Spaghetti Pie

It's still plenty cold in Michigan in March for comfort food to be really appealing. The day I made this spaghetti pie, it was especially blustery and unpleasant, so we were happy to have a good bellywarmer! I added a bagged Caesar salad and garlic bread from the freezer. I've learned the trick to frozen garlic bread is not to bake it quite as long as they instruct. Of course, it's just as easy to get a beautiful loaf of bread at the bakery and serve it with an olive oil dipping sauce. But with something as Middle America as this dish, frozen Texas toast seemed appropriate.

Spaghetti Pie

1 1/2 lb. ground beef (I used 90% lean), browned & drained

1 onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (14-16 oz.) diced tomatoes

6 oz. can tomato paste

1 tsp. basil

Salt & pepper, to taste

8 oz. spaghetti, cooked

1/4 c. butter, melted

1/3 c. grated parmesan

2 eggs, beaten

1 c. cottage cheese (low fat is fine)

1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella (low fat is fine)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sauté onion, celery, and garlic with meat until they are tender. Add tomatoes & tomato paste, as well as seasonings. Cover & simmer 20 minutes. Mix spaghetti with melted butter, parmesan, & eggs. Grease a 10" pie plate and press spaghetti mixture into it, across bottom and up sides, like a pie crust. Add sauce, then cheeses. Place on a baking sheet and bake 45 minutes. Serves 6.