Super Simple " Eye"talian Meatball Casserole

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 12 large meatballs (italian sausage or ground beef, can use more to suit family needs and size of meatballs)
• 16 ounces tomato sauce
• 16 ounces crushed tomatoes (or use fresh cut up)
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 medium chopped onion
• 1 jalapeno pepper (optional)
• 1/4 cup water
• boiling water
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder (i use more- we love garlic, fresh garlic can be substituted)
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 16 ounces ziti pasta (any pasta with a grab- ridges to hold sauce)

Recipe

• 1 if meatballs are frozen, thaw in microwave to just warmed.
• 2 put tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes tomato paste, chopped onion, jalapeno pepper, 1/4 cup water, 8 oz of cheese, and seasonings in a 9 x 13 casserole dish and blend together.
• 3 in the meantime, boil water and make noodles to al dente.
• 4 drain noodles, add to casserole dish and blend in, making sure sauce covers all the noodles.
• 5 add meatballs and gently blend in cheese.
• 6 sprinkle 4 oz of cheese on top, covering casserole dish.
• 7 put in oven at 350°f for 30 minutes.
• 8 check for burning of cheese (may cover with aluminum foil gently to prevent some burning or browning of cheese).
• 9 cooking is to warm through and through and to melt cheese. if your oven cooks hot or altitude is high, adjust time in oven.
• 10 options:.
• 11 i have also made this in a smaller casserole dish and microwaved for a faster dinner in less than 20 minutes.
• 12 may substitute cheese flavors such as fiesta blend, taco blend to give another flavor.
• 13 measurements are not exact on spices as i eyeball them, cheese is a few handfuls in the dish and 1 handful on top.
• 14 my meatballs are italian sausage meatballs but can be turkey, ground beef or a mixture of any kind.
• 15 note: prep does not include boiling water.