Elizabeth's Pasta Bake

Here is a frugal and easy meal that we use a lot around our house.

Several years ago one of the pasta sauce companies sold a jar of pasta sauce that you could add to dry pasta for an easy, oven-baked pasta dish. After purchasing this product once (on sale, of course!), this is what I came up with.

Ingredients

• 1 jar of spaghetti sauce or 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
• 16 oz. your choice of shaped pasta (spaghetti does not work very well - try shells, elbows, bow-ties, etc.)
• additional spices, salt, pepper, and sugar (optional)
• 2 cups (more or less) grated cheese (I have used everything from cheddar, mozzarella, colby jack, etc.)
• water

Directions

Pour the dry pasta into a 9 x 13 pan. Add the sauce/tomatoes. Do not rinse can/jar. Add any additional spices to taste (we like a couple teaspoons of sugar plus some garlic, basil, and pepper.) Fill your unrinsed jar/can completely with water (sometimes I add a little milk or cream for added nutrition.) Pour over pasta and sauce mixture. Stir carefully. It doesn't have to be completely mixed. Important: cover the pan with foil or lid. Bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 50 minutes. Test pasta with fork to make sure it is tender. Sprinkle cheese over all and return to oven uncovered for approx. 10 minutes to melt cheese.

If you would like to add fully cooked meat or mushrooms, onions, etc., sprinkle on top when you add the cheese. You can brown some hamburger, sausage while the pasta is baking. I have also used pepperoni, too.

By Elizabeth from MA