Pizza Pasta Bake

Pizza Pasta Bake

Kids would love, love, love this. It's so much like eating pizza! However, for the adult pizza-lover, this is good only for times of pizza desperation.

Pizza Pasta Bake
adapted from AllRecipes

1-12oz package uncooked rotini

1/2 c chopped onion
1 14-oz jar pizza sauce
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1/2 c milk
1 3.25-oz package sliced pepperoni
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 c sliced black olives
1/4 c chopped Canadian bacon
1 c shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in pasta, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the Italian sausage and onion until sausage is evenly brown and onion is tender. Drain grease.

 

In a bowl, mix the pizza sauce, tomato sauce, and milk.

Stir in the sausage and onion, pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, and Canadian bacon.
  

Gently mix in the cooked pasta until evenly coated.

  

Transfer to a lightly oiled 9x13" baking dish.

 

Cover, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven.

Remove cover, top with cheese, and continue baking 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

  


Easy to put together, most of the time was essentially hands-free. As for flavor, sure it tasted like pizza, but I quickly tired of it. Pasta is not the same as a nice crispy-chewy crust.  A small-ish serving is plenty for the palate, so plan on having a nice salad and crispy bread to accompany. Kids, I'm sure, could gorge on this meaty, cheesy, pasta dish.

Will I make it again?  I'm not opposed, but won't go out of my way to do it.

Cost:

• tri-color rotini: $0.99
• onion: $0.30
• pizza sauce: $1.59
• tomato sauce: $0.39
• milk: $0.19
• pepperoni: $2
• mushrooms: $1.12
• Canadian bacon: $2
• cheese: $1

TOTAL: $9.58 or $1.60 for each of 6 ginormous servings.