My family loves pasta and loves cheese, so when I can find a recipe that includes these, is somewhat healthy, and I can freeze...I am happy!
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
1 can (28 ounce size) whole tomatoes, with juice
2 cans (14.5 ounce) tomato sauce or marinara sauce
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
Salt and Pepper, to taste
16 ounces whole wheat ziti pasta
1 tub (15 ounces) fat-free ricotta cheese
1 Cpark-skim mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for a minute or two.
Add ground beef and cook until browned. Drain off fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture.
Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
After that time, remove 3 to 4 cups of the sauce to a different bowl to cool down.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Begin to boil your pasta. Make sure to undercook it a tad–especially if freezing!
In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 1 cups of the grated mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and a dash of salt and pepper.
Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and barely mix it together.
Add the cooled meat sauce that you set aside earlier and toss to combine.
Dump the pasta mixture into a large greased casserole dish or lasagna dish {I did a 9x13 aluminum throw-away pan}.
Spoon the remaining sauce over the top, then top with some mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbling. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
About 1/2 cup would be a healthy serving...which might not seem like much, so make sure to eat with a salad!
Enjoy!
Much love ~ Becky
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