So it snowed last night. This sounds familiar. Does it sound familiar to you? Well, it should, since we had snow into May last Spring! Surprisingly, this isn’t the earliest it has ever snowed in this area. Crazy, I know. You don’t realize how extreme the weather is in Colorado, until you have lived here for a couple of years. I’m not kidding when I say that it was literally 90 degrees F three days ago. I try to explain to my family and friends that we hardly ever get precipitation, but here we are, and we’ve had terrifying floods and snow in early October. I’m actually kind of ready for snow. I can only take so much of the heat. Snow is just one the gajillion reasons I love living here, but anyway, let’s move along with the whole point. With snow, comes warm and comforting foods. Soups are a big one, but we’ve already done soup, so hearty casseroles are the next best thing. We love baked ziti around here. We equally love lasagna. Sometimes you just crave the stuff. More recently, we decided to make a spaghetti bake. It’s comforting and delicious and perfect for these cool temps.
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Do you guys ever use this tubed basil stuff?! We just started using it because my basil plant has been dead for months and I’m sick of paying 2.99 for 3 basil leaves. Seriously, I don’t understand how it can be so expensive. You literally can buy a plant for cheaper than that. ANYWAY, I decided to give the tubed stuff a try and I was pleasantly surprised at how EXACTLY the same it was! I think this will be my new go-to until next Spring when I can plant a new one.
This recipe is pretty self explanatory. It’s not really a recipe that I think I need to explain. It’s extremely easy to make and pretty inexpensive as well. I do suggest that you make it though. It feeds like 50 people, and in our case, we have leftovers for the next 2 weeks =).
As we were browsing the beer section of our liquor store, we came across something that I have yet to see in Colorado since we moved here: Speakeasy! Speakeasy is super solid. They come from the bay area and we are really excited that we can get their beers. I didn’t want to go too hardcore for this beer pairing, that’s why their Prohibition Ale is just perfect. It has warm notes, which helps with the cool weather and compliments tomato sauce very well. It’s a beautiful color and reminds of Fall in some ways. If you can get your hands on Speakeasy, I suggest giving it a go. You won’t be disappointed.
Have a great weekend everyone! I’m going to go back to cuddling up in a blanket and drinking cinnamon, hibiscus tea. =) Talk to you tomorrow!
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Perfect for those cool Fall days, Turkey Spaghetti Bake is warm, delicious and filling!
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound ground turkey
- salt
- pepper
- 24 ounces tomato sauce, canned
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 egg, beaten
- 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 9x13in baking dish. Set aside.
- Cook your spaghetti per manufacturer''s instructions for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Strain through a colander, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the ground turkey and a dash of salt and pepper. Break up the ground turkey with a wooden spoon as it heats up. Cook until cooked through, approximately 6-7 minutes.
- While your turkey is cooking, prepare you tomato sauce. In a large saucepan, add the canned tomato sauce, oregano, basil, marjoram, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and chili powder. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir the ingredients to combine. Heat over medium heat until the sauce is hot. Once hot, gently pour the tomato sauce into the saute pan with the turkey. Stir to combine, lower the heat to medium low and cook for 10-15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the parmesan cheese, butter and egg. Add the cooked spaghetti to the mixture and toss to evenly coat.
- Taking about half of the spaghetti mixture, place into your prepared baking dish. Spread to evenly distribute. Pour about half of the tomato sauce/turkey mixture on top of the spaghetti and top that with half of your slices of mozzarella. Repeat these steps once more, finishing with the sliced mozzarella. Cover the dish and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for an additional 12-15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and just starting to brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Hardware: * Cutting Board * Sharp Knife * Measuring Cups * Measuring Spoons * Stock Pot * Wooden Spoons * Colander * Large Saute Pan * 9x13in Baking Dish * Lid or Foil (cover for baking dish) * Large Saucepan * Large Bowl * Whisk *
