Kathie's Spaghetti Casserole

From Kathie

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 12  ounces spaghetti, cooked and broken into 2-inch pieces
• 1  egg, beaten
• 1⁄3 cup parmesan cheese
• 2  tablespoons butter or 2  tablespoons margarine, melted
• 12  ounces tomato paste
• 1 1⁄2 cups water
• 1  tablespoon oregano, dried
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 24  ounces cottage cheese (nonfat is fine)
• 3 3⁄4 cups ground beef, cooked
• 8  ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Assembly Directions:.
2. Cook spaghetti till slightly underdone. Drain and place in 9x13 inch pan or two 8-inch pie dishes. Add melted butter/margarine, egg and Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly and then spread evenly in bottom of pan or dishes. Layer cottage cheese on top of spaghetti.
3. Combine tomato paste, water, oregano, garlic powder, and sugar in bowl. Add cooked ground beef. Layer tomato and beef mixture onto cottage cheese. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
4. Freezing and Cooking Directions:.
5. To freeze: Wrap casserole in freezer paper or put pan into 2-gallon freezer bag. Label and freeze.
6. To serve: Thaw casserole dish. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
7. Frozen casserole may be baked for 55-60 minutes at 350 degrees.
8. Comments:.
9. If you don’t want to tie up your dishes you can also line your pan with sprayed heavy-duty plastic wrap. Assemble the casserole and open freeze. Pop the block out of the pan and finish wrapping in plastic wrap.
10. Put into freezer bag, label and freeze.
11. To serve: Unwrap frozen block and put back into casserole dish to thaw in refrigerator. Bake following directions above.
12. *1 lb. uncooked ground beef = 2 1/2 cups cooked beef.