Southern style baked spaghetti

Name: Southern style baked spaghetti
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: En
Ingredients: 2 cans whole tomatoes; 2 cloves garlic; 1 tablespoon herbs de provence ( oregano, rosemary, tyme, savory and marjoram); 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1 bay leaf; 1 can tomato paste; 1 teaspoon sugar; 2 lbs. lean ground beef; 1/2 sweet onion, diced; 1 bell pepper, diced; 1/2 teaspoon dried basil; 1 teaspoon vanilla protein powder (optional); salt and pepper to taste; 1 pkg. angel hair pasta noodles OR Spaghetti noodles; 1 cup olives, black or green, diced (optional); 4 ounces cream cheese; 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

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Main Dish

Very Easy

50 min

Preparation

Preparation15 min

Cook time35 min

For the Sauce:
In a food processor, blend tomatoes and next five ingredients. Transfer mixture to a saucepan and add bay leaf, tomato paste and sugar.
Cook over med-low heat, reducing heat to low once it starts to boil. Cover and allow to simmer while you prepare meat and noodles.
For the Beef:
Heat skillet of med-high heat and brown meat, adding basil, protein powder, salt and pepper (to season meat).
Drain. Return skillet to stovetop and saute onions and bell pepper sans meat. Add meat to veggie mixture. Set aside.
For the noodles:
Cook them, al dente!
For the Whole Shabang:
Put cream cheese into sauce and mix until melted; add meat and olives. Add noodles to meat and sauce mixture.
Pour into a casserole dish, 9x13, that has been sprayed with cooking spray or olive oil spray.Make sure to remove bay leaf! Add shredded cheese to top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15- 20 minutes.