The One Where I Can’t Think of A Witty or Funny Title

Thank y’all so much for the sweet comments about the funk I’ve been in recently.  Looking for a job is quite hard on one’s soul I must say, and even though a few of you are in the same boat you still sent encouraging words.  That means so much and shows you is kind, you is smart and you is important.    And that I have the best readers ever. 

It’s going to be a handmade Christmas this year and Pinterest has become my new, very best friend.  In addition to all the wonderful gift ideas I’ve discovered, there are recipes galore on the Interwebs.  And some of those recipes will fall into one of two categories:   “What in the Hell were those people thinking when they decided to create this dish?” or “Where in the Hell has this dish been all my life?”  Tonight’s supper fell into the second category. 

I love love love a dish that uses, or can be adapted to use, what’s already in my icebox or pantry.  Tonight I found a recipe on Pinterest called “Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti”…um, yes please. 

Here are the four (yep only FOUR!) ingredients that I used to make this amazeballs dish:

• 1 – 26 or 28 oz jar spaghetti sauce, your choice
• 1 – 8 oz block of cream cheese
• 1 lb box of spaghetti
• 1 lb of ground meat.  I had turkey so I used that

The recipe also called for garlic and Italian seasonings.  I didn’t have Italian seasonings so I used dried basil.  I also like my spaghetti sauce more on the spicy side rather that sweet,  so I always add dried red peppers.  I also sautéed some chopped onions and minced garlic I had in the icebox but forgot to add that to the photo.  Oops.  

Begin by bringing a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil to cook the spaghetti while you prepare the sauce.  I cook my pasta in water that is salted enough to taste like sea water.  Now your dish won’t need a lot of additional salt because the pasta will bring enough to the party if cooked this way.

Next, add enough oil to a pan to cover the bottom and then sauté the onions and garlic in the oil.  Once the onions were translucent, I then browned the ground turkey with the onion/garlic mixture.  There is so little fat in the turkey that even with the added olive oil, you won’t have to drain the meat/onion mixture.  I added some red pepper flakes, dried basil, black pepper and a little of Miss Paula’s House Seasoning.  Once the meat is browned, add the jar of spaghetti sauce and let simmer until the spaghetti is done. 

When the pasta is cooked to package directions and done, drain and then put in a large bowl.  Add the cream cheese, some more dried basil and red pepper flakes.  Mix well until the spaghetti is thoroughly coated with the cream cheese/spice mixture.

Spread some of the meat sauce mixture in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.  Place the spaghetti on top of the sauce, then cover with the remaining sauce.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven until bubbly. 

I just remembered – the recipe called for covering the top with Parmesan cheese but I didn’t have any.  Some parm or mozzarella would make it even better, but it was pretty delish without.  Here’s the Printable Recipe. 

And it was as good in my tummy as it was on the plate.

You’ll be in and out of the kitchen in about 45 minutes.  The prep time is about 15 minutes and then it bakes for 20 minutes. Use the other 10 to make a green salad or some garlic bread.  This will definitely be a dish I’ll make and experiment with over and over again.  I’m already thinking about the next time I have left-over rotisserie chicken.  And mushrooms.  Or olives and roasted red peppers.  Or Italian sausage.  Hmmm…

I almost forgot - make sure to go vote for one of my fellow Southern Girl Gang members, Candance.  She was nominated in a contest for one of the Top Southern Mom Blogs.  I think her campaign slogan is the same as LBJ’s back in the day – vote and vote often.  Well, at least once a day.  The contest ends December 20th. 

Now, I’m off to enjoy another dish of this awesome spaghetti.  And possibly a glass of wine.