Sloppy Spaghetti Casserole

8oz (1/2 of a 1 pound box) thin (or regular) spaghetti (I prefer Barilla brand)
3 Tbsp melted margarine (or butter, if you prefer)
1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese (I prefer to grate my own Romano)
5 eggs (3 beaten for spaghetti crust and 2 for cornbread)
2 boxes Jiffy cornbread mix
2/3 cup milk (I used soy milk for Moriah)
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 lbs ground round - browned and drained
2 - 15.5oz cans Manwich sauce (or 1 family size can)
    (or 1- 15.5 oz can Manwich
      1 regular can of Italian diced tomatoes
      1-6oz can tomato paste
      1/4-1/2 cup water (until it looks like sloppy joes)
      1-2 Tbsp more balsamic vinegar)
2-3 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar
2-3 cups frozen corn

Cook spaghetti according to package directions, drain and mix immediately with grated cheese, melted margarine, and three beaten eggs.  Press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 ceramic or glass baking dish that has been sprayed with a cooking spray.  Mix ground round, Manwich, and balsamic vinegar in a large skillet or sauce pan until heated through lightly (not necessarily hot).  Meanwhile layer frozen corn on top of spaghetti crust.  Spread meat mixture on top of corn.  Mix cornbread mix, two remaining eggs, milk, sugar, and oil in a bowl (I do a quick mix with a wire whip).  Spread cornbread on top of meat mixture.  Bake uncovered for 45-60 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 

This time it took 55 minutes in a stoneware baker, but I think my stove runs a little on the cool side.  It is definitely cooler than my mom's oven.  A standard brownie mix for a 9x13 pan calls for 28-30 minutes.  It takes exactly 30 minutes in my oven.  They burned royally in the same pan in 30 minutes in my Mom's oven.  Lainey learned the hard way that all ovens do not bake the same.

The family loved this the first time I made it.  It was a little different.  I used too much spaghetti (the whole box) and I forgot the eggs in the spaghetti crust, so it did not set up right.  (In my defense, I had not made a spaghetti crust in many years, since traditional spaghetti pie contains a lot of cheese.  Moriah cannot have cow's milk cheese because of her allergy - the Romano that I buy is made from sheep's milk.  This time I looked up the proportions in a recipe book from the church where I grew up.)  Also, I only had one can of Manwich, so I used one can of Italian diced tomatoes, one small can of tomato paste, some more balsamic vinegar and about a quarter to half cup of water instead of the second can of Manwich.  This time I decided to try two cans of Manwich instead of all that other stuff.  I still used the balsamic vinegar, because it adds a wonderful tangy flavor.  Either way it is delicious.  I think the diced tomatoes added something though.  By the way, I never actually measure the balsamic vinegar.  I just add until it seems right.  Sorry.  I also use the cheap WalMart brand (Great Value) aged balsamic vinegar.  It tastes good to me and is very affordable.

Feeling Better

Things have been either very busy or I just have not felt up to writing for a while.  I guess both are true. 

This past week Mike went on his first business trip in about ten years.  The last time he was away, it was to interview for a job in Atlanta in the summer of 2000.  I take that back.  He did spend two weeks working here in Huntsville before we were able to join him in July of 2005.  I guess that counts too.  I have to admit that I am grateful that he does not have a "traveling" job in general.  Many of my friends have husbands who must travel a great deal.  It is not fun being a "single" parent for anyone, so I have to admire those who must do it often. 

I came down with some sort of virus on Saturday before he left.  I assumed I would feel better after a couple of days, but that did not happen.  It was actually a good thing that we got "snowed in" on Monday and Tuesday.  I really did not feel well enough to venture out to take Lainey to all of her activities.  Finally on Wednesday I dropped the girls off with a dear friend whose children had to be at the same places and I went to the doctor.  He gave me two prescriptions and some samples.  Finally this afternoon I am feeling much better (Thank you, Z-Pack!).  Until now, it was all I could do just to get through school with the girls.  Mike is due home in a half an hour, so I guess it is good timing.  :-)

Tomorrow is going to be hectic.  I have to be at a missions program with the girls at 8:15am.  We will be working/attending until 2:00pm, only to then hightail it to Kid's Market to work for another three hours.  Kid's Market is a biannual consignment sale.  Lainey, Mike and I work 28 hours combined during the sale, so that Lainey and I can shop the worker's sale.  The full time workers get to shop first, so we get the best deals.  It has saved me hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in the past four years on children's clothing enabling my children to actually have something decent to wear on most days.  Without it, I am not sure how I could have clothed them at all.  I guarantee those hundreds (or thousands) of dollars were not available for my use.  All I can say about tomorrow is, it is a good thing that I am feeling better.

I have been wanting to post a new recipe on here since I made it up a few weeks ago, but every time I have thought of it, I have just not had the energy to do it.  I am going to make the recipe again for supper to try to perfect it.  If it works, I hope to post it.  We are calling it Sloppy Spaghetti Casserole.  I might even take a photo.  For now though, I have to brown some ground round.  :-)