From the “what the fuck should I cook for fucking dinner” files…

There were green peppers on the verge of spoiling in the fridge.  We also had a mountain of meat, enough boxes of pasta to build a fortress to keep the birthers away, some yellow onions and mozzarella cheese.  I started thinking of what to make for dinner and decided – fuck it.  What if I put it all in a casserole and call it something?  How bad can it be?

With that, I present Kang’s Faked Ziti

• 1 pound pasta (I’m partial to Rotini because it reminds me of my beautifully, springy curly hair)
• 2 jars Marinara sauce
• 1 pound ground meat or Italian sausage
• 2 green bell peppers, sliced and chunked
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• Fresh garlic
• Mozzarella cheese

• Brown meat, drain, set aside.
• Cook pasta – remove from heat one or two minutes prior to instructed cooking time, reserve approximately 1 cup of pasta water, strain.
• Sautee peppers, onions and garlic on low-ish heat in olive oil until onions are translucent.
• Grab pasta pot and dump meat, veg and 1 jar of sauce.  Blend with spoon of choice.
• Add noodles and some of the reserved water, stir again.
• Eyeball and sample.  If necessary, add more sauce.
• Open bag o’ shredded mozzarella, dump in pot, stir.
• Dump in baking dish.
• Dump more cheese on top.
• Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees until gooey and bubbly (25 – 30 minutes-ish)

It’s not a science.  It’s not even proper baked ziti.  It is, however, a great way to use up items that are nearing an expiration date, it’s damn easy to make and everyone loves stuff covered in a good marinara and cheese.

Tray full of om nom nom and win prior to baking (and prior to additional cheese-ing for the cheese inclined)