Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti with Marinara Meat Sauce

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti with Marinara Meat Sauce

Cook's Notes: Cream cheese and spaghetti, wow! decadent comfort food that may just be your family's new favorite meal. Cream cheese is a bit of a game changer over standard ricotta cheese. Adding sauteed peppers, onions, carrots and a seasoning gives your recipe that extra boost of flavor. Taste test and 1 extra teaspoon of Italian seasoning could be added if needed. Make sure the cream cheese is softened and cubed before adding to noodles.  

Cook time 30 minutes, prep time 15 minutes and serves 6 to 8 people.

Recipe adapted from justapinch.com and thanks Cathy for sharing the recipe with Ever Ready.
Ingredients

• 12 oz. spaghetti noodles
• 1- 28 oz jar prepared spaghetti or Marinara sauce
• 1 can (14.5) fire roasted tomatoes with basil, garlic, oregano or petite tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano 
• 1 lb. ground beef, lean or 1 lb. Italian sausage 
• 1/2 cup each diced green peppers, onions and carrots
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

• Brown the ground beef or sausage with green peppers, onions, carrots, garlic and seasonings in a large fry pan. Drain meat mixtures. Wipe pan clean and return meat mixture to fry pan. Stir in Marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce with canned petite tomatoes. Mix well on low heat.
• Cook spaghetti noodles al dente according to directions on box, drain. Add cubed cream cheese while noodles are hot and mix thoroughly.
• In a pyrex 9 x 13 baking dish spray lightly with PAM and spread a small amount of meat  mixture on bottom. 
• Add noodles and rest of meat mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered 30 minutes until bubbly.