OK Denise. . . You started this. . . Your Friday Feast recipe falls into the category of "comfort foods." Those great dishes that you love to eat on a cold winter night, or when you've had a really shitty day. You know. . . Mac & Cheese, PB&J, fried chicken. . . . Everyone is different when it comes to comfort foods.
My personal favorite is my first offering to the "Friday Feast." I grew up on this tasty little number and I still fix it about twice a month. The best part? . . . The leftovers (if there are any) are just as good as the original. . . With that. . .
"Mom's Spaghetti Casserole"
Ingredients: (adjust quantities as you like)
8 oz. uncooked thin spaghetti (plus 1 tsp. olive oil)
4 strips of bacon, partially trimmed
1/2 cup diced onion
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. grated Romano cheese
1 can Campbell's Tomato Soup
1/2 tsp. crushed garlic
1/2 tsp. Oregano
Black pepper to taste (I LOVE pepper)
2% milk (amount will vary)
Preheat oven to 350* F
Boil pasta and olive oil in salted water until pasta is flexible but still tough when you bite it (about 7 minutes). Drain and set aside.
Cut bacon into 1 inch chunks and render over medium heat to remove excess fat. Do not brown. Drain most of the fat, add diced onion and simmer for about 3 minutes until onions soften slightly.
Place pasta in a deep 2 qt. caserole dish. Add bacon & onion, tomato soup, cheese, herbs, pepper and garlic. Toss to blend ingredients and then add milk until mixture is very soupy (a bit too much is better than too little).
Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until top starts to brown slightly. Sprinkle top with a little more Romano and serve with a salad and garlic toast or just plain old bread and butter.
Kids love this, since it's slightly sweet. . . And what kid doesn't love bacon????
Enjoy!!!
Next Week: Lauren's killer bean soup!
