When I was a kid, I remember my mother once making a pizza casserole for a family reunion, it was a big hit. After many years, now married with my own family to feed, I still remember that dish, at least vaguely. Years ago, I came up with my own version and everyone loved it. This is a true comfort dish in our home. There’s nothing fancy or complicated here, just about anyone can prepare this meal.
Ingredients:
- 2 boxes of Annie’s Family sized deluxe mac and cheese
- 2 jars/cans of your favorite pizza sauce (I often use Ragu Homestyle sauce)
- 1 pound of ground beef (organic/grass fed, if you have it)
- 1 medium sized green pepper (if you have one in the garden, all the better!)
- 1 small white onion
- 1 16 ounce package of shredded mozzarella cheese
- small amount of olive oil for sauteing
Directions:
1. First, brown one pound of ground beef over the stove top, drain and set aside.
2. Next, dice green pepper and onion and saute them with a couple drops of oil, leave them a little on the crisp side.
3. Boil some water and cook your pasta according to the directions. Be sure not to over cook them. They will soften a bit more in the oven.
4. When your pasta is done, or almost done, drain well and return to pot. Next, stir in the cheese that comes with the pasta and your pizza sauce. You can adjust the cheese and sauce amounts to your liking. You might want to try adding a jar and a half of sauce and add more to your taste.
5. Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix in green pepper, onion and beef. Once it is all blended, place it in large casserole dish or rectangle 9″ by 13″ pan.
6. Before placing in the oven, cover with shredded mozzarella cheese, you may not use the whole package, it’s up to you. Bake for 15 minutes or until it appears hot and bubbly on the sides. Once it is hot, I like to turn on the broiler for a few minutes to brown the cheese a little on top.
7. Once heated to your liking, remove from oven and let it sit a few minutes. Serve with parmesan cheese if desired.
Enjoy!!!
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