Lazy Lasagna

 

When our children were young, I made a version of this on many Sundays.  At that time, you could buy bags of frozen stuffed shells at Costco.  I would put a bag of those in a pan, pour a jar of spaghetti sauce over the top and sprinkle on cheese.  I would cover it and set the time bake feature on our oven so that the food would be hot and ready when we got home from church.  Everyone really liked that dish.

But then Costco quit selling the stuffed shells and I kind of forgot about that recipe.  Recently, I saw this recipe, basically the same thing, only made with frozen cheese ravioli rather than stuffed shells.  It tastes a lot like lasagna but is much, much easier to make.

Lazy Lasagna

1 24 oz bag frozen cheese ravioli

1 jar marinara sauce

2 cups grated Mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400.  Spray a 13x9 pan.

Spread a layer of the sauce on the bottom of the pan.  Then layer 1/2 the ravioli, half of the remaining sauce, half of the cheese.  Then repeat.  Put a small amount of water (maybe 1/3 cup) in the marinara sauce jar and swirl to clean out the jar. Sprinkle the red water over the casserole. Top with Parmesan cheese.  Cover with foil and bake until hot and bubbly- about 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes.    Let set a few minutes before serving.

Lasagna Soup

My sister-in -law, Ada, made this delicious soup for our family reunion.  It is the taste of lasagna in a bowl.  She combined several recipes to come up with her version.  I have altered that only slightly.

Lasagna Soup

1 1/2 lb. Italian Sausage

1-2  green pepper, diced

3 cups chopped onion

4-5 teaspoons minced garlic

1 quart diced tomatoes

2 cups tomato juice

2 cups chicken broth

6 oz can tomato paste

2 cups tomato sauce

1 cup water

2 T. brown sugar

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp, Italian seasoning

1 T, Better than Bouillon

Mix all of the above and cook in a slow cooker.  An hour or so before serving break up 8 oz of lasagna noodles and cook in boiling, salted water on the stove.  You can use farfalle if you prefer.  When el dente, add the drained pasta to the soup and stir in.

Cheese topping:

8 oz. ricotta or cottage cheese

1/2 c. grated Parmesan

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Pepper

2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Mix together and spoon some onto each bowl of soup.  

The leftover are delicious, too.  Serve with garlic bread.

Italian Lemon Chicken

 When we travel and stay in condos, we like to cook some of our meals in the condo.  But, without basic supplies, these meals must be very simple.  I came up with this recipe, using those parameters.  It is delicious.  

Italian Lemon Chicken

 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into serving-size pieces

1 bottle Italian Dressing

 2 lemons

 1 gallon Ziplock bag

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and put in the ziplock bag.  Squeeze a lemon over the chicken.  Pour the bottle of dressing into the bag.  Close the bag and knead until ingredients are blended.  Put in the fridge for an hour or more.

Coat a fry pan with oil spray and put in a pat of butter.  Take the chicken out of the marinade and brown on both sides. 

 Pour the marinade over the chicken and add more butter.  Cover and cook until done and you have a nice silky sauce.  Squeeze the other lemon over the chicken.

Serve with rice, potatoes, or as shown here with sweet potatoes.  Spoon the sauce over the chicken.

Baked Italian Pasta

 They say that necessity is the mother of invention.  I had planned to make a different recipe for dinner and found that I didn't have one of the basic ingredients.  So, I used ideas from several of my recipes and came up with a very delicious casserole. It was a great invention, if I say so myself!  I wanted to record it here, so I can make it again and, of course, share it with you.  I will definitely be making this again.

Baked Italian Pasta

1 lb. ground beef or sweet Italian sausage

1/2 cup or so diced summer sausage

1 onion, chopped

1/2 lb. pasta of choice, individual pasta like rigatoni or farfalle

1 32 oz. jar spaghetti sauce

2 T. sugar

1 package Italian dressing mix

1 8 oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese, grated

1 can black olives

Brown the hamburger or sausage with the summer sausage and onion.  Drain.  Sprinkle the dressing mix over the meat mixture and mix well.  Add the spaghetti sauce and sugar and mix well.

