Beef And Italian Sausage Casserole

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 lb hot italian sausage or 1 lb sweet italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1 (28 ounce) can italian plum tomatoes, drained (reserve 2 tablespoons juice)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed, drained
• salt and pepper
• 1 lb mostaccioli pasta, cooked al dente, drained
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh italian parsley
• nonstick cooking spray
• 12 ounces fontina or 12 ounces provolone cheese, grated

Recipe

• 1 cook first 6 ingredients in large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until sausage and beef are brown, crumbling with fork, about 5 minutes.
• 2 add tomatoes, 2 tablespoons juice (from tomatoes), tomato paste and pepper flakes; simmer 5 minutes, breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon.
• 3 add kidney beans and heat through.
• 4 season with salt and pepper.
• 5 add mostaccioli, parmesan and parsley and toss to combine.
• 6 spray 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
• 7 transfer mixture to prepared pan.
• 8 sprinkle with cheese.
• 9 bake until cheese melts, about 30 minutes.