Cream Cheese Spaghetti Bake

The combination of beautiful weather and long days usually has seen me spending time outside well into the evening. Needless to say, my supper menu and meal preparation has suffers slightly with that combination of weather and light.

Whenever I am struggling with supper ideas, I go to the freezer, get out a package of ground beef, and while I defrost (in the microwave) it, I make a decision on what to fix for supper. Ground beef is so versatile. With ground beef you can make anything from burgers to soups and salads, and it is a pretty cost effective cut of beef. For more tips on ways to save on beef click here.

One of the ground beef meals I made this week was Cream Cheese Spaghetti Bake. It was quick, easy, and delicious!

Don’t forget the rules of food safety! Here is the short list:

1) Always, wash your hands before and after handling raw meat.
2) Never thaw meat on the counter, thaw in the refrigerator, microwave or cool water bath.
3) Always wash cutting boards and plates after having been in contact with raw meat.
4) Always cook to appropriate internal temperatures. Safe internal temperatures vary based on cut. Hamburger must reach a safe and savory 160 degrees, while steak is safe at 145 degrees.

Cream Cheese Spaghetti Bake

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour

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Ingredients

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• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• Salt and pepper
• 24 ounces pasta sauce
• 16 ounces spaghetti
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2–3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add peppers and onions, sauté until onions become transparent. Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. Add ground beef to skillet cook thoroughly. Drain meat, reduce heat, and return to skillet. Add peppers and onions back to skillet. Season mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Pour pasta sauce into skillet and stir until combined. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti to al dente. Drain pasta and add cream cheese, garlic, and oregano. Gently mix until all of the cream cheese is melted and spaghetti is coated.
5. Place spaghetti in an oven safe casserole dish, distribute evenly across the bottom. Spread meat sauce over spaghetti, top with mozzarella, cover and bake for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
6. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

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