Put pasta in a sprayed covered casserole dish.  Add the olives.  Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese over the pasta, then add the meat sauce and mix well.  Top with the rest of the cheeses.  Put the lid on and bake in a 350 oven until hot and bubbly.  

Fettuccini Carbonara

Pasta Carbonara

12 oz pasta (fettucine is traditional, but you can use any pasta of your choice)

4 slices bacon, cut up

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut up

Montreal steak seasoning or Kosher salt and pepper

4 large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup or so freshly chopped parsley

Cook pasta el dente according to directions in salt water.  Drain, but reserve a cup or so of the pasta water. (Put the colander over a container that will catch some of the pasta water.)

Season the chicken pieces with Montreal steak seasoning or salt and pepper.  Mix well with hands and let sit.

While the pasta is cooking, Heat a large skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon pieces.  Add the garlic and cook well.  When bacon is crispy, remove bacon to a bowl or plate and add the chicken into the pan.  Cook until done and no longer pink and well coated in the drippings.  Reduce the heat to low and return the bacon to the pan and toss together.  Then add the cooked pasta and toss all together.  

In a small bowl, beat the eggs and add the Parmesan cheese and parsley.  Add Kosher salt and  pepper.  Beat together and pour over the pasta.  Add 1/3 cup of the pasta water and toss all together.  Stir and toss for a few minutes.  Add more pasta water to make a nice creamy sauce.

Serve while hot with more Parmesan and parsley to garnish.

Pizza Spaghetti Casserole

My husband loves this dish!

Pizza Spaghetti Casserole
1 jar marinara sauce (24 oz)
1 or 2 cans crushed tomatoes (depending on how much spaghetti you use.  If you use the full lb, you may want to use 2 cans crushed tomatoes)
12 oz- 1 lb. spaghetti
2 cups grated Mozzarella cheese
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
1 8 oz. box mushrooms, sliced
About 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
4 oz. pepperoni slices
Other toppings of choice: sliced olives, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, spinach, etc.

Preheat  oven to 350.
Spray a 13x 9 pan.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Break the spaghetti into 1/3rd and put them into the boiling water.  Cook until el dente.  Drain and put into the bottom of the 13 x 9 pan.
In a large skillet, put about 1 T. olive oil and add the sausage.  Cook until browned.  Put the sausage over the spaghetti, leaving the oil in the pan.
Put the mushrooms in the hot pan and saute for about 5 minutes.
Mix together the pasta sauce and tomatoes and put onto the spaghetti and sausage.  Use a fork to get the sauce down into the spaghetti.  Top with the cheeses, mushrooms, pepperoni, and other toppings of choice.
Bake until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted- about 20-30 minutes.

Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Kristen made this recipe for me when I visited her in Wisconsin.  It is delicious, easy, and low calorie!
Skinny Garlic Shrimp Pasta
8 oz angel hair pasta
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 lb. fresh medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper
3 T. chopped fresh parsley
2 T. butter

Cook pasta in plenty of salty as the sea water.  Drain;  Return to pan and stir in spinach, tomatoes and 2 tsp. of the oil.  Cover to keep warm.

While pasta is cooking, heat remaining oil in skillet.  Add onion and cook and stir until soft.  Add shrimp, garlic, and pepper flakes.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Stir in chicken broth and add salt and pepper.  Cook until shrimp are pink- about two minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in parsley and butter.  Stir until butter is melted.  Add shrimp mixture to pasta mixture.  Toss and serve.

Original Source:  Betty Crocker

Italian Beef Sandwiches

Italian Beef Sandwiches
3-4 lb. boneless beef chuck roast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 T. Italian seasoning
2 green peppers, diced
2 onions, diced
1 box mushrooms, sliced
1 jar sliced pepperoncini
2 small cans tomato sauce
Sliced provolone or Mozarella cheese
Sandwich rolls, toasted

Spray a crockpot.
Combine the salt, pepper, garlic salt and Italian seasoning to make a rub.  Rub into the roast.  Put the roast in the slow cooker.  Add the vegetables and some of the juice from the pepperoncini.  Add the tomato sauce.  Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or high for 5 or 6.  Using two forks, shred the meat.  Mix well.  Put some of the mixture on top of a split, toasted crusty sandwich roll.  Top with cheese.  Put under the broiler until the cheese is melted.

