Baked Pasta

This is just a springboard idea.  There are so many different ways to make this, and so many different ingredients that can go into it.  It freezes well, too, and is great for leftovers for lunch the next day.

Baked Pasta


Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground chicken (or turkey, or sirloin)
• olive oil
• Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
• 1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 jar no-sugar-added pasta sauce (I like Trader Joe's organic marinara)
• 1 pound whole wheat pasta, cooked to al dente per package directions
• 1 small tub (8 oz.) fat free cottage cheese
• 8 oz. part skim mozzarella, shredded

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large skillet, brown ground chicken in a tablespoon of olive oil and season to taste with TSSS.  Drain.
• Add spinach and pasta sauce.  Bring to a boil.
• Stir in the cooked pasta and remove from heat.
• Spoon half of the mixture into a large baking dish.
• Layer on the cottage cheese, then top with the rest of the pasta mixture.
• Bake for 30 minutes until bubbling.  Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top and return to oven for 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted.
• Serve hot.