Johnny Marzetti Casserole

1. Preheat your oven to 350 °F. Grease or spray a 9x13 casserole dish.
2. Cook the pasta according to the package directions to a firm al dente. Remember, you are cooking it further in the oven; you don't want mush. Drain and rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.
3. Fry the ground beef and Italian sausage in a large skillet until browned. Then drain out the grease, reserving a tablespoon or so in the pan, and place the cooked ground meat in a bowl.
4. Mix the onion and mushrooms into the skillet grease and cook until soft. Add in the garlic, and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
5. Stir in the Italian seasoning, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and white sugar. Simmer briefly, then stir in the ground meat. Remove from the heat and set aside.
6. Spread a little bit of the meat sauce on the bottom of the prepared dish, then top with the pasta.
7. Sprinkle the Italian blend cheese over the pasta, then pour the remaining sauce over top.
8. Cover and cook in the oven for 45 minutes or until the casserole is bubbling. When ready, uncover, sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top, and cook again until the cheese is melted and bubbling on top.
9. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes to set, then spoon onto plates to serve.

Slow Cooker

1. Grease or spray the inside of the slow cooker.
2. Cook the pasta according to the package directions to a firm al dente. Remember, you are cooking it even further in the oven or crockpot, you don't want mush.
3. Cook the pasta according to the package directions to a firm al dente. Remember, you are cooking it even further in the oven; you don't want mush. Drain, rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.
4. Fry the ground beef and Italian sausage in a large skillet until browned. Then drain out the grease, reserving a tablespoon or so in the pan, and place the cooked ground meat in a bowl.
5. Mix the onion and mushrooms into the skillet grease and cook until soft. Add in the garlic, and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
6. Stir in the Italian seasoning, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Simmer briefly, then stir in the ground meat. Remove from the heat and set aside.
7. Spread a little bit of the meat sauce on the bottom of the dish, then top with the pasta.
8. Cover and cook in the slow cooker on low for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or the casserole is heated through completely. When ready, uncover, sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top and then cover again until melted.
9. Use a spoon to serve portions on plates and enjoy.