Spaghetti Pie...what?

So, in my house, we have some sort of pasta at least once a week.  Mostly because I love it, but also because my son LOVES it.   Before anyone comments, "Pasta is not healthy" just let me say I try to make it so as best as I can.  When Trey was first starting to eat I loaded the sauce up with lots of veggies, such as zucchini, carrots, and eggplant.  He has figured out the carrots and will now pick those out, but they have been replaced with mushrooms.  But also, I buy the brand with chunky tomatoes in it and added veggies, so he really enjoys eating it.  Also, I either use a whole wheat pasta or enriched pasta so we aren't eating so many bad carbs.   If you still have a problem, sorry.

When I get spaghetti noodles, it never fails that I get too much.  The first time I ever cooked for my husband, Thomas, I made fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and got the one pound box...for two people. It broke my heart to throw so much of it away (we were in college and couldn't keep it).  I still buy too much.  However, Trey and I will eat it throughout the week, either for lunch one day or even for a quick dinner if I forget to lay something out or am too tired to cook a great meal (better than fast food, right?).  So we always have extra in the fridge at any given moment.

Well, last night I decided I wasn't cooking.  Well, I didn't feel like creating a perfectly wonderful from scratch meal.  Alright, I will admit, I didn't want to cook.  However, when I started to get hungry and then Trey started to ask what we are having, I decided old spaghetti or sandwiches just wasn't good enough for a weekend meal (I cook more creative things on the weekend).

I pulled out my recipe for spaghetti pie.  That's right, I have a recipe.  I have been holding on to it for a while now and decided that it was time to try it.  I had a ton of extra pasta left over and lots of eggs, main things required to make it, so I was going to make it. The trick was to try to get Trey to want to eat it.

Me-Trey, want to try something new tonight.

Trey-Like what?

Me-Like something called Spaghetti pie?

Trey-No, that's just gross.  I want regular spaghetti.

Me-I know, but I really want to try this with you and you can help me cook it.  Can we try it and see if we like it?

Trey-Alright.

So I go and cut up some more mushrooms and some sausage to add to it.  I know he will be more willing to eat it with sausage in it (the boy LOVES LOVES LOVES sausage).  So when I have it sauteed in the pan I call him in to help stir in the pasta.  He stirs it well, trying to make sure the noodles and sauce just get heated though before adding it to the pan to bake.  Now, here is where the story gets interesting.  So, I compared some spaghetti recipes on line to make sure I didn't forget to have something or to see if there was a better recipe, and one of those sites said she would use a spring pan the next time she cooked it so it would be easier to get out.  I have a spring pan, I thought I would try it.  I get it out, spray it while Trey stirs the spaghetti in the pan, and then we each pour the noodles in.  The recipe calls for 5 beaten eggs with some milk to pour over to set it.  Trey helps me pour it over the noodles and says, "That looks so good."

Trey stirring the mixture before we attempted to pour it.

And then the egg mixture oozes out of the bottom of my spring pan...and Trey says, "That's because you didn't have us aim mommy."  So I quickly pour the now rather disgusting looking mixture back in the pan, but not before my whole counter is covered in egg and is starting to drip down the counter on the cabinets and the floor.  Great.  I pop the pan in the oven to bake, put Trey in the living room to watch "Chopped" and then start to clean and bleach, thinking, "This sure better be worth the trouble."

The creation right out of the oven.

Thirty five minutes later with lots of checking on Trey's part, its set and ready to eat.  We take it out and cut it just like a pie.  We sit down to start eating it.

Trey-This looks so good.

Me-It sure does.

After a few bites, Trey-Mommy, I don't like this brown stuff (the bottom)

Me-Okay, its just where it cooked closest to the pan.  See if you can pick it off.

Trey-That stuff will make you fruity. (I do not know what he means by that but the boy said it!)

A little while later, after he picks the crunchy noddles of the top-Mommy, I don't like this crunchy stuff.  Its froggy.

Me-Okay, so you just like the inside. 

Trey-Yeah, except I don't like this stuff (as he pulls the egg mixture now baked away from the noodles)

Me-So what do you like about this pie Trey?

Trey-Just the noodles and sausage.

Trey trying his pie.

:/

So here is my verdict.  I thought it was rather good.  I loved the crunchy part on top the best (which should have made me froggy), but should have added some cheese to the top and maybe throughout (most of the recipes on line called for this, mine didn't however).  Very filling, but after we ate and let it sit on the stomach a while, it was really heavy.  Trey just likes the spaghetti part and really did just pick around the noodles and sausage.  So, we probably won't be making this anytime soon, even though Trey told me at the end, "That was delicioius."