One of my favorite quick and easy, make it through the work week recipes is for Pasta Bake.  This recipe was originally discovered on a Prego spaghetti sauce label quite a few years ago.

Gather these ingredients:

• 16 oz. of uncooked pasta (use any shape)
• 1 – 24 oz jar of spaghetti sauce
• 1 – full jar of water (use the sauce jar)
• 2-3 cups of shredded mozzarella

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. Pour uncooked pasta into a 9 x 13″ pan, and add the sauce and water.
3. Stir and bake covered with foil for 35 minutes.  This allows the pasta to cook in the sauce and water mixture.
4. Uncover, sprinkle the top with the mozzarella.
5. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.  The cheese should be golden brown.
6. Remove from the oven and serve with a salad and your favorite garlic bread.

Variations:

This is a great recipe to embellish with  your favorite ingredients.  You can easily add italian sausage, mushrooms, or any other favorite italian goodies that you love before you put the pan in the oven for the first time.  I also highly recommend using a rotelle pasta, that is our current favorite around the Party House.

This is a great recipe if you are a beginner cook.  It is so simple and yummy and scrumptious.  You are guaranteed a great dinner.  Oh and it is also a great dinner for a crowd.  If you have a crowd like mine though you need more than one pan.  The leftovers, if you are lucky enough to have any will warm up like a leftover spaghetti sauce.  And finally if you make your own spaghetti sauce, like I do, you can substitute your homemade sauce for the bottled stuff.  This recipe is definitely a family favorite, and will be passed along for generations to come.  Buon appetito!!