Baked Rigatoni!!!!

We love pasta!! I found this recipe on the Picky Palate. I altered it a little bit but I cannot take credit for the recipe!! If you would like the original recipe go to www.picky-palate.com. She has a lot of other yummy recipes!! This pasta is loaded with yummy canned tomates and spinach and cheese. It is a good way to get your kids to eat spinach because you can't even taste it!! My kids loved this pasta. Ours turned out a little spicy Because I used hot italian sausage!! We loved it that way!! We also had spinach and green lettuce salad and Breadsticks with it!!


Baked Rigatoni

1lb rigatoni~I used penne because that is what I had in the cupboard
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
2 T. minced garlic~you may use less we just like to keep the vampires away around here!!
1 lb Italian sausage
1 tsp. each of salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and oregano
5 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach
3-14 oz cans diced tomatoes or fire roasted tomates with garlic~I used both
1-14 oz can crushed tomates
2-8 oz cans tomato sauce
16 fresh basil leaves, stacked, rolled, and chopped or 1 T. dried basil
1 cup shredded romano or parm cheese
3 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup -1 cups seasoned bread crumbs

Cook pasta according to pkg directions. Set aside. Heat oil in a large pot. Add the onion and red pepper and cook until veggies are tender. Add the sausage, garlic, salt, pepper, italian seasoning, and oregano and cook until sausage is no longer pink. Add the Spinach and cook until wilted down. Add all the canned tomates and basil and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15- 30 minutes. The longer the better the sauce tastes. Mix the cheeses and bread crumbs. Mix the sauce with the cooked pasta and pour into a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with bread crumb cheese mixture. Put in preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Next time I will probably use more spinach and you can also use whole wheat pasta if you would like it a bit more healthy. I use both kinds of pasta at my house depending on my mood that day. You can even omit the sausage if you don't want the added fat but we like the little bits of ground up sausage throughout it!! All things in moderationn right!! You just need a well balanced diet and hey this has pasta, cheese, meat, and veggies in it!!