Cross Country Pasta Party {Spaghetti & Baked Ziti}

My Dad taught me how to make 'Ultimate Spaghetti Sauce'! He has 3 items on the household menu that he cooks: Spaghetti, French Toast, and Frozen Pizza's. I must add that he makes them all very well... he knows his stuff!

Here is how you 'doctor up' a jar of Prego, and let me tell you, there is a real transformation here!

Dad's Ultimate Spaghetti Sauce:

Ingredients:

1- four pound jar of Prego

1- pound of Italian sausage

1-pound of ground lean hamburger

1 T oregano

1 T Italian seasoning

2 T sugar

1 large onion

1 T olive oil

Directions:

Cook Italian sausage and hamburger, drain juices. Cut up onion, and simmer in olive oil on medium heat in a separate pan from the meat. Add seasonings and sugar. Combine all of the ingredients, along with the Prego. Simmer for 10 minutes, then serve over your choice of pasta.

In order to feed the 45 hungry athletes, I tripled the sauce recipe, boiled pounds of angel hair spaghetti pasta, added a salad, toasted french bread and made Rachel's Baked Ziti:

BAKED ZITI

1 lb ziti/penne pasta

1 onion chopped

1 lb ground turkey

1 cup cottage cheese

1 clove minced garlic

light sour cream

8 oz sliced provolone cheese

1 c. shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese

1 50 oz jar pasta sauce

Spray casserole dish

Boil and drain pasta and set aside

brown ground turkey, onion and garlic - add pasta sauce

layer 1/2 the pasta, a layer of provolone, a thin layer of the light sour cream and cottage cheese, 1/2 the sauce mixture, remaining pasta, the mozzarella and remaining sauce. Top with the parmesan.

Cook for 30 min @350 or until warm and cheeses are melted.

The Baked Ziti a great dish, and freezes well.

I must add that the girls brought dessert, and the boys donated the drinks! Go Nighthawks!