Chunky Spaghetti Sauce

I love this recipe for spaghetti sauce!  It is so delicious!  My favorite way to make it is in an enameled cast iron pan on the stovetop, but it also works great in a crockpot if you are going to be away from home all day.  It makes 4 quarts of spaghetti sauce- one for now and three for the freezer.  I LOVE recipes like that!  One quart is about right for about 3/4 -1 lb. of spaghetti or other pasta.

Chunky Spaghetti Sauce
Brown together in an enameled cast iron pot (or large fry pan if you are going to use a slow cooker):
1 1/2- 3 lbs. sweet sausage and/ or ground beef (you can use a mixture.  We like it with all sausage and like to use the full 3 lbs.)
1 large onion, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
When browned, add crushed or minced garlic and brown.
Drain the grease through a colander, then put all back in the pot or transfer to the crockpot.  Add:
2 jars or cans spaghetti sauce of choice
1- 28 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes (or one 14 oz. can of each)
1 can tomato paste
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 T. Italian seasoning
1 pkg. spaghetti seasoning
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. beef bouillion

Cook on low for several hours.  About an hour or 2 or 3 before you want to eat, add:
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1-2 jars artichoke hearts, mostly drained
1 can olives, drained and sliced

Continue cooking until the mushrooms are cooked and all is blended together.
Fill three quart jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  When cooled, put in the freezer (or share.)

Serve over cooked, hot pasta with lots of grated Parmesan cheese.

Grilled Chicken Caprese

This is a delicious, low-calorie main dish:
Grilled Chicken Caprese
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Mix some balsamic vinegar and oil to make a dressing, or buy a balsamic vinegar dressing.
1 box grape tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup fresh basil, torn
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Fresh mozzarella slices

Place chicken in a gallon-sized zip bag.  Add Balsamic and oil or salad dressing to cover.  Marinate for 4-24 hours.
In a bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
Grill the marinated chicken on a grill at medium heat.  Close the lid and cook about 7 minutes per side, depending on thickness of the meat.  During the last two minutes, put a slice of Mozzarella on each chicken breast.  Top each breast with the tomato/ basil mixture.

Chicken Pesto with Green Beans and Tomatoes

I saw a recipe like this on one of those videos on facebook.  It looked yummy.  But I didn't save it and couldn't remember who posted it, so I just made this up as I went.  It turned out delicious! 

Chicken Pesto with Green Beans and Tomatoes
1 lb. chicken tenders
Salt and pepper
1/2-1 cup basil pesto
1 large package frozen green beans
1 lb. package grape tomatoes, cut in half
Cooked pasta

Salt and pepper the tenders (or I like to use Montreal steak seasoning)  Mix with your hands.  Put some olive oil in a large skillet and add the seasoned tenders.  Fry on each side for 3-4 minutes until browned and juicy.  Add the green beans and about 1/2 cup of water.  Cover and cook until green beans are done.  Take off the cover and let steam off until almost dry.  Add the tomatoes and about 1/2 cup of pesto.  Turn off heat and mix together.  Serve over cooked pasta (we like penne) that has some pesto (amount to taste) in it.  So easy, so quick, and so delicious! 

Chicken Pesto Gnocchi

Gnocchi with Chicken, Pesto, and Fresh Mozzarella

 The pictures really don't look that great, but believe me, this is delicious.  And, oh, so, simple!
The prepared pesto, gnocchi, and fresh mozzarella can be purchased at Costco and you'll have enough to make this twice (four times for the fresh mozzarella.)  I even got the chicken at Costco- but you can get all of those things at a regular grocery store as well. 

