Pizza Casserole

It was one of those days again - Baby had been crying pretty much all day, barely even giving me a second to use the bathroom in peace let alone to cook a whole meal for dinner! And that was all I could think about... What should I make for dinner; no groceries, no time, what to do?!  Have you ever had days like these, exhausted by midday and still have to think about what to cook for dinner even though you have no ideas whatsoever! Well you're in luck! This week I'm sharing a recipe for a perfect weeknight meal - a pizza casserole. This 30 minute meal (not including bake time) is so easy and definitely a kid pleaser. Even better, this is a great way to sneak in some leftover veggies into your kids' meals. Though I have to say, my husband and I loved this as much as the next kid!

I used mushrooms, corn, and olives for my casserole, but you can add any vegetables that you have leftover in the fridge (or buy specifically for the recipe, haha). Chopped up carrots, bell pepper, and onion are a few of the veggies that would be great in the casserole. I used rotini pasta because this small pasta with lots of grooves is great for casseroles. The sauce clings to each individual pasta. Other great pastas for this recipe would be any small pastas such as penne, pinwheel, or even bow tie pasta.  Basically, what I'm trying to say is that this recipe is insanely personalizable and go crazy with it! Good luck in the kitchen and don't forget to send me pics of your end result!

Pizza Casserole (Serves 6-8)

1 lb box rotini pasta 1 25 oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce 1 can of corn (or 8 oz frozen corn) 1 8 oz box of sliced mushrooms   1 can of olives 1 tbls olive oil 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder to taste any other pizza toppings you enjoy Preheat the oven to 350º.

Lets get started on making the sauce. Start by heating up the olive oil in a medium sauce pan. Slice up the mushrooms and sauté them till they wilt. 

Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. 

Once the mushrooms are sautéed, add the corn and stir till heated through. At this stage, you can add any additional vegetables or pizza toppings that you like and cook them through. Then add in the jar of pasta sauce and seasonings to taste. Cook till it starts to simmer and bubble, then turn off the heat and set it aside.

Once your pasta is cooked and drained, combine it with the sauce and half the jar of olives. 

Lightly grease a 9x13 pan and evenly pour in the pasta mixture. I divided my pasta between two pans, a 9x13 and an 8x8, which worked out fine. Sprinkle on the cheese and dress your "pizza" with any toppings you like, including the other half of the jar of olives. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and lightly browned. Serve and enjoy!

Fun fact, the big yellow flower in the center is called a spider mum... Kinda makes you not like it as much, right?