Creamy Crock Pot Spaghetti

Pasta + a crock pot = YUM! Two of my favorite things and it was delicious. I found this recipe and just knew I had to try it out. I did it a bit different then the recipe and it was delicious. So here goes!

Ingredients:
1 26 oz jar Spaghetti Sauce (I used Ragu)
1/2 lb angel hair pasta
1/2 ground beef
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 oz. cream cheese

Directions:
Brown the ground beef and drain fat
Pour half the jar of spaghetti sauce into the bottom of the crock pot
Place uncooked pasta noodles on top of the sauce, break the noodles so that they fit
Pour ground beef over the pasta
Sprinkle 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
Cut cream cheese into cubes and place on top
Cover with the last half of the jar of spaghetti sauce
Cover and cook on high for 3 hours
After 3 hours, stir it, it will be thick. Mine I thought was delicious and needed nothing more added but if you found it to be too dry then you could pour more sauce on it.

This is the recipe, there were additional steps and ingredients to add that I did not do because I thought it tasted fine after doing this. The link to the recipe I adapted this from is below. The only problem I encountered were that some of the noodles stuck together. I am not sure what would have prevented this? Maybe cooking it longer on low rather than on high or maybe being home to stir it? But since this is a crock pot meal I don’t want to have to do anything to it during the day. But it made a lot and for the two of us there were plenty of delicious noodles that hadn’t stuck together. Does anyone have any thoughts on how to prevent the noodles from sticking together?

This was a yummy, easy meal and the cream cheese really added something creamy and yummy to regular old spaghetti. And in the crock pot, win win! I hope you all enjoy this meal!

Adapted from: Picky Palate

Quick and Delicious Chicken Spaghetti

This is a recipe I had posted a link to before but wanted to share with you all how I make it. It is so easy and delicious. I can come home from work and easily prepare it and have a fast and delicious dinner.

Ingredients:
-8 oz. angel hair pasta
-Canned chicken-I just used one small can, it’s really how much chicken you prefer in your casserole
-1 can cream of chicken soup
-1 can cream of mushroom soup
-1 can (10 oz) Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained (I use mild but this can be whatever you prefer)
-16 oz. sour cream- the recipe I got this from calls for 8, I like mine extra creamy so I use 16.
-Sprinkling of Parmesan or Mexican Blend Cheese (I use the Great Value, Fiesta Blend Cheese)

Directions:
Boil Pasta and drain
Mix into pasta all other ingredients, except the cheese
Place in a 9×13 casserole dish
Cover with foil and bake on 350 for 30 minutes or until warm and bubbly
Remove from oven, uncover, sprinkle with cheese and return to oven to melt cheese

Serves 4
Is also great leftover!

And then it is ready. It is so delicious and so easy!

Adapted from: The Boomer Brief

Easy Spaghetti Casserole

This is a really easy recipe I have in my recipe book from my mom. Its pretty straight forward and it’s delicious.

Ingredients

1 lb. cooked spaghetti
16 oz. Sour Cream
16 oz. Spaghetti Sauce with our without meat
Garlic salt to taste
Chives to taste
1 cup Cheddar Cheese

Directions

In a 9×13 buttered pan, place cooked spaghetti.
Sprinkle spices, then layer sour cream, then sauce, then cheese.
Warm on 350 until cheese melts and casserole is warm.

It’s just a delicious, easy casserole for a little bit of a different twist on spaghetti. I used more than the called for 16 oz. of spaghetti sauce because I like mine to be more saucy. But you can pretty much do that however you like it. We had green beans and applesauce with ours and then it makes plenty so the second night we had corn and applesauce with it!

I hope you all enjoy it. We have some exciting changes coming to the blog over the weekend so stay tuned!!

 

Down Syndrome- My sister the superstar!

Well yesterday was World Down Syndrome Day and I didn’t get this post done. I was really trying to decide what I would write. My baby sister was born with down syndrome. I say baby sister but she is 18 years old now, 18, oh my gosh. She is way too grown up. I was 8 years old when she was born and I had no idea what it meant when they said she had down syndrome. It didn’t really matter to me I was just excited to have a new baby sister and play mother.

For those of you who don’t know (and I will admit I looked this up to make sure I got the technical details right) down syndrome is when a child is born with 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. This causes both physical and mental delays. Each child can have a varying degree of different problems associated with down syndrome. My sister was born with a heart defect and had to have open heart surgery at 6 months.

I once did a speech, in college, educating people on down syndrome. I really wish I had kept it because I remember it being pretty interesting. I do remember talking about little idiosyncrasies that children with down syndrome have. My sister is terrified of indoor house plants. She won’t go near them.

My little sister is the joy of our family. She keeps us all together because she’s always begging us to come home and visit. Then we arrive, she says hello and goes off to do a “show” meaning she sings in her room with a microphone, very loudly. She loves to watch TV, something that we have in common. She loves to swim, we are going to the beach next week and I bet you she will be in that water even though it will only be about 72 degrees at the most outside. She has a wonderful group of friends who are a hoot to watch together. She loves spaghetti and french fries. She can easily convince any one of us to buy her a burger and fries just with an adorable look. She is always smiling and happy. She can always tell if I am upset and is always concerned about everyone.

If you’ve never known anyone with down syndrome then you are missing out, they are sweet, kind and loving. Sure they may be different than us, but that is what makes them so wonderful. So remember that next time you see someone with down syndrome who is bagging your groceries or clearing your table and give them the same smile back that I am sure they will be giving you.

Give me some more, Spaghetti Amore!

 

I FINALLY remembered to take a picture of this meal. I set an alarm in my phone and everything. This is one of my favorite casseroles and it is a comfort food for me because I got this recipe from my mom. It is delicious and easy. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion (Once again I always leave out onion)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can tomato soup
1 can water
1 minced garlic clove (or garlic powder)
1/2 lb. spaghetti

Directions:
Brown beef and onion
Add soup, water, garlic- heat
Blend in 1/2 cup of cheese and cooked, drained spaghetti
Pour into 3 quart casserole dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese
Bake at 350, uncovered for about 30 minutes or until bubbly
Serves 4-6
Can be frozen and reheated

I love this recipe as does my husband and my family and in my nanny experience I have found it to be kid-friendly. I hope you enjoy and let me know if you do 🙂