Delicious Baked Spaghetti

I baked this last weekend when the temperatures were frigid outside and the roads were too icy for me to leave my house. I was so pleased with how easy making a homemade sauce was not to mention how delicious it turned out. A homemade sauce was just what this recipe needed to elevate this dish. The kitchen smelled delightful while the sauce simmered and once my pasta had finished baking I had an ultimate comfort food meal.

Ingredients:

8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 lbs ground beef or 2 packages of vegetable crumbles
1 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 cups canned diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large diced onion
4 cups Mozzarella Cheese
2 small bay leaves

Directions:
1. In a stockpot, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, sugar, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves.

2. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat and let simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
3. In a skillet thoroughly cook your ground beef/vegetable crumbles. If using beef drain after cooking. Add to sauce and simmer for 20 more minutes.

4. Cook pasta according to the package directions.
5. Cover the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan with sauce. Add a layer of pasta and a layer of cheese. Repeat layers saving 1/2 cup of cheese, ending with the sauce.
6. Bake in a preheated 350 degree over for 30 minutes.
7. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese, return to the oven, and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and bubble.