baked Spasanga

Ok, there are a few things you should know about this recipe. First...it's A-W-E-S-O-M-E. Seriously...really, really good. It's my favorite part of lasagna (the cheese filling), just with spaghetti. It's super creamy and cheesy.

Second...it makes a LOT. This is one hearty, hefty-ass dinner. I made this for 3 adults, including my step-dad who's the size of a lumberjack and eats three times what a normal human being eats, and we still  had leftovers. I'm posting the recipe exactly how I found it and how I made it. If you make this following the recipe, this will easily feed 6 adults...I'd say even 8.

Third...if you are making this for a small family, say 3-4 people (especially if a couple of those people are children), I HIGHLY suggest cutting the recipe in half and making this in an 8x8 dish.

Please note that there are NO errors in the ingredients. Yes...32 oz of shredded Mozzarella cheese is correct, as is 24 oz of spaghetti. Feel free to use less if you're uncomfortable with that amount, but as I said, I made it exactly as stated below and it was amazing. We all loved it.

Trust me though, when I say use a large bowl to mix the filling together, I do mean a LARGE bowl! This recipe was a great find, and I will absolutely be making it again. I can't wait for Heath and Jesse to try it!

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'Baked Spasanga'

Source: Adapted from Plain Chicken

Ingredients

spaghetti (24 oz)

shredded mozzarella cheese (32 oz)

8 oz ricotta cheese

8 oz sour cream

1 1/4 cups half-and-half

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 jar spaghetti sauce (24 oz)

1 lb ground beef

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, drain.

2. In LARGE bowl, stir together sour cream, ricotta, half-and-half, mozzarella, oregano, basil, pepper, garlic, salt, and half the Parmesan cheese. Add spaghetti and toss until well coated.

3. Pour spaghetti mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. Top spaghetti with remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover dish and bake 30 minutes.

4. While pasta is baking, prepare meat sauce. Brown ground beef in large skillet. Drain. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer.

5. Remove pasta from oven. Cut into squares and top with meat sauce.

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