September 2, 2011

Italian Baked Penne

My sister sent me this message months ago. I tried it a few days ago..and I'm SO glad!! It's the BEST baked pasta dish I've had HANDS DOWN! So full of veggies and so tasty! Give it a try. This feeds about 2,000 people. :) Or 8-10.

Italian Baked Penne

1 13.25 oz package penne noodles
1 lb ground turkey or ground turkey sausage
1 c onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 can Italian style diced tomatoes
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
3 c raw spinach, chopped
8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 c Parmesan Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease 9x13 baking dish; set aside.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
3. In a extra large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground turkey, onion, and garlic until turkey is no longer pink. Add pepper, Italian seasoning, fresh basil, mushrooms, and tomatoes; simmer 6-8 minutes. Add salt and simmer 2 minutes more.
4. Add cooked pasta to sauce and mix well. Add spinach, cheese, and 1/3 c of the Parmesan cheese; blend well. Add mixture to 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 2/3 c Parm cheese on top.
5. Bake 15 minutes, or until Parm cheese is melted. Serve warm.

5 comments:

  1. All of these dishes look amazing. I need to try them out. My goal would be to try something so delicious at least once a month.

    on a side note, I've given you a blogging award. Check out my blog to see it. lauradbastian.blogspot.com

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  2. We loved it and I was happy to have some left over for the following night. It looks like you forgot to put in the instructions to add the mushrooms which are listed as an ingredient. My family loves pasta dishes so thanks for sharing this Tamara!

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    1. Thank you, Nancy! I fixed it! I wish my kids loved pasta as much as yours. They're so picky! ;)

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  3. Just made this last night for the fam and Chrisie (Walt's out of town). Everyone ate it with no complaints about the green stuff and asked for seconds. I love that it makes so much. We had enough to feed 7 with left-overs and some that I stuck in the freezer for one of those crazy days with no time to cook. That will be happening soon - baseball season is quickly approaching.

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    1. This is the perfect dish for plenty of leftovers! They can be a little dry but you can add some pasta sauce, stirring it in to your desired wetness. Glad you found something that works for your family!

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