I will never forget the first Christmas my husband and I spent together. We had been dating for about 4 months by the time Christmas Eve rolled around, and after eating a glutinous meal and exchanging our first gifts as a couple, we crawled into bed with a bottle of wine and a bag of chips, and watched a Deadliest Catch marathon on the Discovery Channel for 6 straight hours.
Have you ever heard of the Deadliest Catch?
It’s a reality TV show that follows a bunch of different fishing vessels on the Bering Sea during different crab fishing seasons – king crab, opilio crab, and bairdi crab – and for whatever reason, we found it completely riveting that night.
And we still do.
In fact, we own 10 seasons on DVD and have spent more nights than I care to admit glued to our TV as we watch in a state of awe, excitement, and fear as our favorite crew members battle fatigue and dangerous conditions to meet their quotas and deadlines.
For a long time, I was kind of embarrassed about this guilty pleasure of ours and kept our DVD sets hidden under our bed so none of our friends would see them whenever we had them over, but after a crazy good episode a couple of years ago, I asked my Facebook fans if anyone else watched the show, and I was SHOCKED at how many other couples like to get their crab on during Hibernation Season like we do.
Now, I know what you’re thinking.
What on earth does the Deadliest Catch have to do with my Pizza Casserole recipe?
I’ll tell you…
One of my favorite parts of the show is watching the crew scarf down 2,000+ calorie meals in the middle of hauling gear. They can go anywhere from 24-48 hours without sleep, and since their job is extremely physical and taxing on the body, they often consume an entire day’s worth of food in one sitting.
Which always makes us hungry.
So when my husband called to tell me he was having a bad day at work last Friday, I decided to surprise him by buying Season 11 of the Deadliest Catch on iTunes and making my famous Pizza Casserole recipe so we could spend the evening being glutinous pigs on our couch before he headed off to Montreal for a 5-day business trip.
It was heavenly.
And thanks to the wonderful folks at ConAgra Foods, who make the most delicious ready-to-use tomato sauce, it took next to no time to prepare.
In fact, I was able to throw the ingredients together while my daughter was happily munching on her Friday night dinner of scrambled eggs and toaster waffles (don’t you dare judge me!), throw it in the oven, and greet my husband with the most amazing smelling (and tasting!) dinner we’ve shared as a couple in a long time.
And since I know I’m not the only gal out there who enjoys binge-watching TV during Hibernation Season, either as a couple or with a group of my rowdiest friends, today I’m teaming up with ConAgra Foods to share my famous Pizza Casserole recipe with you.
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- 1 lb (450 g) hot Italian sausage
- 1 lb (450 g) mozzarella cheese, grated
- 1 lb (450 g) Swiss cheese, grated
- 1 large pepperoni, sliced
- 1 cans mushrooms or 1 lb (450 g) fresh
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cups Hunt's tomato sauce
- 1 lb (450 g) spaghetti
- Brown ground beef, sausage, and pepperoni
- Sautee mushrooms and onion in a separate saucepan
- Cook the spaghetti as per package instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large casserole dish
- Add half of the spaghetti followed by half of the tomato sauce, half of the meat mixture, half of the mushroom and onion mixture, half of the mozzarella cheese, and half of the Swiss cheese
- Repeat the process until all of the ingredients are used
- Cook uncovered in 350F oven for one hour
ConAgra Foods products can be found in 99 percent of American households, and include many iconic brands such as Hunt’s, Hebrew National, Swiss Miss, Manwich, PAM Cooking Spray and many more. Whether on their own or as part of a delicious recipe, ConAgra Foods brands are perfect for nearly any eating or entertaining occasion, and this recipe will NOT disappoint!
Don’t forget to visit Hunt’s via their website, and make sure you follow Hunt’s on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest where they share all kinds of great recipes!
I am part of the ConAgra Foods campaign with Mom It Forward Blogger Network and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
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