Beef and Penne Casserole

This is home cooking at its best (and a family favorite), the combination of lean ground beef, tomatoes, penne pasta and a pinch of reduced-fat cheese. Sometimes I want half 10-ounce package fresh spinach (squeezed) and stir into meat mixture and tomato.
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:

* 1 / 2 pound penne pasta
* 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
* 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce, no salt added
* 1 teaspoon oregano
* 1 pound extra lean or lean ground beef
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 1 / 2 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella and cheddar cheese blend

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil pasta according to package directions. Do not overcook. Drain and reserve. Meanwhile, in a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray, saute onion and ground beef on medium high heat until meat is browned. Add crushed tomatoes, sauce and oregano and stir well. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Drain the pasta into a greased 2-quart baking dish, add the meat and tomato mixture and stir well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 25 minutes.

Serves 4-6

Per serving: Calories 299 Calories from Fat 60, Total Fat 6.6g (Sat 3.2g), Cholesterol 54mg, 216mg sodium, 35.3g carbohydrates, 3.1g fiber, 24.5g protein