Mostaccioli

This is a favorite pasta dish in our house!  As a big family, we love a hearty recipe that makes enough for left-overs too!  This is also one of my favorite freezer meals and/or take a meal to someone dish!  I often will split the recipe - cook half and put the other half in the freezer for another day OR I'll just make a double batch for a few freezer meals!  I can just throw a salad together, add some garlic bread on the side, and bellies are happy!

Enjoy!

Mostaccioli
Serves 12

1 - 16 oz Box Mostaccioli Pasta (Ziti makes a good substitute)
1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef
1 Bell Pepper, finely diced
1 Medium Onion, chopped
2-3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 - 26 oz Jar Spaghetti Sauce
1 Can Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup, undiluted
1 1/2 Tsp Italian Seasoning
3/4 Tsp Ground Pepper
2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook mostaccioli according to package directions (I like to al-dente/firm for baked pasta dishes) and drain.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet brown hamburger with peppers, onion, and garlic, drain.  In a large bowl (or the pan you're going to cook in), mix together spaghetti sauce, soup, Italian seasoning, ground pepper, and hamburger together.  Then, stir in mostaccioli and 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese to beef mixture.  Transfer to 2 11x7" baking dishes (or one deep 9x13) and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Cover pan with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes (about 30 minutes if using 9x13" pan), remove foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

If preparing from freezer: Thaw in refrigerator overnight, remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking, and bake covered in preheated 350 degree oven for 50-60 minutes.