Cavatini

This hearty casserole is one that my husband's mother used to make as he was growing up. It's a staple in our house, and I'm sure it will be in yours, too. It is pizza-esque in flavor, so it is pretty kid-friendly (especially if you omit the peppers). It's also great for families because it makes enough to feed a crowd--this recipe makes enough for 4 meals for my husband and I!

You will need:
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
16-24 oz rotini
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 pkg pepperoni
4 C mozzarella
1 can sliced olives
1-2 bell pepper
2-3 cloves garlic

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. (I use two casserole dishes that are roughly the diameter of a pie pan, but much deeper.)

Cook rotini according to package directions.

While rotini is cooking, combine beef, spaghetti sauce, and garlic in a medium mixing bowl.

Chop up bell peppers. I use colored peppers, but green peppers taste great, too.

Add peppers and olives to meat and sauce mixture.

Drain rotini and set aside.

Spread some of the sauce mixture in the bottom of your casserole dish.

Cover with a layer of noodles.

Place a layer of pepperoni over the pasta.

Sprinkle mozzarella over the pepperoni.

Repeat layers 1-2 more times, ending with cheese on top.

Cover and bake for 30-40 minutes. This is also a great recipe to make ahead of time and put in the fridge until you are ready to bake it. If you do this, just increase the cooking time a little.

Mmm, doesn't that gooey, cheesy deliciousness make you hungry just looking at it?

This recipe reminds me so much of pizza, I'm sure it would be great with other "toppings" added or substituted in. I would love to hear what toppings you try!