Johnny Marzetti

I admit it. I was a little leery of this dish. Johnny who? But, the hubby was insistent. Johnny Marzetti is a food from his childhood. Macaroni and ground beef. It sounded like Hotdish to me. I've also heard it called Goulash. Or Hash. Or American Chop Suey. I had to do a little research. Apparently, Johnny really did exist. You've heard of  Marzetti salad dressings, no? Well, before the salad dressings, back in the 1920's, there was a restaurant in Columbus, Ohio. The owner created this casserole and named it after his brother, Johnny.

A little more research revealed that there are many ways to make Johnny Marzetti. Some use tomato sauce; some, tomato soup. Some use macaroni; some, egg noodles. In the Panama Canal Zone, it's spelled Johnny Mazetti, and it been a popular dish since WWII...but they add green olives to their recipe. With all of these variations, I figured I could get away with just about anything....

Johnny Marzetti (my way)
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bag veggie crumbles (or 1 pound lean ground beef)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
1 can (14.5) diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 pound rigatoni, cooked al dente

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.; grease a 2 quart casserole dish.

Heat olive oil in a medium sized heavy saucepan. Add garlic, onions and green pepper and saute until softened, about 5 minutes (if using ground beef, omit the olive oil and brown the meat, with the onions and green peppers; drain).Add the veggie crumbles and cook until heated. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and seasonings. Cook until heated through. Mix in the rigatoni.

Place half of the pasta mixture in the casserole dish. Top with half of the shredded cheese. Repeat the layers. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.

As you can see, I used the Basil, Garlic and Oregano flavored tomatoes for the sauce, this time around. Feel free to experiment and try the other flavors. I'll bet using the spicy green chile version would be good, too.

Don't be shy with the cheese...pile it on!

Doesn't look vegetarian, does it? To be honest, I can't tell the difference between the ground beef and the veggie crumbles....

In the end, the hubby loved my version. He said it tasted just like he remembered it. For me, it was successful, because it didn't taste like I remembered it. :D How do you make yours? And just what do you call it?

Ultimate Tuna Casserole...Hot Dish at its finest.

Here's just a quick post for a quick recipe. I live in the land of 10,000 casseroles lakes, and it is beautiful. Winter can be harsh, however, so when the weather starts to cool, Minnesota starts to smell like comfort food. Casseroles are called "Hot Dish" here. Trying to spiff them up by adding truffle oil and calling it "Haute Dish" doesn't really work for me. It is what it is....simple, comforting food. The varieties are endless, but most of these hot dishes are filled with carbs, a bit of protein, and a creamy sauce to bind it all together. And they are always topped with something good and crunchy....crushed potato chips (Old Dutch, please), buttered bread crumbs, Tater Tots, and (my favorite) canned French-fried onions.

This recipe came from my sister. For years, I wouldn't even try it. Tuna Casserole? It sounds like school cafeteria food. I was the fool, however, for this is truly a hot, bubbling, dish of comfort food...and it's topped with lots of crunchy canned French-fried onions. Yum.

Ultimate Tuna Casserole
Printable Recipe

• 1 (7 oz) package macaroni, cooked per package directions
• 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 (7.06 oz) pouch albacore tuna in water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 (9 oz) package creamed spinach, or 1 (12 0z) package spinach soufflé, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups french-fried onions

Preheat oven to 350 ° F.

Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In large bowl, combine macaroni, soup, sour cream, tuna and milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon half of macaroni mixture into casserole dish. Spread with creamed spinach, and then top with remaining macaroni.

Cover and bake for 55 minutes or until casserole is bubbling.

Take from oven, remove cover, and top with French-fried onions. Bake for an additional 5 minutes.

If I don't have a package of creamed spinach, I make my own. Remember to set aside extra onions--if you reheat any leftovers, put some fresh onions on the top.

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