Cheesy Meat Sauce and Pasta Casserole

This is another back to basics recipe for the winter, and possibly a take along to a friend's house for lunch or dinner.

Gather together "twistie" pasta, shredded cheddar cheese, bread crumbs, olive oil, and basil.

 Also red tomato pasta sauce of your choosing, and one and one half (1 1/2) pounds of ground beef chopped meat

Render the chopped meat in a heavy cast iron frying pan.

Drain off any extra liquid.

 Stir in red tomato sauce

 Cook for a short time.

 Fill a large sauce pot with cold water, and sprinkle in salt.

 Prepare casserole dish with a coating of olive oil.

 Cook pasta until almost done.

 Drain pasta

On arrange casserole elements before starting to combine sauce and pasta.

 Spread a bit of sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish.

 Add a layer of pasta,

 then sprinkle  a layer of shredded cheddar cheese,

 next a layer of meat sauce.

 Continue layering pasta,cheese and sauce until casserole is full.

 End layering with a top layer of shredded cheese.

 Sprinkle a small amount of bread crumbs on top to add crunch.

 Add basil flaked on top for flavor.

Bake at 350 degrees F until cheese, sauce, and pasta are combined until well melted.

Now you can carry the casserole to a friend's for a comfort style meal.