mmm, hotdish

When I babysat my cousin last weekend, I was looking for something to make for lunch other than sandwiches and chips. Since my cousins are a family of 6, and all the kids play sports, they go through a lot of food. So I went hunting in the pantry. I love throwing together a meal with ingredients already on hand - you never know what you'll find or how they will work together. In the end, I whipped up a hearty, Italian-inspired hotdish. My cousin loved it so much he went back for seconds!

creamy italian hotdish

1 box penne noodles, prepared al dente, drained

1 pound hamburger, cooked with 1 small or 1/2 large onion (chopped) and 1 heaping teaspoon Italian seasoning, drained (you can substitute 1 pound Italian sausage and omit Italian seasoning)

15oz jar alfredo sauce

1/2 of a 15-24oz jar marinara sauce

1/2 of a 9oz bag of fresh spinach

14.5oz can diced tomatoes, drained

13.75oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped

8oz bag shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the cooked noodles, meat, sauces and vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Mix in cheese last.

Transfer to a lightly greased (Pam or olive oil) 9x13 glass or metal baking dish. Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes (convection) or 40 minutes (standard). Remove from oven, remove foil and let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Bake time: 30-40 minutes
Serves: 8-10 hearty portions