Chicken Pesto Gnocchi
About 1 Tablespoon oil
1  boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut up or 1 package chicken tenders, cut up
About 1/4 cup chicken broth
8 oz. (or so) pesto
1 pkg. potato gnocchi (about 12 ounces)
1/2 roll (about 4 ounces) fresh mozzarella

Salt and pepper the chicken.  Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the chicken until done.  Add the chicken broth and cook for a few minutes. Turn off the heat and add the pesto sauce.
In a large saucepan, heat water to boiling.  Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the top.  It doesn't take very long- about three minutes.  While the gnocchi are cooking, cut up the fresh mozzarella into chunks. 
When the gnocchi are done, pour the water through a strainer, or, using a slotted spoon take out the gnocchi and put them in the skillet.  After adding all of the gnocchi, stir together, then add the Mozzarella chunks.  Stir in, then let sit for a couple of minutes to let the cheese melt. 

Crescent Lasagna

My sister-in-law recently served this at a reunion and it was a hit!  It is easy and delicious.

Crescent Lasagna
4 cans crescent rolls
1 lb. lean hamburger
1 lb. sweet sausage
1 Tablespoon parsley flakes
2 teaspoons basil
2 -6 oz. cans tomato paste
1- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups cottage cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 teaspoon oregano
Mozzarella Cheese slices.
Milk, as needed
Sesame Seeds (optional)
In a large sided cookie sheet pan, roll out two of the crescent rolls rolls and flatten over the cookie sheet.  In a skillet, brown the hamburger and sausage.  Drain and add the tomato paste and sauce and the basil and parsley.

In a large bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, and oregano.

On top of the rolls in the pan, spread half of the meat, then all of the cheese mixture, then the other half of the meat.  Top with slices of mozzarella cheese to cover all.  Top with two more rolls of crescent rolls.  Wet the surface of the dough with a little bit of milk.  Sprinkle on sesame seeds overall.  Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until it is browned and the dough cooked through.

Pantry Pick of the Month:Kirkland Basil Pesto/ Pesto Penne Pasta

This month's "reach" was into my fridge. When at Costco last, I picked up a bottle of Pesto.

 Now what do I do with it?  One of my husband's and my favorite restaurant in our town is The Pasta Factory.  I often order the Creamy Pesto Sauce over my pasta.  I decided to try to make my own with this jar of pesto. Did it taste like theirs?  Not exactly.  But it was so delicious.  AND I had dinner on the table in less than 15 minutes- start to finish, including sauteed spinach and garlic bread.  This is a great, get the meal on the table in a hurry meal.  Just remember when at the grocery store to pick up a box of penne, a jar of pesto, and a box of grape tomatoes.  It just couldn't be easier.

Pesto Penne Pasta
1 box of penne pasta (or pasta of your choice)
12 ounces or so of basil pesto (I used about half of the jar of Costco's)
2-3 Tablespoons Cream
Pasta water as needed
2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Dash Red Pepper flakes

Cook the pasta about 10 minutes in rapidly boiling very salty water.  Test the pasta.  It should be el dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.  Put the pasta back in the pot and over low heat.  Add the pesto and cream and mix well.  Add enough of the pasta water to make a nice creamy consistency.  Add the tomatoes, pepper flakes and cheese and mix.  Serve immediately.

For other Pantry Picks of the Month, click here.

Fancy Chicken

This is one of the best new recipes I've tried in a long time.  It is just delicious.  Both my husband and I LOVED it.  I served it over mashed potatoes, but I think it would be delicious over pasta as well.  Bonus:  It's easy!  And it's easy to make bigger or smaller based on your family size.  You're gonna like this one:

Fancy Chicken
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced very thin
4-8 thin slices of prosciutto or ham
Bag of baby spinach (you won't use the whole bag)
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 envelope Recipe Secret's Savory Herb and Garlic (with the dry soups)
1/2 cup (more or less) chicken broth
1/4 cup olive oil
Shredded Mozzarella cheese

Heat your oven to 375.  Spray a 13 x9 pan.  Put the sliced chicken in the bottom of the pan.  Season with a little of the Herb and Garlic mix.  Next layer thin slices of prosciutto or ham over the chicken.  (Prosciutto is delicious, but expensive.  I think thin ham would work, too)  Then layer with a good thick layer of spinach, filling the pan almost full.  Sprinkle on salt and pepper.  Top with the mushrooms.  In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, olive oil and seasoning packet.  Pour overall.  Cover pan with foil and bake it for about 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over all.  Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly.  Serve with mashed potatoes or cooked pasta.
So, so yummy!!!!

