With two big holidays behind us, our freezers are full of leftover turkey and ham, and we’ve had our fill of mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing and candied sweet potatoes. So, it’s time for a change of taste, and what better taste is there than an Italian dish?
There are so many Italian dishes to choose from, and you’ve probably tried most of them. But, this recipe for Baked Cheesy Mostaccioli is a little different. As the name says, it’s very cheesy, which really sets it apart from other Italian dishes.
It’s very easy to make, and the best part is if there is any leftover, the next day it’s often more flavorful than the day it was prepared.
BAKED CHEESY MOSTACCIOLI
1 (16-ounce) package mostaccioli, uncooked
1 cup green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 cup onion, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (28-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (your choice)
1 (10 ¾-ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook mostaccioli according to package directions. Drain and put pasta in 4-quart casserole dish. Coarsely chop bell pepper and onion. In large skillet, cook and stir ground beef, bell pepper and onion over medium heat 10-12 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain.
Stir in seasonings. Add spaghetti sauce and soup; mix well. Combine mostaccioli, meat sauce and 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese in casserole dish; mix well.
Cover casserole and bake 35 minutes. Carefully remove from oven and uncover. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the top of casserole. Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Serve hot. Serves 12.
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