Italian Sausage Bake

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 8 ounces ziti pasta (or similar pasta cooked according to package)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 12 ounces mild italian sausage (i remove from casings)
• 1 teaspoon garlic, diced (i recommend 1 tsp but like garlic a lot so go with what you prefer)
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed (optional)
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
• 6 ounces sliced mushrooms (optional)
• 2 (15 ounce) containers of favorite pasta sauce
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese (fresh shredded works best) or 2 tablespoons romano cheese (fresh shredded works best)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400 f and grease 13x9-in baking dish.
• 2 prepare pasta according to package directions.
• 3 heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• 4 add onion and sauté until slightly transparent.
• 5 add sausage and cook stirring frequently to break up, cook until no longer pink.
• 6 add garlic, fennel, italian seasoning and mushrooms.
• 7 stir frequently and cook until mushrooms are tender.
• 8 add sauce, stirring to mix, cook until sauce is heated through. remove from heat.
• 9 add to prepared baking dish and sprinkle evenly with mozzarella and parmesan/romano cheese.
• 10 bake 15 to 17 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
• 11 cool approximately 5 minutes.
• 12 to freeze ahead prepare as above but do not bake.
• 13 cover and freeze up to 2 months.
• 14 thaw overnight in refrigerator.
• 15 preheat oven to 400f and bake 25 to 35 minutes.