Pesto Bacon Pasta Bake!

I found this recipe on Budget Bytes.  This is a great site for planning meals on a budget.  They break down the cost of each meal by ingredient and serving...pretty awesome!  Check them out!  I definitely plan on using some more of their recipes after this one was a hit.  If you love pesto and BACON, like I do, you're bound to like this recipe.

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Pesto Bacon Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

1 box whole wheat penne pasta 

14 ounces basil pesto

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Procedure:

*  Heat the oven to 350*.  Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.

*  Cook the whole wheat penne until it is al dente, drain and then return to the pot.  Set aside.

*  While the pasta is cooking, half the tomatoes and cook the bacon.  Drain the bacon on a paper towel to remove excess grease.  Crumble the bacon into bite sized pieces.

*  To the cooked pasta, add the pesto, tomatoes, bacon, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.  Stir to completely combine.

*  Add the pasta to the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.

*  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is gooey and melted.

ENJOY!