Leslie's Baked Ziti

This very versatile recipe has evolved so much that I can barely read the recipe card it started on - there are so many side notes!  My most recent and favored version combines Italian sausage, fresh mushrooms and spinach for an easy anytime dish.  This is also great as a "meals-on-wheels" dinner, as I call them.

Ingredients:
12 oz whole wheat penne pasta
16 oz mild Italian sausage, ground
About 1 C chopped yellow onion*
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Cremini, white or Baby Bella mushrooms (your choice) - about 2 C thickly sliced*
About 3 C fresh spinach, roughly chopped*
1 jar tomato & basil pasta sauce
8 oz can tomato sauce
8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
Couple handfuls of shredded Romano cheese

*These are estimates - I never really measure!  :-)

1. Start a large pot of water to boil then cook pasta until just al dente.  (It will finish up in the oven.)
2. While pasta is working, cook sausage, onions & garlic until sausage is no longer pink.
3. Add mushrooms to the skillet & cook another 5 minutes.
4. Add spinach to the skillet, stir in & let it wilt.
5. Drain pasta and return to the pot, stir in sausage mixture, pasta sauce, tomato sauce & half of the cheese.  Mix well, then pour into a large baking dish & cover with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
6. Remove foil & top with remaining cheese.  Return to the oven, uncovered, for another 5 minutes or so, until the cheese is nice & bubbly.
7.  Remove from oven & allow to cool for 10-15 minutes... while you prepare garlic toast or other side!  ENJOY!

Kitchen note: As I mentioned, this is a great recipe for sharing. When I take this meal to someone, I dish it into 2 seperate baking dishes (foil baking pans are perfect) then deliver one unbaked with the extra cheese on the side and directions on a Post-it... and keep the other for me.  :-)  It could also be made ahead and refrigerated, etc.  You can even bake it in individual servings!

Variations: Try a vegetarian ziti with zucchini and yellow squash instead of sausage... or substitute chicken for something different!