Tried and True

I love using my crock pot in the summer. Can't stand having the oven on, it heats the house up way too much.

Just last night I found a yummy recipe for a pizza hot dish. I have been yearning for this since a friend dropped off a similar casserole for our family when my youngest was born. It is so good. I love this particular recipe because a) it's made in the crock pot and b)I can tweak it each time I make it for the family or picky eaters.

The baby had at least a quarter cup last night and we had it for lunch leftovers today. It was just as good the second time. Pizza is always a hit here. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

(I borrowed the book "Fix it And Forget it" from the bookmobile - I highly recommend it. I have to buy myself a copy.)

Pizza in a Pot
1 1/2 pounds ground beef or bulk Italian sausage(we like it spicy, but for the kiddos I just use ground beef)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 12 oz bag of rigatoni, cooked(I used tri color rotini, my kids love it and it's easier on the budget than wheat pasta)
1 small can of sliced mushrooms
3 oz. sliced pepperoni
16 oz jar of pizza sauce
10 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
10 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

(I added a small can of black olives and I use my own homemade pizza sauce which is pretty condensed as it is just tomato sauce and olive oil and seasoning so I think I used a little less)

Brown the ground beef and onion, drain. Layer half of each of the following, in the order given, in the slow cooker; ground beef and onion, green pepper, noodles, mushrooms, (black olives), pizza sauce, pepperoni, cheeses. Repeat layers.

Cover, cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Note: Keep the pasta covered with sauce so they don't get dry and crunchy. (I added a bit of water around the edges to keep it all moist because I barely cooked the pasta :) it worked!)

I served it with my Italian bread sticks and some fruit. For big people (aka adults) you can add a salad. YUMMO!