Cavatini

I love this dish because it reminds me of my days of working at Pizza Hut and the cavatini that they serve on the buffet seemed unbeatable at the time. This recipe does compare, in my view, as long as it has all the great pizza toppings mixed in.

1 pound hot Italian Sausage
1/2 pound ground beef
handful of quartered pepperoni
1lb 10oz jar of spaghetti sauce (I like the Ragu "margherita" for the pizza flavor)
1 cup taco sauce
A few shakes of Italian Seasoning (if you stock up on that)
4 cups uncooked shell macaroni
chunky chopped green peppers, onions, and mushrooms (as desired)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown the sausage and hamburger, drain. Add the pepperoni, sauces, spices, and vegetables; simmer. Cook macaroni and add to meat mixture; pour into a large 9x13-inch baking dish or 2 or 3 smaller casserole dishes. Sprinkle cheese on top. You can either freeze it at this point or bake it at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes just until the cheese is melted. I put this meal into three different 8x8 pans, froze two and cooked one. That seems to be the perfect amount for my husband and me along with our two small kids that don't really eat much. Serves 6-8.