Pinterest is inundated with recipes that are touted as “Million Dollar.” I tried one for Million Dollar Spaghetti, which was simply spaghetti noodles covered in a cream cheese mixture, then covered with meat sauce and cheese. Research did not turn up the reason that this casserole is called “Million Dollar” – is it because it takes a million dollars to make? (no, actually it’s cheap), or did it win a million dollar prize in a recipe contest?, or does it have a million dollar taste? We may never know. There are dozens, even hundreds of variations of this yummy pasta casserole on the web, and it’s a winner, since it makes a huge casserole that can serve a crowd or be made into smaller dishes for smaller families and frozen.

My version includes meat sauce flavored with hot Italian sausage, since the spices in the sausage flavor the bottled spaghetti sauce. Most versions call for ground beef, which is a bit bland. You can substitute whatever you like – ground turkey, ground chicken, etc. to make it your own and so that it includes your family’s preferences. Easy Million Dollar Spaghetti is my slightly different version and calls for jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce, which certainly speeds up preparation. You can add things to the sauce like mushrooms, peppers, onions – whatever you like. The key is the cream cheese mixture in the middle of the pasta dish, and it makes a creamy base for the meat sauce.
16 Servings

1 pound hot Italian Sausages, (can use half ground beef or chicken or mild Italian sausage
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 26 oz. jars spaghetti sauce

1 pound spaghetti
Boiling salted water

3 tablespoons butter

1 8 oz. package softened cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup cottage cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Spray a 9" x 13" glass baking dish with non-stick spray (or 2-4 smaller dishes for freezing).
3. Brown the sausage in a large skillet, breaking up the chunks, until it is cooked through; remove the sausage from the skillet and drain.
4. Pour most of the sausage grease from the skillet and add the onion and garlic; cook until the onion begins to soften, scraping the bottom.
5. Add the sausage back into the skillet along with both jars of spaghetti sauce, reserving 1/2 cup of the sauce.
6. Stir until the sauce is boiling, then turn down to a simmer and let cook 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
7. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in the boiling salted water to al dente stage; drain well and place in a large bowl.
8. Stir in the butter and the reserved 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce; place half of the mixture in the prepared baking dish.
9. Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese until smooth; spread it over the noodles in the baking dish.
10. Place the remaining noodles over the mixture and pour the meat sauce over all.
11. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
12. Bake 35-45 minutes or until bubbly, and the cheese looks crispy.
13. Remove from the oven and let sit 10-15 minutes before serving.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 385 Calories from Fat 189
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 49% Protein 17% Carb. 34%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 21 g
Saturated Fat 10 g
Cholesterol 53 mg
Sodium 996 mg
Total Carbohydrate 33 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 16 g

Vitamin A 27% Vitamin C 21% Calcium 0% Iron 13%