Baked Cavatini - Make one batch for today, one batch for later

Ingredients

• 1 Green Pepper, chopped
• 1 sm Onion, chopped
• 1 sm can Mushrooms, optional
• 1 sm can black olives, optional
• 1# Pork Sausage, browned
• 24 Pepperoni slices, chopped (I use Turkey Pepperoni)
• 28oz can Crushed Tomatoes
• 2 TBSP  (capful) Tastefully Simple Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto Mix
• 3 c uncooked, Radiatore noodles or Mafalda noodles (firm type noodles, can even use Pinwheel noodles for the kiddos)
• 1 TBSP (1/2 capful) Tastefully Simple Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning
• 2 c Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

Preparation Instructions

 

Preheat oven to 350.

 

Boil the noodles according to the package and brown the sausage in a separate skillet.  If you are not a multi-tasker, you can do this in 2 steps.  :)

 

Chop the onion and green pepper.  Quarter the pepperoni.  Mix 1/2 capful of Tastefully Simple Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning in the 2 C bag of Mozzarella Cheese.

 

In a bowl, add crushed tomatoes and a capful of Tastefully Simplie Dried Tomato & Garlic Pesto.  Mix well.

 

Drain the noodles.  Drain the sausage.  Put both into the bowl with the tomatoes.  Add onion, green pepper, and other optional vegetables (ie:  mushrooms and black olives).  Add Pepperoni quarters.  Mix lightly, do not mash the noodles.  Add 1/2 of the cheese mixture.  Pour the entire contents of the bowl into a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.

 

Top with remaining cheese.  Bake for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly.  Let rest for 10 minutes.

 

Suggested side:  Garlic Bread

 

Mix Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning with butter and spread on bread or French loaf slices.  Broil for 3-5 minutes or until toasted.

 

Tip:  I always make a double batch of this casserole.  Once the noodles are cooled, the 2nd batch goes into a gallon Ziploc Freezer Bag for later!!!  Put the cheese into a quart Ziploc Freezer Bag.  Put both bags into another gallon Freeezer Bag.  Label the inside bag so that the outside bag is clean and reusable. 

 

Take out of your fridge in the morning to thaw while you are at work.  Once you are home, bake as directed.  #simplifyyourlife!