Cottage casserole

12 ounces bow tie or elbow pasta
4 cups Spicy Tomato Sauce (see recipe on www.familycircle.com) OR: bottled marinara sauce
1 container (1 pound) low-fat (1%) cottage cheese
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess liquid
3/4 cup chopped scallions
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and undercooking by 2 minutes. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375°F. Grease 12-cup oven-proof casserole.

3. Mix pasta, sauce, cottage cheese, sour cream, spinach, scallions, salt, pepper in bowl. Spoon into casserole. Top with cheddar. Cover with buttered foil.

4. To freeze unbaked casserole, cool casserole slightly. Cover with with waxed paper, then foil. Refrigerate until cold. Label. Freeze.

5. Bake, covered, in 375°F oven 35 minutes. Uncover. Bake 20 minutes, until temperature registers 150°F.

Note: If you have made and frozen the unbaked casserole ahead, transfer to refrigerator 2 days before serving; thaw completely or until no longer icy. To serve, proceed with step 5; remove waxed paper, then re-cover with buttered foil.