Layered meat sauce, pasta, and cheese baked in one dish. Pasta in a Pot is a filling meal that can be prepared in advance.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a photo of pasta?? Maybe it’s just me and the fact that after two years of food blogging, I’m still pretty much winging it when I take photos. It could be a setting on my camera that’s off. Auto setting isn’t ideal for all pictures I’m noticing, and I know there is definitely a lighting issue (lack of natural light) that I have to deal with, but even with those challenges, I’ve tried to photograph this dish three different times, and each time the photos went into the digital trash bin!

I’m still not pleased with what I’m sharing today, but I NEED to quit being so critical and just share this recipe with you! This a great dish to serve when you’re feeding a lot of hungry bellies. Don’t you have more meals to make around the holidays when everyone is on vacation? It seems like I do!

Pasta in a Pot is a recipe from my mother-in-law. She serves it when the family gets together. It’s one of those dishes that looks effortless when served because it can be assembled ahead of time. While everyone is gathered in the kitchen, you can nonchalantly pop the casserole dish it in the oven!  No one will notice dinner is cooking until they start to smell the aroma of  tomato, garlic, pasta and cheese!

I suggest that when someone asks what they can do to help, you immediately delegate the salad making duties, then sip on some wine, and prop your feet on the living room table 🙂

Mom Karen uses pasta shells, and I do too, but I’ll mix it up with penne and rigatoni pastas, depending on what I have in my pantry. Pictured is wheat pasta (shhhhh, no one knew!). I also add some Italian sausage to the meat sauce for some extra flavor.

This recipe will feed 6-8 people. We love having leftovers of this dish. The flavors seem to continue to develop after a couple of days.