Uncle Guido's Tailgate Beef 'n Pasta

This recipe makes a rib-sticking, Italian flavor dish, perfect for tailgating in cold weather. It's also good comfort food any time of the year.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 10-12
• Yields: 4 quarts

Ingredients

• 2  lbs lean ground beef
• 1  sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1  green pepper, finely chopped
• 4  garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 (4 ounce) cans mushroom stems and pieces
• 1  tablespoon  italian seasoning
• 1  tablespoon oregano
• 1  teaspoon basil
• 4 (15 ounce) cans Italian stewed tomatoes
• 1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1  teaspoon anise seed
• 2  bay leaves
• 1  teaspoon  crushed  red pepper
• 1  tablespoon sweet sherry
• 5  ounces romano cheese, grated
• 1 (13 ounce) box rotini pasta

Directions

1. At home the day before the tailgate: brown the ground beef, drain grease and set aside.
2. Saute the onion, green pepper and garlic until tender. Add mushrooms, Italian seasoning, oregano and basil. Add browned ground beef and reduce heat.
3. Add stewed tomatoes and tomato paste, stirrring until all ingredients are blended.
4. Add bay leaves, anise seed, crushed red pepper, grated Romano cheese and sweet sherry. Stir all ingredients and simmer the beef sauce for about 4 hours.
5. Cook the Rotini according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water, then add as much Rotini as desired to the beef sauce.
6. Remove the beef 'n pasta from heat and let stand until cool. Remove bay leaves. Refrigerate beef 'n pasta over night in a large plastic container.
7. At the tailgate the next morning: re-heat the beef 'n and pasta, being careful not to burn it. Serve in bowls and offer additional grated Romano cheese, crushed red pepper, garlic toast and red wine.