Recipe Review #1

Periodically I will be testing new budget friendly recipes and then posting the results.  We are not foodies in our house, but if it is something that we end up really liking than I'm happy to send the recipe on to other families to try.  This recipe came to me from the Jul/Aug 2005 edition of Taste of Home magazine.  I altered the recipe a bit based on our tastes and the size of our family.

Baked Spaghetti Casserole (Serves 12)   

1 1/2 pounds of angel hair pasta, cooked and drained
1 pound ground beef
1/2 onion chopped
1 1/2 jars of traditional spaghetti sauce
2 eggs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
3 tbsp butter melted
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese (small curd)
8 oz mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet, cook the beef with the onion until the beef is brown and the onion is tender.  Add the spaghetti sauce.  In a large bowl, beat the eggs, Parmesan, and butter.  Add the cooked spaghetti and mix until it is well coated in egg mixture.  Pour half of the pasta into a greased 9 x 13 casserole dish.  Spread the 3/4 of a cup of cottage cheese on the spaghetti, spread 1/2 of the meat sauce over the cottage cheese and then sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella over the sauce.  Repeat the layer.  Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes uncovered, take the foil off and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  

Here's how it added up...

Meat $2.69 (73% lean, browned and drained well)
Sauce $1.49
Cottage Cheese $1.77
Mozzarella $1.99
Parmesan $0.59
Eggs $0.28 ( I got my eggs last week at Save-a-Lot for $1.49 a dozen)
Spaghetti $1.49

This works out to be $0.86 per serving!  

My kids LOVED this recipe, all four (including my picky one) ate two helpings!

This recipe will definitely be going on our meal plan regularly.