Baked Ziti recipe

Baked Ziti Pasta Recipe

Ingredients:
– 16 oz Penne Pasta
– 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
– 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
– 1+ cups reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
– 1 egg
– 1 cup of ricotta or cottage cheese
– 1/4 cup of shredded parmesan cheese
– 2 tsp olive oil
– 4 garlic cloves, minced
– 1/4 cup onions, finely chopped
– 1 1/4 tbs italian blend seasoning
– salt and pepper to taste
Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add onions and garlic and sauté 3 minutes.
Add the italian blend seasoning and keep sauteing about 2 more minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and mushrooms and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Mix cooked pasta and sauce, combine well, set aside.
Combine egg, ricotta, parmesan cheese and mix well.
Spread half tomato pasta mixture into bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish, top with half of ricotta egg mixture, sprinkle half of mozzerella on top.  Spread remaining pasta and sauce mixture on top and sprinkle remaining mozerella on top.  Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

This makes a huge amount.  My family of four get 2 meals plus leftovers from lunch out of it…  Sometimes I split it up in two smaller dishes and cook the 2nd a few days later for another meal, other times I cook the whole thing and pop the leftovers in the freezer to be reheated in the microwave at a later date.