a family favorite - million dollar spaghetti

Last fall, I came across this blog as well as this recipe.... Million Dollar Spaghetti has quickly become a family favorite.  I do things a little differently than she does and I also do mine in the crockpot to save some time during the crunch part of my day.  You can also do it in the oven.  This recipe is so good!  You have got to try it!  The creamy cheese mixture in the middle make this recipe extra yummy.

This best part of this meal is that I can make it early in the afternoon and it is ready when we get home from our activities.  If I have it on by 2pm, we can eat it anytime after 5pm. Talk about a time save.  We can walk right in from our activities and dinner is ready.


Million Dollar Spaghetti - Crockpot Style

Ingredients:
1lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 can/jar spaghetti sauce (whatever your favorite is)
Cream Cheese Mixture:
       5 oz Italian Herb Cooking Cream OR Philadelphia Cream Cheese
       1/4 cup sour cream
       8 oz cottage cheese
4 tbl butter
spaghetti noodles, cooked and rained

Directions:
1.  Brown your meat and cook your spaghetti.
2.  Add your spaghetti sauce to your meat and let it simmer for just a few minutes
3.  Mix up your cream cheese mixture (**money saving tip for future recipe below). 
4.  Now it is time to layer, so get out your crockpot
         -- put a couple of teaspoons of butter along the bottom of the crockpot
         -- layer half the spaghetti noodles on the bottom of the crockpot
         -- put a couple of teaspoons of butter on top of the spaghetti
         -- spread the cream cheese mixture over the noodles
         -- layer the rest of the spaghetti noodles over the cream cheese mixture
         -- put the rest of the butter on the spaghetti noodles
         -- top the spaghetti with all of the meat sauce
5. Turn the crockpot on low for 2-4 hours, whatever time you need
6.  Serve with some yummy crusty bread!

Money Saving Tip:
When combining your cream cheese mixture, dump the entire container of cream cheese, 1/2 cup of sour cream and 16oz container of cottage cheese in a bowl. Stir it all together.  When done, use half for your current recipe. Then put the leftover back in the cottage cheese container.  Mark it with "million dollar spaghetti" on top, put the container in a freezer bag, and store it in the freezer. Next time you make this recipe, set the cream cheese mixture out in the morning and it will be thawed by the time you need it!

Oven Cooking:
If you want to cook this in the oven, here are the other steps.
1.  preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Do all the layering above, but do it in a 13x9 pan instead of the crockpot.
3. Cook in the over for 40 minutes.

 spaghetti sauce & my frozen then thawed cheese mixture

Butter, Noodles, Cheese layers so that you can see

Top layer of noodles 

Complete with the meat sauce layer

I have some who like more of the cheese mixture, meat mixture 

and some who want a little of both!

the best roast

For years, I mean years, I have been trying to find the perfect roast recipe. My mom always made the best roast but mine never turned out like hers. I have gone through pounds and pounds of meat with no success. But I am no quitter.  I keep trying recipes and finally stumbled upon this one.  It's from Martha, of course.  I have made it numerous times and every time it tastes absolutely perfect.  I will even say it is better than mom's *gasp.*  I have started buying larger roasts so that we can have roast one night then roast sandwiches the next day.  It is that good.... and it's all done in the crock pot.  Below is my roast recipe then what to do with the leftovers....

What you will need:
1 crockpot
1 tbl corn starch
2 tbl cold water
3 tbl worcestershire sauce
Salt & Pepper
1 arm roast (around 3 pounds), I have used all different cuts of roast
2 cups carrots (I use the mini snack carrots)
1 onion (sliced... I use frozen chopped up onions)

Directions:
1.  In crock pot, stir together water and corn starch until smooth. 
2.  Add carrots and onions.
3.  Put roast on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Drizzle with Worcestershire sauce.
5. Cook on low for 10 hours (or on high for 6 hours)

Once you are ready to dish up your roast, you can use a fork and get pieces out of the crockpot.  Make sure and drizzle a little bit of the juice to drizzle on top.  Serve with mashed potatoes.  Such a great hearty meal.  Perfect for fall!


Roast Sandwiches

The next day for lunch or for dinner you can have roast sandwiches....  

1.  Take about 3/4 cup of the roast juice and put it in a saucepan.  Heat it up on low. 
2.  Add a couple of spoonfuls of flour. Whisk together while it is heating up.  Once it reaches the consistency I want for my gravy, I take it off the heat.  You can use more or less flour depending on how thick you like your gravy.  If you get too thick, add more roast juice.
3.  Heat up your roast in the microwave.
4. Once roast is heated, shred with a fork and then mix it with the gravy.  

Now, you can serve the roast mix on regular bread or a bun or whatever bread product you like. I serve it on the frozen yeast rolls I get from Sam's. These are the best rolls and I use them for everything! They only take 10 minutes in the oven and they are to die for!  

Pair your roast sandwich with chips or fries or leftover mashed potatoes.  Oh so good...