Are there ever times when you need a quick and easy delicious meal to make during the week. I know that for me dinner times is the one time when me and my family are able to get together and just share our days, the good and the bad. That’s why having an easy meal to make sometimes is so great to have in my repertoire especially when its pasta, which is a definite favorite in The Kennedy household.
This classic Italian comfort dish is baked with savory mild Italian sausage and ground beef, spaghetti sauce and lots of yummy cheese.
I hope you try this one on yours the next time you have a craving for Baked Penne. Serve alongside a side salad with a crusty baguette and a nice glass of wine.
**Side Note**
Please don’t forget to head on over to Uncle Ben’s Rice and vote for my daughter Kayla and her “Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice.” Remember voting end March 11th… so HURRY and get all your votes in now. It would mean so much to Kayla and I.
Baked Penne with Italian Sausage
Ingredients
1lb ground beef
1lb mild Italian sausage
1 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-32 ounce jar spaghetti sauce, (favorite kind)
1 cup chicken broth, low sodium
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
1 teaspoon basil, dried
1lb package penne pasta
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet add ground beef and the mild Italian sausage, onions and garlic.
Cook over medium high heat stirring frequently until the meat is browned.
Stir in spaghetti sauce, chicken broth, oregano and basil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in 1 cup of spaghetti sauce into the cooked penne noodles.
Spoon 1/2 of the ziti mixture into a 13×9” baking dish.
Sprinkle 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese and ½ cup parmesan cheese on top.
Top with 2 cups of the sauce, then add remaining ziti mixture and top that with the remaining sauce.
Sprinkle the remainder mozzarella and parmesan cheese and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven when chesse is finished; melted and bubbly.
Serve with a side salad and crusty baguette.
Enjoy!
