FROM THE KITCHEN

RIGATONI

Name: RIGATONI
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lbs ground beef; 1 box rigatoni pasta; 28 oz diced tomatoes; 5.5 oz tomato paste; 24 oz pasta sauce; 1/2 cup fresh celery, diced; 1/2 cup fresh carrots, diced; 1 cup fresh onion, diced; 1/2 cup fresh green pepper, diced; 1 cup cottage cheese; 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese; 2 tsp sugar; 1 tsp ground parsley; 1/2 tsp ground oregano; 1/4 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 tsp dried basil; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp pepper

The best rigatoni you'll ever have simple as that. A hearty slow-cooker meat and vegetable sauce served over rigatoni, with cottage cheese and mozzarella mixed into the freezer-prep base.

Prep25 min Cook8 hours, plus pasta cooking time RestOvernight thaw Serves8 DifficultyEasy

HOUSE RECIPE

Make it.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 box rigatoni pasta
28 oz diced tomatoes
5.5 oz tomato paste
24 oz pasta sauce
1/2 cup fresh celery, diced
1/2 cup fresh carrots, diced
1 cup fresh onion, diced
1/2 cup fresh green pepper, diced
1 cup cottage cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp ground parsley
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Method

Place all ingredients except the pasta sauce and rigatoni into a freezer bag and seal.
Freeze until ready to use.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Dump the contents of the bag into the slow cooker and add the pasta sauce.
Cook on LOW for 8 hours, stirring halfway through.
Prepare the rigatoni according to the package directions.
Serve the rigatoni topped with the sauce.