CHEF ASARIAH STEPHENSON

MY CULINARY JOURNEY STARTED AT AGE 11 BACK IN JAMAICA. I BEGAN COOKING WITH MY FATHER AND HE LATER REALIZED THAT COOKING CAME TO ME NATURALLY, SO HE ALLOWED ME TO COOK FOR THE FAMILY ON SATURDAYS WHEN MY MOTHER WAS AWAY AT THE MARKET.

I migrated to Canada in 2012 and started attending Lethbridge College in 2020 to further my knowledge and love for cooking. Cooking is my passion – with just a few ingredients, I can transform the simplest of ingredients into something magical, leaving my clientele with a lasting dining experience.

Upgraded Baked Spaghetti Ingredients

1 16-ounce package spaghetti

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 32-ounce jar tomato sauce

½ tsp. seasoned salt

2 eggs

⅓ c. grated Parmesan cheese

5 tbsp. melted butter

5 c shredded cheese mix, divided

½ c. smoky BBQ sauce

¼ c. taco seasoning mix

½ c. chopped bacon

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender but firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain.

3. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir the beef, bacon and onion in the hot skillet until meat is browned and onion is soft and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess oil from the pan; stir in tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, taco seasoning mix and seasoned salt, and allow to simmer.

4. Whisk eggs, Parmesan and butter in a large bowl. Add spaghetti and toss to coat.

5. Place ½ of the spaghetti mixture in the prepared baking dish. Top with 2 cups mixed cheese, and ½ of the meat sauce. Repeat layers. Cover with aluminum foil.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mixed cheese. Continue to bake until cheese is melted and lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with your favourite toast. Enjoy!