Loaded Baked Potato Pizza

Loaded Baked Potato Pizza

This recipe won the "main dish dinner" category for the Pillsbury Bake-off.  It really does taste like a loaded baked potato. 
Loaded Baked Potato Pizza -- Serves: 6 servings
 Ingredients:
1 can (13.8 oz) Pillsbury(r) refrigerated classic pizza crust 
1 medium potato 
1 tablespoon Olive Oil 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon pepper 
1 box (10 oz)  frozen broccoli and cheese sauce
2/3 cup sour cream 
1 tablespoon ranch dressing 
1 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend or any shredded cheese
5 slices cooked bacon, coarsely chopped 
1 tomato, seeded, chopped 
2 or 3 green onions, chopped 
 Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray large, sided cookie sheet. Unroll pizza crust dough on cookie sheet; press dough into 13x9-inch rectangle. Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until crust is light golden brown. Remove from oven; set aside. Meanwhile, pierce potato with fork; place on microwavable paper towel in microwave oven. Microwave 4 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Let it stand for awhile.  When potato is cool enough to handle, peel potato and cut into 1/4-inch cubes. In small bowl, mix potato, oil, salt and pepper; set aside. Cook broccoli in microwave as directed on box. Empty from pouch into another small bowl to cool slightly; set aside. In another small bowl, mix sour cream and ranch dressing. Spread mixture over pizza crust to within 1/2-inch of edges of crust. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese evenly over sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with bacon. Spread broccoli mixture and potato mixture evenly over bacon. Sprinkle tomato, onions and remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly over potato mixture. Bake 15 to 22 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Pantry Pick of the Month: Prego Fresh Mushroom Pasta Sauce/ Chicken Mozzarella Pasta

There are probably 101 things I could make with this month's pantry pick. I was delighted when I reached in and pulled out one of my favorite products- Prego Fresh Mushroom Pasta Sauce.   I chose to try a Pioneer Woman's recipe for Chicken Mozzarella Pasta, and was I ever glad.  It was just delicious and I will be making this again and again.  It was very easy and very fast, too.  The Pioneer Woman says it takes 16 minutes.  I think it took a bit longer for me because it took so long to get the pot of water to boil.  But, still it was really fast.

My poor husband never gets to eat until I take a picture!  He's pretty patient with me.

Chicken Mozzarella Pasta
1 pound pasta, penne or rigatoni or whatever you have (some of the reviewers said it was delicious with whole wheat pasta)
Olive oil, about 2 Tablespoons in pan, and more for drizzling over the pasta after it's cooked
2 boneless chicken breasts, chopped into small pieces
Salt and Pepper
2- 3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 large onion, diced
1 Jar Prego Fresh Mushroom Pasta Sauce (or any other Marinara sauce)
1/4 teaspoon- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
Handful of chopped fresh parsley
8 ounces of fresh mozzarella, diced (you can buy this at Costco)
Grated Parmesan cheese
About 12 basil leaves, chiffonade

Cook the pasta to al dente in very salty water.  While it's cooking, make the sauce:
Put the olive oil in a large sided skillet or a Le Cruset' pan and heat on medium high heat.  Salt and pepper the chopped chicken breasts  and mix with your hands.  Add to the hot oil.  Cook for two or three minutes, stirring and browning the chicken.  Remove the chicken (put on a plate) and add the onion and garlic to the oil.  Saute on med-high heat until the onions are soft and translucent and golden and smelling SO good.

