Spaghetti Casserole

Once in a while I come to my blog to look for a recipe-imagine my surprise when I could not find this one!  Truly one of the favorite when my boys were teenagers.  

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground sausage (Italian is especially good-you may have to buy the links and remove the casings)
1/2-1 onion, diced
1/2-1 pound fresh sliced mushrooms (optional)
1 pound bacon, cut in small pieces
1-2 cans of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 16 oz pkg spaghetti
1-1.5 pounds grated cheddar cheese
Parmesan cheese

Brown ground beef and sausage in a skillet with diced onion and mushrooms (if desired).  Drain off excess grease.  Brown bacon in skillet to desired crispiness (you may cook the bacon with the beef and sausage if you like it soft-I prefer mine crispy).  Add spaghetti sauce-I like mine pretty moist, so I tend to add more sauce, but if you like a drier spaghetti, start with 1 can.  

Cook noodles to desired consistency.  Layer 1/2 noodles; top with sauce and meat; sprinkle with cheese.  Repeat layers.  Top with Parmesan cheese if desired.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and melted.  NOTE: You can also add cheese to the meat sauce before layering for more cheesy goodness.  There is something about the combination of flavors that makes this divine.  I grew up eating “baked” spaghetti and prefer it over the noodles with sauce spooned over the top variety.  LOVE that this can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen.  Babysitters used to love me for leaving this for dinner.  🙂