Beef and Vegetable Penne Casserole

Ingredients

• •15 leaves basil
• •2 eggs
• •3 cloves garlic
• •¾ pound ground beef
• •1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• •2 teaspoons kosher salt
• •1½ cups cottage cheese
• •1 cup mushrooms
• •olive oil
• •½ pound penne pasta
• •1 red bell pepper
• •½ onion
• •1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• •¾ cup cheddar cheese
• •¾ cup mozzarella cheese
• •3 cups spinach leaves
• •2 large tomatoes
• •1 yellow squash
• •1 zucchini
• •1 can cooking spray

Method

Adapted from foodista.com

1. 1Cook pasta salted water for the minimum cooking time suggested, approximately 5 minutes.
2. 2Drain and set aside.
3. 3In a pan, swirl a bit of olive oil in a pan and add garlic and onions. Cook down, stirring occasionally, until onions soften.
4. 4Add beef to pan with salt, nutmeg and red pepper flakes.
5. 5Cook meat until almost completely browned, approximately 5-7 minutes.
6. 6Take off the heat.
7. 7Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
8. 8Press pasta down on bottom layer.
9. 9Top with cooked beef mixture then tomatoes.
10. 10In a small bowl, mix cottage cheese with eggs.
11. 11Spread over the tomatoes.
12. 12Layer the spinach leaves, followed by red peppers then mushrooms.
13. 13Alternate zucchini and squash in rows on the very top.
14. 14Tuck the basil leaves in between the zucchini and squash pieces.
15. 15Sprinkle the cheddar and mozzarella on top.
16. 16Cover with aluminum foil.
17. 17Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 35 minutes.
18. 18Raise oven heat to 450, remove foil.
19. 19Bake another 5-10 minutes or until bubbly and cheese browns slightly.
20. 20Allow to rest at least 10 minutes after taking it out of the oven.
21. 21Sprinkle with extra basil.