Millennium Italian Casserole

From My Great Recipes. One of my favorites!

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package jumbo pasta shells
• 8  ounces ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
• 6  tablespoons butter or 6  tablespoons margarine, melted
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1  cup mushroom, sliced
• 1  green pepper, diced
• 1  cup  pepperoni, thinly sliced
• 2 (6 ounce) packages mozzarella cheese, presliced
• 1⁄2 lb ground beef (or turkey)
•  dried oregano
•  black pepper

Directions

1. Cook shells as directed on package. Drain.
2. Sauté ground beef. Mix cottage or ricotta cheese, butter, and tomato sauce until well blended.
3. Stir in mushrooms and green pepper, blending well. Add oregano and pepper.
4. Place layer of cooked shells in bottom of lightly buttered casserole. Cover with layer of cottage cheese mixture. Top with half of the pepperoni. Place 2 slices Mozzarella cheese on top. Crumble 1/3 ground beef evenly over cheese.
5. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ending with Mozzarella cheese on top, ringed with pepperoni slices.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly.