Baked Spaghetti

By sjhelling

This dish meets all the requirements for the perfect potluck take-along. It's a crowd pleaser, it's big enough to feed a crowd--and it's easy to transport.

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper
• 3 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes with liquid
• 1 2.25-oz can sliced ripe olives, drained
• 1-2 tbls dried oregano, according to taste
• 1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
• 12 ozs thin spaghetti, cooked and drained
• 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese (5 oz)
• 1 10-oz can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13x2 baking dish.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until slightly crisp, then cut into smaller pieces. Remove the bacon and saute the garlic, onion, and bell pepper in the bacon drippings until tender. Add the tomatoes, olives, oregano, bacon, and the cooked beef. Simmer this mixture, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Place half of the spaghetti in the prepared pan. Top the spaghetti with half of the vegetable-beef mixture. Sprinkle this layer with one cup of cheddar cheese. Repeat the layers. Mix the canned soup and water until smooth, and pour over the casserole. Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

**You can also substitute Italian sausage for the hamburger and mozzarella cheese for the cheddar.