Favorite Ingredient Friday

Cavatini

1 lb. ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 jar Ragu pasta sauce (any flavor)

1- 3.50z. pkg. pepperoni

1 package penne pasta (or any type of "tube" pasta)

12 oz. mozzarella cheese, divided

spices (I use garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper)

optional:

1 green pepper, diced

1 small can of mushrooms

1 small jar of olives

Brown ground beef with small onion. While ground beef is browning cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta. Mix together ground beef mixture, pasta, pepperoni, pasta sauce, spices, 8 oz. of cheese, and optional ingredients if you wish. Pour into a 9x13" glass baking dish. Bake at 350* for 30-45 minutes. During last 15 minutes of baking top with additional cheese.

**This makes a big dish of cavatini - usually when I make this I divide it into 2 - 8x8" baking pans and freeze one for later.