Pizza Pasta

Do you like pizza? I know - dumb question, right? My kids would eat pizza every day if I'd let them - but, unfortunately for them, they have the mean mom that makes the have a *gulp* balanced diet [insert dramatic music] so they only get to indulge maybe twice a month. When you go out for pizza, you really only eat pizza - so a carb slathered in greasy cheese & full-fat meats. At least if you go for this pasta dish you can be sure to use a chunky, veggie-filled sauce, reduced fat cheeses and whole wheat pasta. And if you serve up some good fresh steamed veggies on the side you don't have to feel as guilty about 'pizza' night! Seriously - this tastes exactly like a sausage & pepperoni pizza. Try it out!

Ingredients:


Rotini, mild Italian sausage, sliced pepperoni, jarred spaghetti sauce (again, gotta love my Sockarooni!!), garlic, shredded Mozzarella cheese (I also ended up adding maybe 1/2 cup of some shredded cheddar/jack I had in the fridge).

Step 1: Boil up your pasta according to the package directions. While that is going get the sausage crumbled into a skillet & brown it up. Drain off the fat.


When they pasta finishes up drain it & just let it sit there in the colander for a few minutes. Take the hot pot you just poured the pasta out of & get it back on the stove over medium heat. Splash a smidge of olive oil in the pan & add the minced garlic. Just stir it around for a few minues to bring out the flavor.


Now, in that same pot add the cooked meat, cooked pasta & the jar of sauce. Give it a good stir to blend it up & get everything distributed well.


Here comes one more dirty dish - last one, I promise! Get out a casserole dish - a 9x13 would work - I used my middle sized Corningware - & give it a quick spray with PAM. Pour in half of this pasta mixture, top with half the cheese. Add the rest of the pasta, top with the rest of the cheese. Top with pepperoni, sprinkle with a little more cheese, if you have it/want it.


Pop this bad boy into a 350 oven for about 30 minutes.


Wanna see inside!!? It's good stuff.....


Layers of pasta, cheese, meat & veggies! Yum, yum, yum.


Enjoy your dinner!

Pizza Pasta:

1/2 a box (8oz) Rotini pasta
1 jar (quart) Spaghetti sauce
2 cups Mozarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Cheddar/Jack, shredded
1/2 - whole package (8 - 16oz) ground sausage
-----*use at least 1/2 the pkg, as much as all of it, depending on your preferences
Sliced pepperoni
3 cloves garlic, minced

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside. While pasta is cooking, brown & crumble sausage in a pan. Once cooked, drain off the fat. In the same pot the pasta boiled in, heat a drizzle of oil over medium heat; add garlic. Stir around for about 4-5 minutes. Add sausage, pasta & sauce to the pan with garlic. Stir well to combine.

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Add half the pasta mixture, top with 1/2 the mozzarella cheese. Add remaining pasta, top with remaining mozzarella. Add pepperoni to the top, sprinkle with Cheddar/Jack cheese.

Bake in a 350 oven for 25-30 minutes.

Recipe Source: Aubrey @ My Recipes