What's For Dinner?

I don't know about you guys, but I am always looking for new recipes! I feel like I cook the same 6 recipes over and over again with a new recipe thrown in their occasionally. I spend hours searching the internet looking for new recipes, but don't usually end up trying them because they ask for a 1/4 tsp. of some kind of abstract herb that I will never ever use in any other kind of recipe. So, I thought I would share some of my favorite very basic, very easy recipes.

Pasta Bake!

Okay, you guys have probably all made this before, it's not that creative of a recipe. But it is one of our favorites! Jon's favorite meal is spaghetti, so I am constantly looking for different ways to cook noodles and meat sauce. I got this recipe from one of my sisters when I went off to college. Since then I have made a couple of adjustments so it fits our family. It's not a gourmet recipe by any means, but it's great when you need a quick easy meal... so here is the recipe

Pasta Bake
1lb ground beef
1 jar (I use the 26 oz jar) spaghetti sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
1 box rotini (or whatever other kind of noodle you want to use)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (plus some extra for topping)
about 1 cup shredded cheese (more or less depending on how much cheese you want)

seasoned pepper (this is practically gold in Jon's family, it goes in everything!)
garlic salt
butter

Brown ground beef in a large skillet and season with seasoned pepper and garlic salt. While cooking your meat, boil water and throw in the noodles. Once the meat is cooked through, add your sauce. I usually add about 3/4 the jar and add the can of diced tomatoes (I have to say, I am not a fan of tomatoes, but love the extra tomatoes in this recipe!) Once the sauce and meat are mixed, add the parmesan cheese. Drain cooked noodles and add to meat sauce. Poor into 9x13 baking dish and top with shredded cheese (and I usually add a little extra parmesan cheese as well). Bake at 350 for 15 minutes (or until cheese is melted).

**note: I have also cut this recipe in half when I didn't want a ton of leftovers. But this is one of my favorite things to eat leftover