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1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
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2
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. (while it is cooking, go to step 4)
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3
Drain and set aside.
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4
Spray a medium sized saucepan with the cooking spray, or if you want you can use a tsp of olive oil.
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5
Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute or so over medium heat.
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6
Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, and drain the liquids. (If you are using a meat substitute, like Boca, you won't have to cook it, just throw it in and add a few tablespoons of water) Keep the pan at medium heat.
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7
Add the thyme, oregano, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir to coat the beef, and cook for another minute or so.
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8
Add the tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil.
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9
Then, reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes (or until you are ready to place it into the dish) Spoon a small amount of the mixture into the bottom of a 4- quart casserole dish (this should be barely enough to cover the surface).
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10
Top with half of the cooked pasta, and then layer half of the tomato mixture over the pasta, then layer half of the cheese.
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11
Layer the remaining pasta on top, and top the pasta with the remaining sauce (the sauce may be liquidy, so just pour it on) and cheese. I always just use enough cheese to make each layer, so it is probably going to be more than the 1 cup.
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12
Cover the dish with foil and bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. (During the last couple of minutes I take off the foil.)
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13
Enjoy!
