When I think of spaghetti, I think of boring. This is not that kind of spaghetti. This spaghetti may change your life.

Instead of boring noodles with pasta sauce, this is more like a casserole, filled with veggies, meat, and cheesey goodness.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 lb ground beef (I used ground deer meat because we have a freezer full of it)
• 1 chopped bell pepper
• 1 chopped yellow onion
• 3-4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 box spaghetti noodles
• 1 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

(I usually add some chopped black olives as well, but I didn’t have any on hand.)

First, brown the ground meat in a large skillet.

While the meat is browning, boil the pasta and then drain and set aside.

After the meat is completely cooked, push it to one side of the skillet and add in the onion, bell pepper and garlic to the other side. (This is why you need a large size skillet.)

If there is not enough fat in skillet from the meat, you may have to add a little butter or olive oil to cook the veggies in. Season everything with salt and pepper.

Once the vegetables are tender, mix them together with the meat.

Now stir in the can of fire-roasted tomatoes. (And black olives, or any other veggies you’d like.)

Next, stir in the cheddar cheese, and cook just a minute or two, until cheese melts.

Now for the “baked” part of this spaghetti dish. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray. Layer half of the cooked noodles on bottom of baking dish.

Now layer half of the meat mixture on top of noodles, then repeat layers with the other half of noodles and meat mixture.

Mix the cream of mushroom soup with a couple of spoonfuls of water to thin it out a little, then spread on top of dish.

Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top evenly…

…then bake for about 20 minutes, until cheese is melted on top.

Even though there are vegetables in this dish, don’t worry – your kids will eat it because there is CHEESE!

Thanks y’all!

  – Nikki