Pizza Spaghetti Casserole (Oamc)

kittycatmom's Note:

We love this casserole. I make 2. One to freeze and one to eat right away! This will become your kids favorite meal hands down! Pepperoni Pizza and Spaghetti in one dish? What could be better!!! Note: To avoid the "greasy" pizza look use turkey pepperoni.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 12 ounces uncooked spaghetti
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (1 lb) package mild ground turkey or 1 (1 lb) package pork sausage
• 2 ounces turkey pepperoni, cut in half (about 30)
• 1 (26 ounce) jar tomato-and-basil pasta sauce (use more if you like)
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded italian three-cheese blend (another cup won't hurt!)
• 1 (6 1/2 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, and stems drained (optional)
• sliced green olives (optional)
• black olives (optional)
• onion, green peppers (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook spaghetti with 1/2 teaspoons salt according to package directions. Drain well, and place in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
2. Brown sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. (If you are adding onions and or green peppers cook them along with the sausage) Drain and set aside. Wipe skillet clean. Add pepperoni, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or until slightly crisp.
3. Top spaghetti in baking dish with sausage; pour pasta sauce over sausage (add any additional veggies etc at this time as well.) Arrange half of pepperoni slices evenly over pasta sauce. Sprinkle evenly with cheeses. Arrange remaining half of pepperoni slices evenly over cheese. Cover with nonstick or lightly greased aluminum foil.
4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes; remove foil, and bake 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted and just begins to brown.
5. For OAMC: Freeze the unbaked casserole up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator; let stand 30 minutes at room temperature, and bake as directed.

Reviews

[Ceezie]

This was pretty tasty. We don't eat alot of pizza so the kids were happy with dinner tonight. I did sub a few things; homemade pizza sauce, whole wheat spaghetti noodles and mozzarella cheese on top. We also used the ground turkey but think next time I will use sausage to give it more of a pizza flare.

[Griffin_1012]

We enjoyed this greatly! It makes at ton as written. I just did not get that much of a pizza taste. Mabe the next time I make it, and I will make it again, I will try using pizza sauce in place of the speghetti sauce. BOTH of my boys ate two sevings each, can't beat that!! Thank you for sharing

[Nif]

Fabulous! We really enjoyed this but there must be enough for 8! My DH and DS's cleared their plates in no time and I have to admit that I ate mine pretty quickly too because it is so good! I used smaller turkey pepperoni (about 4 ounces), red and yellow peppers, onions and the canned mushrooms. I was afraid that the pasta would get soggy, but it didn't at all. Made for Kittencal's Recipe Tag. Thanks kitty! :)