Spaghetti Pie

I have been a follower of the blog, Warm Pie, Happy Home for almost a year now and simply loved it! She's such a great homemaker who's from the west (like me) who now resides in the Midwest (again like me!). Recently she gave her her blog a makeover, changing it to Sugar Pie Farmhouse. It's the absolute cutest country website ever!

Since my hubs will be home for dinner every night this week (normally he's traveling for work), I decided to make something he'd like. I found this recipe on Sugar Pie Farmhouse's Home Cookin' section...It does not disappoint. It's soo comforting, especially on a cold Nebraska day.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 pound extra lean ground beef (I doubled)
  
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage, 4 links (sweet or hot) casings removed (I didn't use this)
  
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I add two more pinches to give it a kick!)
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 2 cups water
• 8 ounces spaghetti, broken into 3 inch pieces (I used half of a 16 ounce package–Thin spaghetti–not Angel Hair– but you can use regular )
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Saute green onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil, on medium heat 5 minutes.
2. Add beef and sausage, brown over medium-hi heat.
3. While almost brown, add garlic, pepper flakes, oregano, and parsley.
4. Once browned, stir in crushed tomatoes, water and salt.
5. Add broken spaghetti. Push spaghetti into liquid, and cover for 8 minutes.
6. After 8 minutes, stir pasta so the noodles won’t stick together. Reduce heat to medium low simmer for 6 more minutes until pasta is al dente (almost cooked but still a little firm).
7. Add basil, Parmesan cheese, and cream, stir well.
8. Sprinkle top with mozzarella cheese, put in oven to broil until spotty brown. (stand there and keep watch or set a timer for 3 minutes at a time until it’s ready, or else you may end up with Blackened Hillbilly Spaghetti Pie!)