Classic Baked Penne Casserole

I found this recipe on Living a Better Life, which is a money-saving blog. They have a section for frugal recipes and it looks like they have some great low-budget recipes there. I'll have to explore it a little more! This recipe was submitted by Michelle and it was delicious. It was so easy and it turned out so well! It's a mixture between a lasagna and spaghetti and my family loved it. I made a few changes to my liking and I hope you enjoy! I will definitely be making it again!

CLASSIC BAKED PENNE CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

8 ounces of Penne pasta, cooked and drained (I used Farfelle (bowtie) pasta instead)

1/2 pound ground beef, cooked and drained (add some spices while cooking if desired) ( I added some curry and garlic. Oh so good!)

1 26-ounce jar of your favorite pasta sauce (or about 3 cups of your homemade sauce)

2 c. Mozzarella cheese, shredded (you can also add a little parmesan cheese if you have it on hand) (I live near a cheese factory and our favorite cheese in the colby jack, so I used that instead)

Parsley, dried or fresh and chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

* In a large bowl, mix together cooked pasta, beef, sauce and 1 c. of the shredded cheese.

* Place pasta mixture into baking dish and cover with lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

* Take dish out of the oven and remove cover, top with remaining 1 c. of shredded cheese and sprinkle with parsley. Bake for another 8-10 minutes.

Makes 4-6 servings. This recipe can be double easily and cooked in a 10x13 baking pan.

ENJOY!