Before we get to know each other more, I would first like to introduce myself. My name is Lindsay Mackert and I am a junior at Pacific Lutheran University. My passions in life is books and food so it is only appropriate I help with this book club. My contribution to this book club will be unique because you the reader will be right along with me as I learn more about cooking and to speak plainly how to cook in general. I am a novice to say the least and am thrilled to embark on this book club with you.

Being a college student I would like cooking to be quick, simple, and inexpensive. That is why I wanted to start my first blog post sharing the easiest and best recipe I have ever made....Pizza Spaghetti. It may seem weird at first, but prepare yourself to be pleasantly surprised. I got the recipe from AllRecipes.com:

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes
1 (8 ounce) package spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
4 ounces pepperoni sausage, sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and cool.
Beat egg in large bowl, add milk, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, salt and garlic salt. Stir in cooked spaghetti, mix well.
Spread mixture evenly in greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Spread sauce over spaghetti. Sprinkle with oregano, basil and the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Top with pepperoni, return to oven and bake for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

I liked the idea of it being a casserole, spaghetti, and pizza all rolled into one! It was also one of those recipes that called for stuff I already had in my kitchen so it made for a stress free experience. A few things I would add is don't worry about the noodles in the oven for 15 minutes I was worried about them burning, but they didn't. If I could do it over again I would add a bit more milk to keep the noodles more moist. Also you can never have enough cheese or pepperoni!

I started Garlic and Sapphires last night so I will have more on that later! I hope to see you at the book club February 24th at 6:30pm.