DAY # 18 Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti

Anyone with kids will tell you that Spaghetti is a staple in the family diet.  We are no exception.  Let's face it, kids LOVE spaghetti, at least most do anyways.  There's just something about slurping that long noodle into your mouth Lady and The Tramp style  :)

I had promised some of my kids little friends that we could have a sleep over while on Christmas break and the kids had received an "inside" camping set from my sister on Christmas morning (complete with a tent, sleeping bags, flashlights, jumbo marshmallows, and movies) that they were just dying to try out.  I bought all of the stuff to make spaghetti for the kids for dinner but got the extra stuff to try the Cream Cheese Spaghetti for the grown-ups  :)

The original recipe calls for a jar of sauce, but i just simply couldn't do it!  We have an AMAZING spaghetti recipe we use so i went with that instead.  Feel free to use it too, you won't be disappointed!

Here is the recipe...

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Bake:
8 oz uncooked Spaghetti
1 lb ground beef (i omitted this as my homemade sauce already had meat)
1 lrg can spaghetti sauce (My sauce recipe follows this one!)
1 tbs butter
1/2 chopped green bell pepper
1/2 chopped onion
8 oz Cream Cheese
2 tbs milk
grated Parmesan cheese
French Fried Onions

Directions:
Cook spaghetti according to package.  Brown meat and drain.  Add spaghetti sauce.  Combine butter, onions, and bell pepper in small glass bowl and microwave for 4 minutes or until soft (i sauteed them in a pan instead).  Add cream cheese and milk to onions and bell pepper, stir well.  In baking dish, assemble in the following order...meat sauce, spaghetti noodles, cream cheese/veggie mixture, rest of meat sauce, Parmesan cheese, french fried onions (during last 5 minutes).  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, add french fried onions to top and bake for 5 more minutes.

My Spaghetti Meat Sauce Recipe...

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 lb Hot Italian Sausage
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 sm. pk chopped fresh mushrooms
1 lrg onion chopped
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp minced garlic (LOL, i'm lazy and use the already minced store bought garlic in a jar)
1 1/2 tsp Season Salt
1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes   *don't drain!
4 bay leaves
2 cans Tomato Paste

Cook ground beef, Italian sausage, garlic, and onion in dutch oven or large skillet.  Add in Mushrooms and cook until soft.  Drain.  Add in ALL other ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove Bay Leaves before mixing in spaghetti noodles.  (I actually forgot to use the Bay Leaves one time and let me tell you, it makes a BIG difference!  Don't make the same mistake!)


Ok, so back to the Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti.  We didn't like it!  The cream cheese mixture was WAY to overpowering.  We ended up picking out the meat/sauce and noodles that didn't have cream cheese.  So disappointed!  I ruined a whole batch of spaghetti just to try this recipe.  Definitely won't make it again!

HERE is the link to the original pin.
HERE is the link to the original blog post / recipe.
HERE is where you will find the spaghetti sauce recipe that we adapted our recipe from.


???  Pinterest Win / Pinteres Fail  ???
FAIL!