Cheesy Baked Pasta

Today I’m sharing another pasta dish with you, courtesy of our sponsor Skinner® pasta. I hope you’ll love it!

You may recall that a few days ago, I posted about a Texas themed pasta – a dish that we all adore here at our home just outside of Houston. It’s become a regular on the lunch and dinner rotation this summer, because of the great flavor, the ease of preparation (who really loves cooking in the summer?), and of course, the fun shapes.

Today I have another pasta dish that we have been loving just as much, and dare I say it? It’s even easier than the Texas dish!

Back in Virginia, my mom used to always make us a baked spaghetti. It was meaty, and cheesy, and all the good things pasta should be. My friends and other family had a tradition of just showing up to her house on Sundays at 2, ready to eat and laugh and take overdue naps on the couch. She would prepare two big pans of it, so that she could serve one, and then freeze one if less people showed up. Genius, I believe, as on any given weeknight when no one felt like cooking or going out, all she had to do was pull it from the freezer and pop it into the oven.

Today marks a full three months that I have not seen my parents. That may not seem like a big deal to you, but where I am from, family is everything. I used to see my folks almost every day, as they lived only a few blocks from me. Now that I am a Texan, traveling back home to see them gets really expensive. So, when I was asked by Skinner to share another pasta dish with you, I immediately thought of mom’s spaghetti. It feels like friendship, and home, and sometimes, no matter how old you are, you really just want your parents.

After a how-to direct from Mom, I planned out my dinner, and had every intention of making it a couple of days later, just in time for National Friendship Day. Skinner pasta is about as friendly as it gets – easy to cook, great taste, great bite, and great price. It’s always in my pantry, too, so, I’m in good shape!

But wait.

I wasn’t in good shape. As a caterer, I totally forgot that I had made a huge macaroni dish a few days prior, and had run out of pasta. Luckily for me, Instacart is a thing. A personal shopper that takes my list, shops, and delivers it to me in no time flat. I didn’t even have to get out of my pajamas! It makes those days where you have NO TIME to even breathe a little more bearable, by delegating the grocery shopping to someone else. So, within a couple of hours, I had my ingredients in hand thanks to Instacart, and set about to make my dinner!

Me being me, I had to change mom’s recipe just a little, so I opted to use large elbow macaroni in place of spaghetti. Having a nine-year-old messy eater, it’s just smarter to choose a less clumsy pasta shape if you don’t want to be pre-treating all of his laundry in a few hours. The elbows worked wonderfully, and paired with the creamy sauce and cheeses, this simple dish is the epitome of home. Warm, filling, and full of love.

Cheesy Baked Pasta

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package Skinner Pasta Large Elbows
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 cups favorite pasta sauce
• 2 large eggs
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 can water
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 cups grated Colby cheese
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Prepare Skinner pasta according to package directions.
3. While pasta is cooking, combine ground beef, garlic and onion powders in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until cooked through. Drain if needed, and add pasta sauce, 2 large eggs (beaten) evaporated milk, and a can full of water (use the empty milk can). Stir to combine.
4. Drain cooked pasta and add the prepared meat sauce. For easier clean up, do this by mixing ingredients in two standard baking dishes.
5. Top pasta filled baking dishes with grated Colby. Bake at 350 until cheese is completely melted and beginning to brown. Season as desired. Serve and enjoy!

For More Information on Skinner Pasta
Skinner pasta is the #1 pasta in Texas, and for great reason…it’s family friendly and delicious! Everyone deserves great pasta, and Skinner makes that possible by being tasty AND budget friendly. It’s also enriched and has earned Non-GMO Project Verification on its most popular pasta products.

You can learn more at the Skinner pasta Website, as well as on Facebook and Twitter. Join us!

INSTACART FREE GROCERY DELIVERY

In honor of National Friendship Day, Skinner is partnering with Instacart to provide free grocery delivery for customers only in Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Dallas. Just buy one (1) package of Skinner pasta and get free grocery delivery. Customers who don’t qualify for free delivery (e.g. Instacart Express Customers or first time customers) will receive $5 off their order. Delivery must be $35 or more to quality for free delivery or $5 off.

#HOWDYSKINNERSWEEPSTAKES

Got a Bestie? Win a Texas-sized getaway! Visit HowdySkinner.com to enter for your chance to win a three-night stay for you and a friend at the Marriott Marquis Houston including airfare and $500 spending money to enjoy the city’s sites, restaurants and attractions. Other prizes include a membership to Care.com and $500 to give you more “me” time by covering your dog walking, babysitting, and housekeeping services, or free pasta for a year for you and a friend. Sweepstakes kicks off on National Friendship Day (8/6/17) at 12:01 a.m. CDT; ends 9/6/17 at 11:59:59 p.m. CDT Visit HowdySkinner.com to enter and see official rules.

Disclaimer: As mentioned, this post is in sponsorship with Skinner pasta. All thoughts and opinions are my own.