Cheesy BBQ Casserole

  Yesterday was GORGEOUS! Like 85* and perfect out!!!!

  Man, I love Spring time!  There is something so exciting about coming out of the dead of Winter into Spring. Full of new life and new beginnings! The birds are back and singing in the trees, the new shoots of green grass are poking through the dead brown grass of winter,  and the days of summer are just around the corner. 

  On days like this, all I want to do is get outside, and play with my kids, rather than be in the kitchen all afternoon, working on dinner prep!  So yesterday, for a special treat, I let Tylan skip his “resting time” in his bed, to go lay on a quilt outside and read, and bird watch with his toilet paper roll binoculars, until I could join him.

  He was a bit lonely and kept wanting to talk to me through the kitchen window, so when I heard Paxton wake up, I took him out to keep his big brother company until I could join them.

  This is the site that greeted me next time I stepped to the kitchen sink:

Precious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  My agenda, once chores were done, was to paint my toes and hang with my boys!  (Avery was still napping at this point.)  I had a “helper” that made toe painting interesting, but I eventually got it done.

  Done that is, after a major re-do, from a diapered bottom sitting smack down on my still wet big toe!  🙂 

  Next up: the recipe!

   This recipe was so simple I almost skipped it!   I am not a recipe snob! (ok, maybe kinda!)  But I had to wonder how good it could be with such basic ingredients?!?!?!! 🙂 

  I seriously almost didn’t make it, but turns out, it tasted great!  The perfect “throw together” meal after an extra busy day of laying in the sun and painting my nails. 🙂

  The BBQ sauce makes this dish deeeeelicious!  I used Sweet Baby Ray’s, my FAVORITE BBQ sauce.

• 3 cups Macaroni Style Uncooked Pasta (Long Sticks, Not Traditional Macaroni)
• 1 pound Ground Beef
• 1 whole Medium Onion
• ¼ cups Fresh Parsley
• 1 cup Milk
• 2 cups Of Your Favorite BBQ Sauce
• 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
• 2 cups Monterey Jack Cheese
• BBQ Sauce As Garnish

Preparation Instructions

Heat oven to 350*. Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray. (I used my P. Chef round baker.)
Cook and drain pasta according to package directions.
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8-10 minutes until beef is brown, drain.
Stir pasta, 3 T. Parsley, milk, BBQ sauce, mozzarella cheese and 1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese into beef in skillet. Stir well.
Spoon mixture into casserole dish.
Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, parsley, plus a swirl of BBQ sauce across the entire surface.
Bake uncovered 30-40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!  I am off to work my “4 & No More” Baby Stuff Sale at my mom’s house, today and tomorrow.  Not to mention, next week is Spring Break for Destiny!

WOO-HOO 🙂

~T