Layered Spaghetti Casserole

This Layered Spaghetti Casserole is good on so many levels! Here's why:

1. It's a great use for leftovers of spaghetti sauce (like Grandma's Famous Spaghetti Sauce).

2. It's great for meal planning at least once a month, which is so important for working parents trying to live within their means but still provide meaningful meals.

3. It can be cooked with or without meat...aka cheaper and healthier.

4. It can be prepared in advance and frozen.

5. It's so easy Grandpa could put it together and feel mighty proud of himself. 

6. It's absolutely delicious and even your picky eaters will love it.

It's all about meal strategy, planning and coordination. Sounds very scientific, doesn't it? Really it's not rocket science. Just good common sense.

This casserole is delicious with a salad of greens and some great bread or rolls or better yet, how about those Parmesan Breadsticks?

Layered Spaghetti Casserole

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb natural, lean ground beef, optional
2 cups good spaghetti sauce (like Grandma's)
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small can mushrooms
Italian seasoning
Parsley
¾ pound Spaghetti noodles
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 375F.  Begin heating the water to cook spaghetti.

Grease a deep baking dish and sprinkle 1/3 cup of the Parmesan cheese on the bottom. 

Meanwhile, cook onion in olive oil until translucent then add in minced garlic and mushrooms.  Add in ground beef, if desired, and cook until no longer pink, then drain off any grease. Stir in sauce and simmer.   Add spaghetti noodles to boiling water and cook until almost done (don't over boil because the spaghetti will cook further in the oven). Drain off all water then begin layering as follows:

½ of spaghetti noodles on top of Parmesan cheese already in casserole dish.
½ of the sauce mixture over the spaghetti noodles (don't mix in)
Sprinkle on Italian seasoning and parsley
1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese
 
Other ½ of spaghetti  noodles
Other ½ of sauce mixture
Sprinkle more Italian seasoning and parsley

Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese on the top and cook 25 minutes in 375F oven or until cheese on top is melted.