Big Recipe: Pizza casserole

Easy Pizza Pasta Casserole
20 servings 1 1/4 hrs 20 min prep

2 lbs ground beef or ground venison (about $4 - if I use ground turkey, it's healthier & would be <$2)
1 large onion, chopped (about 30 cents)
1 clove garlic, minced (about 30 cents)
1 teaspoon italian seasoning (negligible)
2 tablespoons olive oil (negligible)
2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce (about $4)
16 ounces rotini pasta, cooked and drained (about 60 cents)
5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (20 oz) (about $4)
4 ounces sliced pepperoni (about 80 cents)

1. Brown ground beef, onion, garlic and seasoning in oil.
2. Drain.
3. Stir in pasta, spaghetti sauce and 3 cups cheese.
4. Place mixture in 2 greased 9x13x2 inch baking pans or 4 square pans.
5. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
6. Top with pepperoni. (I'm not crazy about pepperoni. Without the pepperoni, this would be just as good, as a "baked pasta dish")
7. Cover and freeze up to 3 months.

To cook now: Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until heated through.
To bake frozen casserole: Thaw in refrigerator overnight and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, till hot

The cost of the big casserole was $12 at Aldi. For 20 servings, that comes out to 60 cents a serving- and this is good! It was perfect for what we used the recipe for- cooking it in a big foil turkey-roaster pan and serving it to a large group, but I think it would be even better used as a once-a-month cooking recipe, divided into 4 square pans (the recipe's intended purpose). When I have a chest freezer, with room to store cooked-ahead meals, I definitely plan on including this one.