Baked Ziti

Good evening!

Kevin and I LOVE lasagna, but sometimes it takes a bit too much time to put everything together. Plus, my mom makes the BEST lasagna and I've never even come close to making it!! So, to get that "lasagna fix" without the stress, I came up with a lasagna-type dish that is much easier. It's sorta a combination of lasagna and a baked ziti in that you layer the meat and noodles (like lasagna) but use smaller noodles (like in a ziti).

Layered Baked Ziti

1 lb. ground turkey (or ground beef...your choice)
1 onion
olive oil to coat the pan
1 package fresh mozzarella cheese-shredded
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1 box penne pasta
1 1/2 jars of marinara sauce

Start by boiling the noodles. While cooking, chop the onion and saute in the olive oil. Brown the meat. After the meat is fully cooked, add 1 jar of sauce. Simmer for a few minutes. Drain the noodle water and add the ricotta cheese to the cooked noodles. Now you are ready to layer. Start with a small amount of meat/sauce mixture. Layer the ricotta noodles next. Add a layer of mozzarella cheese. Repeat with the meat and noodle mixture. Before you add the last layer of cheese, add 1/2 jar of sauce. This makes the dish extra saucy!! The last layer you add is the mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.

This dish is so yummy and reheats super well. Kevin and I prefer the fresh mozzarella cheese to the one that comes already shredded in a bag. The ziti tastes so much better with the fresh cheese! Plus, we get to use the food processor to shred it all up, which can be fun!!! I know...we're dorks!! We just love using the great gifts we got from the wedding! It is so much more fun cooking when you have all the right tools!

Enjoy!!