super simple baked ziti

Okay it's Monday night, I get it... you had a fabulous weekend, but it went by WAY too fast.  Now the dreaded Monday is here and your work day was painfully long.  The last thing you want to do is spend hours in the kitchen slaving away to make dinner.  Well then this is the recipe for you! Baked ziti is such a simple thing to whip up and it's a perfectly filling cold-weather meal. You could even whip one (or two) up on Sunday and pop them in the fridge or freezer for the week (pre-baked). 
I know what you're thinking... but all those carbs and fatty cheese!?  Well, good thing you are getting your cooking advice from a dietitian!  By using a high fiber pasta and light cheese, you can really healthify this classic dish.  Oh no, but you already had dinner tonight... don't worry, it makes a great Tuesday meal too!!

Baked Ziti (serves 6-8) 
1 box Ronzoni Smart Taste Penne or Ziti
1 jar of your favorite jarred sauce, or if you happen to have left over homemade
1 1/2 - 2 cups light mozzarella cheese 
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
3 garlic cloves 
1/4 medium yellow onion
1 tbsp olive oil
crushed red pepper (optional)

Start by boiling 1 box of pasta.  I highly recommend Ronzoni Smart Taste... no they are not paying me to say this.  This pasta has 6 grams of fiber per serving and tastes like white pasta, it's amazing!  You can cook it al dente, it'll cook more when it's baking.  Once it's cooked, set it aside, keep covered. 

I decided to doctor up my sauce a little bit.  Jarred sauce is not the first thing I go to, but if it is in a recipe-- not just spaghetti with sauce, then it's okay.  Homemade is always best but sometimes that's just not practical.  I bought the Trader Giotto's Organic Spaghetti Sauce with Mushrooms and added a few things to make it my own. 

If you choose to fancify your sauce, finely chopped three large cloves of garlic and about 1/4 of a medium yellow onion.  In a deep sauce pan heat 1 tbsp olive oil.  Then add the garlic and onion to the pan on low heat.  You don't want them to brown, just get soft.  Once the onions start to turn translucent, add 1 jar of sauce of your choice.  I like to add about 1 tsp of crushed red pepper for a little heat.  Let this cook on low, covered for 15-20 minutes.  

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Next add the penne/ziti to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Pour all of the sauce over the pasta and mix.

Measure out 1/2 cup ricotta cheese.  Add to the dish in bits and stir to blend.  Lastly, add 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and stir to blend.

 

Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and layer a top coating of mozzarella cheese, 1/2 to 1 full cup, just enough to cover the top.  Put back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  

**For a heartier dish, add 1/2 lb cooked lean ground beef, turkey or soy crumbles. And a word of advice, skip the garlic bread!  Unless you a running a marathon tomorrow morning, no need to carb load! Instead, pair with a mixed green salad with balsamic vinegar or roasted veggies (asparagus, zucchini, brussels sprouts, broccoli rabe, etc...).  And don't forget about your antioxidants...  Baked ziti pairs beautifully with a rich red like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel or Shiraz, enjoy!