TY's Baked Spaghetti

It's getting late, and I have to work tomorrow, so I probably should be sleeping. But no.  I'm sitting here posting pictures of spaghetti on the internet, because we all know the internet hasn't seen nearly enough spaghetti pictures.

But this is some pretty good spaghetti.

Probably the last of the Trisha Yearwood recipes I'll be doing for a while, since I have to take her book back to the library.  She definitely has some good looking stuff in that "Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood" edition.  Can't wait to check out the other one.

Anyway, we all enjoyed this, and I think it would be great for a potluck.  Her recipe calls for a little can of sliced olives, but I hate them so I left them out.  And I was a little skeeved out by pouring cream of mushroom soup right on top of the whole thing, but it's good.  Trust me.  

6 slices bacon
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped bell pepper
3 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes with liquid
1-2 tbsp dried oregano to taste
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
12 oz thin spaghetti, cooked and drained
2 cups grated cheddar
1 10oz can cream of mushroom
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

In large skillet, cook the bacon until slightly crisp, then cut into smaller pieces. Remove bacon and saute the garlic, onion, bell pepper until tender.
Add tomatoes, oregano, bacon and cooked beef.
Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Place half the spaghetti in the prepared pan. To with half the veg-beef mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheddar.
Repeat layers. Mix the canned soup and water until smooth and pour over the casserole. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes.
 

Chicken Picatta

Okay, enough of the sad...on with the food!

I tried another incarnation of chicken picatta I found at The Novice Chef, and thought it was lovely. I added a little white wine to the sauce and served it over a bed of buttery linguine.

And what's this bacon covered monstrosity we have here?

It's a Mashed Potato Casserole with Smoked Gouda and Bacon. I found the recipe in a copy of "bon appetit" I lifted absconded borrowed from work.

I have to say I liked it so much I'm even thinking of making it for Christmas dinner.

Ingredients:

6 slices thick cut smoked bacon (cooked and chopped)

3 large green onions, finely chopped

3 pounds russet potatoes (cut into cubes and boiled like you would for mashed potatoes)

3/4 cup sour cream

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

2 cups coarsely grated smoked Gouda, divided

Directions:

Butter 13x9 inch baking dish.

Add green onions to chopped bacon and mix together.

Add sour cream, milk, and butter to potatoes (while they are still warm). Using potato masher, mash until almost smooth. Stir in 1 1/2 cups Gouda and 1 cup bacon mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Gouda over top.

Bake at 375 about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with reserved bacon mixture and serve.