Cheesy Baked Ziti

This is one dish that's so easy to make. I love to make this using my Simple Pasta Sauce.  Typically it makes enough to serve spaghetti one night and this Cheesy Baked Ziti another night later in the week.

This is an easy, simple dish; just add some cheese and you're ready to bake it.

Ingredients
2 cups Ziti noodles, cooked al dente
2 cups simple pasta sauce
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend or Italian cheese blend

Method
Preheat oven to 350. Mix cooked Ziti noodles with simple pasta sauce.

Spray a 9 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Layer 1/2 of of the Ziti noodle/pasta sauce mix on the bottom. Top with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat  layers one more time with remaining ingredients. Top with 1 cup Mexican cheese blend or Italian cheese blend.

Bake 30 minutes covered. Remove cover and continue to bake 15 minutes more.

Serve immediately.

Yield:  4 servings

Cook's note - this dish freezes well; or wrap it and freeze it before baking then you'll have it already done for an easy dinner some other night. Better still, double the recipe and make 2; one for now, one to freeze.

Enjoy,
Mary

Homemade Pasta Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes

With a little work, you too can have "fresh from the garden" Pasta Sauce for your family!  It's fairly simple to do, and tastes delicious!  Once you make it, you'll wonder why you never did before. Superior tomato taste and flavor you can only get from fresh tomatoes (grown yourself, or purchased at your local farm or farmer's market).

Ingredients
12 cups fresh tomato sauce (puree) - see here for making your own
6 large Roma tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
12 tsp. Oregano, divided
12 tsp. minced garlic, divided
6 tbls. lemon juice, divided

Method
In 6 pint canning jars, add to each jar: 1 diced tomato, a portion of the diced onion, 2 tsp. oregano, 2 tsp. minced garlic and 1 tbls. lemon juice.

Or in 3 quart canning jars, add to each jar:  2 diced tomatoes, a portion of the diced onion, 4 tsp. oregano, 4 tsp. minced garlic and 2 tbls. lemon juice.

Ladle hot tomato sauce (puree), over contents in each jar leaving 1/2" head space and stir to combine contents.

Cover jars with lids and rings and process in boiling water bath 35 minutes. Remove from heat, and remove jars, allowing them to cool on a kitchen towel on your counter-top.

Once jars have sealed, shake slightly to evenly distribute contents in each jar.

Yield:  6 pint jars or 3 quart jars

*Cook's note - When ready to use, open jar and heat in sauce pan. Add browned ground beef or Italian sausage, if desired, or serve meatless; the choice is yours.  Additional options include diced bell pepper and mushrooms. This is also a delicious sauce for Eggplant, Chicken or Veal Parmesan.

Enjoy,
Mary

Simple Marinara Sauce

Updated October 2020

Why buy marinara sauce in a jar, when you can make your own quite simply at home? In just a few minutes, and allowing some time for the sauce to simmer, you'll have a simple Marinara Sauce that's wonderful in all kinds of dishes: 

• spaghetti
• lasagna
• baked ziti
• rigatoni
• eggplant Parmesan
• zucchini Parmesan
• chicken Parmesan

RECIPE
Ingredients
2 - 14.5 oz. can tomato sauce (make your own)
1 - 1.5 oz. can diced tomatoes (make your own)
1 - 6 oz. can tomato paste
1-2 tsp garlic powder (or more to taste)
2-3 tsp. Italian seasoning (more or less to taste)
1/2 cup red wine (optional, but it adds a lot of flavor)
1 medium onion, chopped

1 lb ground beef, browned (optional for Bolognese sauce)

Method
Cook and simmer over low heat an hour of so, until sauce has thickened some and seasonings have blended in.

Taste sauce and adjust all seasonings as necessary, to taste.

Serve immediately over your favorite pasta, or use in pasta/veggie dishes you need to bake.

Enjoy,
Mary

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