Baked Spaghetti

Well after a very indulgent weekend and actually last few weeks we will be watching our diet very carefully this week and amping up the workouts! (I'm going to be dying tomorrow I am sure!) So that means I won't be trying a whole lot of new recipes to share with you or being all that creative this week. We will eat eggs for breakfast for the next several days, salad or leftover dinner for lunch, and lean meat and vegetables for dinner. I know. BORING! Right? This is the key to maintaining weight loss however so every once in a while we have to do this. If we don't we will end up right back at square one and it is a heck of a lot easier to pull in the reigns for a few days then go back!

I did however make some baked spaghetti a couple weeks ago and have been meaning to share that recipe with you. I got this recipe from the church cookbook. It is Darcy Dimler's recipe and I cleaned it up a bit. We don't eat pasta very often so this really feels like comfort food and the kids LOVE it! I figured you might want to try this while it is still technically winter before the early spring arrives. (I am choosing to ignore the groundhog and believe it IS coming early! I can't wait to get back to running outside on a regular basis!)

Start by browning one pound of ground turkey or ground chicken breast. Season this with salt and pepper and a little garlic powder or use garlic salt instead of regular salt.

Add one large jar (24-28 oz.) of low sugar spaghetti sauce. 

While that is cooking get your pasta started. Of course we use whole wheat pasta but angel hair is particularly good in this recipe. You need 8 oz.

In a bowl you will need to mix the following ingredients:

The original recipe calls for 1 cup of sour cream. I use 1/2 cup Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup light sour cream to clean it up and add a bit more nutrition.

One egg or use an egg substitute to cut calories even further.

And some cheese!!!! The recipe calls for 3 cups of mozzarella but I can't bring myself to use that much and it tastes great with less. I also like to mix mozzarella and Parmesan. Instead of the three cups I usually just grab a couple handfuls because I am such a precise cook. He he!

Drain the spaghetti and rinse it with warm water. Then pour your mixture over the spaghetti and mix thoroughly.

Press that into a 9 x 13 greased baking dish.

Pour the sauce mixture over that and top with a little more cheese. This actually looks like more cheese then it really was. I like to just cover the top but not have it be too thick. I am saving calories and there is already cheese mixed in the pasta part so there is no need to overdue the cheese. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. I have to turn my oven up to 325 degrees because it is old and naughty so adjust accordingly. Let it sit a little so it can set up before you slice into it.

Serve it with something green of course!

Mmmmm......I wish I was eating this tonight!

Now I must get on with preparing that boring dinner. Just kidding. I do love vegetables so it isn't really that much of a bummer!

BAKED SPAGHETTI

1 lb. ground turkey

Pepper and garlic salt to taste

1 (24-28oz) jar low sugar spaghetti sauce

8 oz. angel hair whole wheat pasta

1 egg or egg substitute equivalent

½ cup light sour cream

½ cup Greek yogurt

8 oz. mozzarella cheese (approximate)

¼ - ½ cup Parmesan cheese

Brown turkey and drain. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Prepare angel hair pasta according to package directions. Rinse with warm water and place back in pot. Add sour cream, egg, and 1 handful of mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Put the pasta mixture in the bottom of a greased 9 X 13 pan. Pour the meat sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle the top with more of the mozzarella and the rest of the Parmesan to cover. Bake 30 minutes at 300- 325 or until cheese is golden.  (Go easy on the cheese. You may not need it all.)