A super easy pasta casserole with a fun pizza add on to change things up.
Photo By S.M.
Well we're in the final count down and only 8 weeks away from our due date, and with that comes time to step up to final preparations. This weeks goal, to start meal prepping and stocking my freezer with easy prep food for when the baby comes.
I came across this recipe which was about as easy as they come to make on Taste of Home, and able to be frozen for up to 3 months, which was something I was looking to do to prepare for later. Of course I am always looking for a chance for adjustments to improve a recipes health, as small as they may be. So, in addition to adding a few spices (mostly homegrown and dried from my own garden), I adjusted this recipe by changing the ground beef to a healthier ground turkey option, chose whole grain pasta instead of regular, and added a few veggies of choice as topping. Check out my version of the pizza pasta casserole below.
Pizza Pasta Casserole
Prep Time: 20 minutes, Bake Time:; 25 minutes, Total Time: About 45 minutes
Makes 2 casseroles
Photo By S.M.
Ingredients:
2 lbs, lean ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
1 jar spaghetti sauce (3 1/2 cups)
1 16 oz package whole wheat pasta
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
4 cups shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
8 oz sliced pepperoni
additional pizza toppings of your choosing
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two 13x9 inch baking sheets.
In a large pot, cook pasta al dente, drain, then cover with pasta sauce and mix till coated.
In a large pan, cook turkey, onions, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Drain any access fat.
Mix pasta and sauce with turkey mixture.
Transfer mixture to the 2 greased baking sheets. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover with pepperoni and any other pizza toppings you choose.
Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes.
Let cool, serve, and enjoy!
Freezer Instructions:
If you're like me and looking to freeze one or both of your casseroles for later follow the instructions below to do so.
Follow steps 1-5 from the instructions above.
Instead of cooking the dish let dish cool, cover and freeze.
When ready to eat, take out of the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat over to 350°F. Bake 35-40 minutes, checking to make sure dish is heated.
Let cool, serve, and enjoy!
Leave a comment letting us know how you liked the recipe. Did you make any changes? Tell us below!
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