Baked Rigatoni

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This is the first dinner I ever learned to make. I learned this recipe in my middle school Home Economics class. I've put my own twist on it, and really enjoy dressing it up. But on nights when I need something fast for my family, or that I can take to a sick friend, this is a great one to pull out of my hat with very little effort.

Anyone can make this! 

4 ingredients:

Rigatoni noodles (Cook them first!!)

Your favorite Spaghetti Sauce

Ricotta (or cottage) Cheese

Mozzarella Cheese (shredded)

If you really wanted to get fancy and cut down on calories, or make this gluten free, you could use zoodles or spaghetti squash instead of the pasta. Sometimes I add spinach, ground turkey or sausage to mix it up. Use your imagination- any veggie addition would be delicious!

Mix everything together- just reserve about 1/3 of the mozzarella to sprinkle on top.

Now at this point you can either stick it in the fridge to stick in the oven later, or go ahead and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Bake covered for 15 minutes, and then uncovered for 15 minutes.

Then dish up and serve. I served mine tonight with a big pile of steamed broccoli seasoned with garlic salt and pepper. 

Now that the children's belly's are full- they should be happy to do the dishes for you. Ok, maybe that's a topic for another post.