Million Dollar Spaghetti: Creamy Baked Pasta in 65 Minutes

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease your 9x13 inch deep dish pan with a bit of butter. <small>Note: This prevents the pasta from sticking to the corners.</small>
2. Boil a large pot of heavily salted water. Cook the 16 oz of spaghetti for exactly two minutes less than the box says for al dente. <strong>Wait until the water is a rolling boil</strong> before adding the noodles.
3. While the pasta cooks, brown the 1.5 lbs of ground beef with the diced onion and minced garlic in a skillet over medium high heat. <strong>Cook until the meat is caramelized</strong> and the onions are see through.
4. Drain every bit of excess grease from the skillet. <small>Note: Leaving the grease is the number one cause of a heavy or oily casserole.</small>
5. Pour in the 28 oz of marinara, 1 tsp oregano, and 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes. Let this simmer on low to marry the flavors.
6. In a medium bowl, beat the 8 oz softened cream cheese, 1 cup sour cream, 0.25 cup parsley, and 0.5 tsp sea salt. <strong>Mix until it looks like a thick, smooth frosting</strong>.
7. Drain the spaghetti and immediately toss it with the 4 tbsp of melted butter until every strand is shiny.
8. Spread half of the buttered spaghetti into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spread the 'Million Dollar' cream mixture evenly over the pasta.
9. Layer the remaining spaghetti over the cream layer, then top with the meat sauce. Finish with an even layer of shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan.
10. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and has developed a deep mahogany crust. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing to ensure the layers set.