Serves 8
Prep time 15 minutes.
Bake time 30 minutes.
- 8 oz. dry macaroni (or 1 3/4- 2 cups), cooked.
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 3/4 cup red or yellow onion, diced.
- 2 garlic cloves, minced.
- salt and pepper
- 3 cups marinara, pizza or pasta sauce.
- 4 oz. canned mushroom pieces and stems, drained. *see note.
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning *see note.
- 3 oz. sliced pepperoni
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350.
- Cook pasta, then meanwhile in a large skillet, brown ground beef in olive oil, along with minced garlic and diced onion. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Once beef is browned, add pasta sauce of your choice, mushroom pieces, and seasonings, then stir well. Allow to simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Drain pasta, then dump into a large bowl. Separate pepperoni and toss over cooked macaroni, then pour beef and sauce mixture over top. Mix well, then gently mix in grated parmesan.
- Pour contents of the bowl into a 9 by 13 inch dish, (or two 8 inch dishes and freeze one for later.) then top with shredded mozzarella cheese ensuring pasta mixture is well covered.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and edges are starting to brown. Cool slightly before serving. Optional: serve with salad and garlic bread. Yum!!
Note 1* You can also add one cup sliced, fresh mushrooms. Just stir them into beef and onion mixture about 5 minutes before you add the pasta sauce, to allow them to cook and soften.
Note 2* In the Summer months I like to chop fresh herbs such as parsley, oregano, and thyme, then add a tablespoon or so into the beef mixture instead of Italian seasoning. You can adjust the herbs according to your preference.
This Mom Cooks 