To me, this Easy Baked Ziti is an example of how cooking doesn’t have to be complicated. When I was cooking every day in the restaurant I loved it, but when I was at home with no sous chef and no dishwasher (my husband always complains about the number of dishes I can dirty up when cooking a meal) I liked to fall back on simple recipes. Guess what? I even use pre-prepared food sometimes! Shocking… I know! One of the things I always do and even did when I owned my own restaurant, was doctor pre-made things to make them my own. In this recipe, you use a jar of Prego Traditional spaghetti sauce to make some of the best-baked ziti ever! The best thing about “cheating” on some recipes is that you get to spend more time with the family and less time in the kitchen.
Easy Baked Ziti
Yield = 9 x 13 Baking Dish
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs Hamburger Meat
- 1 jar Prego Traditional Spaghetti Sauce
- 2 TBS Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 TBS Italian Seasoning (I use Simply Maurie Kay)
- 1 – 1lb box penne pasta (made using box directions)
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Start 4 quarts of water to boil for the pasta. In a saucepan cook 2 lbs of hamburger meat and drain the grease off when done. Stir in the jar of spaghetti sauce, the 2 TBS sugar, 1 tsp salt, and 1 TBS Italian seasoning. Stir well and then pour the sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Drain the pasta when it is ready (follow directions on box) and then pour over the sauce. Mix well. Top with the shredded cheese and then bake in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Enjoy! For another easy to make pasta dish please try me Easy Lasagna Casserole!
Maurie Kay
