Spaghetti has always been a favorite family meal. My teenage daughter will eat leftover spaghetti for breakfast, lunch, and as a mid-afternoon snack. Not everyone loves spaghetti so much that they will go to that extreme, however, and the same meals can getting boring after awhile. Here are some ways to jazz up this old favorite:

Italian Sausage Spaghetti

• 2 lbs. Italian sausage

• 48 oz. spaghetti sauce

• 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

• Green pepper, sliced thin

• 1 lg. onion, sliced thin

• 1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese

• 1 tsp. parsley flakes

• 1 c. water

Place sausage in skillet and cover in water. Simmer 10 minutes; drain. Meanwhile, place remaining ingredients in crock pot. Add drained sausage and cover; cook on low 4 hours. Increase to high; cook 1 hour more. Cut sausage in bite-size slices and serve over cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with more Parmesan, if desired.

Irish Italian Spaghetti

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil

• 1 lb. ground beef

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1/4 tsp. pepper

• Dash of red pepper

• 1/2 tsp. chili powder

• 1/2 tsp. tabasco sauce

• 1 can cream of mushroom soup

• 1 can condensed tomato soup

• 1 (8 oz.) package spaghetti

• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Brown onion in oil. Add meat and seasonings. Brown lightly, cover. Simmer 10 minutes. Add soups, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Cook spaghetti. Cover with sauce and Parmesan cheese.

Baked Spaghetti

• 1 c. chopped onion

• 1 c. chopped green pepper

• 1 tbsp. butter or margarine

• 1 (28 oz.) can tomatoes with liquid, cut up

• 1 (4 oz.) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained

• 1 (2 1/4 oz.) can sliced ripe olives, drained

• 2 tsp. dried oregano

• 1 lb. hamburger, browned

• 12 oz. spaghetti,
  
  
  cooked and drained

• 2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

• 1 can cream of mushroom soup

• 1/4 c. water

• 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, saute onion and green pepper in butter until tender. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, and oregano. Add ground beef. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Place half of the spaghetti in a greased 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Top with half of the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with 1 c. cheddar cheese. Repeat layers. Mix soup and water until smooth; pour over casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Six to 8 servings.

Chicken Spaghetti Casserole

• 1/2 c. margarine

• 1 c. chopped red bell pepper

• 1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, chopped

• 1/4 c. chopped hot pepper rings

• 2 c. chicken broth

• 1/4 c. flour

• 2 c. cooked chicken, chopped

• 1 (4 oz.) can diced pimento

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1 oz. chopped slivered almonds

• 1/2 lb. spaghetti, broken

• 4 slices American cheese

Melt margarine and cook peppers and mushrooms until tender; add flour and blend well. Add chicken broth. Cook and stir until thickened. Add chicken, pimento, and seasonings; heat and add almonds.

Cook spaghetti in boiling water for about 9 minutes. Drain and mix with previous ingredients. Place in casserole dish and cover with slices of American cheese. Heat at 325 degrees until cheese is melted (approx. 30 to 45 minutes). Serve.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, organizing tips, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.