Reduce the heat and add the jar of sauce, red pepper flakes to taste and a big ladle or two full of the pasta water.  Stir and cook for a minute, then add the chicken chunks and the parsley.  Simmer for about 7 minutes.  The sauce should be bubbly and hot. Turn off the heat.  Add the cheese chunks and gently stir.  Then just let the sauce sit for 2-3 minutes while you drain and prepare the cooked pasta.

Put the drained pasta in a large bowl.  Drizzle some olive oil in and mix it in.  Then sprinkle on a generous amount of Parmesan cheese.  Then pour the sauce over the pasta.  Sprinkle on a little more
of the Parmesan and the basil.  Serve.   So, so yummy.  The fresh Mozzarella softens and melts and it's just so good.  This makes a BIG bowl of pasta.

On Top of Spaghetti . . . Now that's a spicy meatball!

I love spaghetti and meatballs.  I prefer that to a meat sauce.  These little meatballs are very easy and so, so tasty.  You can make a big batch and freeze them in freezer bags.  Just cook some spaghetti, open a jar of Marinara and you're ready to go.

Italian Meatballs

3 lbs. ground meat of your choice (sweet or spicy sausage, ground turkey, chicken, or beef)

2 Tablespoons Montreal Steak Seasoning 

2 eggs

Splash of Worcestershire sauce 

1 cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs

3 Tablespoons dried parsely (or even better, a bunch of chopped fresh parsley)

1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Olive Oil

Freezer Bags

Heat the oven to 400.  Get out all of the ingredients and line or spray a baking sheet.  Once you get your hands in the mixture, it's nice not to have to keep washing them, so have everything ready to go.  Put the ground meat, steak seasoning, eggs, bread crumbs, Worcerstersire, parsley, cheese and a generous drizzle/ drizzles of olive oil in  a large bowl (the amount of oil depends on what kind of meat you're using.  If the meats are lean, you need more oil.)  With your hands, mix together the ingredients until well mixed.  Form into about 48 ping pong-sized balls and place on the baking sheet.  Bake in the hot oven for about 15 minutes.  Cut one open to be sure they are cooked through.  Cool and put any you're not using tonight in ziplock freezer bags.  It depends how many meatballs you like per quart of marinara.  We like about a quart of meatballs per quart of marinara, but you could get by with much less.  This recipe makes 2 quarts of meatballs.  

Easy Rigatoni Bake

This baked pasta is very easy and yummy.

Easy Rigatoni Bake
1 lb. box rigatoni
2 jars marinara sauce (you can use whatever flavor you like)
1- 2 packages Italian Dressing Mix (This adds a lot of flavor.  The recipe called for 2 packages, but 1 would still be yummy- To taste!)
1 package (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

Fill a large pot with water.  Add a lot of salt (salty as the sea.)  When boiling add the pasta and cook until el dente- not quite done.  Drain.
In a very large bowl, mix the marinara sauce with the Italian dressing mix.  Add the cooked and drained pasta.  Mix well.  Transfer to a sprayed 13 x9 pan.  Spread evenly and top with the mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 350 until hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted.  It takes about 20-25 minutes.  Let set for 5 minutes before serving.

Pizza Casserole

December is all about quick and easy meals, and this one is both.  It comes together very quickly and then just bakes for a few minutes to heat through and get bubbly and gooey and yummy.  It's a great way to use leftover roast and it's very kid friendly!

Pizza Casserole
1 ½ cups (or thereabouts) cubed leftover roast beef OR ½ lb ground beef
2 cups macaroni or any kind of individual pasta, cooked (cooked al dente) and drained
 1 32 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
1 8 oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese, grated
 Pepperoni, diced
Black olives, chopped

 Brown the ground beef (if you’re using that) or cut up the leftover roast. Combine with cooked pasta and spaghetti sauce in a casserole dish- 9x9 or a round one.)  Top with cheeses, pepperoni, and olives. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is bubbly and brown. Add a green salad and you have dinner!