Pizza Casserole

Kids love this casserole because it has pasta shaped like wagon wheels and tastes just like pizza!

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups (8 ounces) uncooked wagon wheel pasta
• 1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage
• 1 (28 ounce) jar pasta sauce
• 1 (4 ounce) can mushroom pieces and stems, drained
• 1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
3. While pasta is cooking; cook sausage in a 10 inch skillet over medium-heat, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink; drain.
4. Mix pasta, sausage and remaining ingredients except cheese in an ungreased 2 1/2 quart casserole.
5. Cover and bake about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with cheese.
6. Bake uncovered about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Notes

Just for fun, make six smiley faces on the top with sliced pimiento-stuffed olives for the eyes and thin strips of green bell pepper for the smiles.

Dress up this casserole when you replace the wagon wheels with an equal amount of rotini, rotelle, penne or farfalle pasta.

Hamburger pizza more your style? Use lean ground beef instead of Italian sausage.

Nutrition

Per serving: Calories 425 (Calories from Fat 145); Total Fat 16g (Saturated Fat 5g); Cholesterol 30mg; Sodium 1100mg; Total Carbohydrate 56g (Dietary Fiber 4g); Protein 18g

Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 20%; Vitamin C 16%; Calcium 18%; Iron 16%

Exchanges: 3 Starch; 2 Vegetable; 1 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Betty Crocker Kitchens