Kim's Spaghetti Pie

The first freezer meal seminar I ever attended was given at my church and the instructor was a gal named Kim Rapier. Kim is a mom. She doesn't claim to be a cook, and yet, she was teaching the class. Several years later, I can honestly say that that class was a huge turning point for me in freezer meal preparation. Kim made the idea of cooking in advance a very easy process. Don't ask me why I had never, until that day, conscidered doing freezer meals. I'm maybe not as smart as I pretend to be...but don't tell anyone. Thanks to Kim I in turn was able to make a freezer full of meals when my second son was born...and didn't panic. So, thank you Kim. I love you. Really. Not just because of the freezer meals, but it was a much needed lesson. This is Kim's recipe for a casserole called Spaghetti Pie. She gave it out at that pivotal class, and my family has enjoyed it quite often. I'd never heard of it before that day and when I tried it, I was pleased with the result.
It's made with "regular food" that most everyone has. Middle of the road. Not at all gourmet, but still, very comforting home cooking. Most people eat that way, am I right?

Kim's Spaghetti Pie

6 oz dry spaghetti noodles
2 T butter (melted)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp all purpose Italian Seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 lb ground beef (we use garbanzo beans or veggie meat)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tsp oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup cottage cheese (I use ricotta)
1/2 cup cheese of your choice, shredded

Directions: Cook spaghetti noodles as directed on package (I slightly undercooked them by 2 minutes). Drain. Rinse until cooled. Stir in the butter, Parmesan cheese and eggs into the cooked noodles along with the Italian seasoning and a dash of salt and pepper.

Butter a 9 inch pie plate (non aluminum if you have one). In a skillet cook ground beef, onions and garlic until meat is cooked through. Meat is optional by the way. I don't use it, but my husband has been know to eat a hamburger now and then. Stir in the tomatoes, oregano and any other Italian herbs you desire. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove sauce from the heat. Place the noodle mixture in the bottom of the pie pan and press up the sides of the pie plate as you would a pie crust. Leave a crevasse in the middle. Spread the cottage cheese or ricotta cheese of your choice over the noodle mixture.

Top with tomato and meat mixture. Sprinkle grated cheese over all.

Cover and freeze. I like to cover mine with plastic and then foil so that the foil doesn't have any chance of coming in contact with the tomato sauce. Just as a general rule, you don't want foil and acid to touch. It's like the wicked witch of the West and water...don't do it. "Oh my beautiful hideousness"...yeah. Nasty stuff.

When ready to bake, defrost 24 hours in the fridge or microwave. Bake covered for 25 minutes 35o degrees. Remove foil and bake for 5 more minutes until cheese is lightly browned.

There you go.