Baked Ziti

[cat lover]

8 oz ziti pasta cooked "al dente"
1 32oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 15oz ctn fat free ricotta cheese
2 cups low fat mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup reduced fat parmesan cheese

Place cooked ziti pasta along the bottom of a 13 x 9" baking dish. Top with spaghetti sauce, ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, remove and top with remaining mozzarella cheese and bake for another 10 minutes

[katharina]

8 oz ziti pasta cooked "al dente"
1 32oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 15oz ctn fat free ricotta cheese
2 cups low fat mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup reduced fat parmesan cheese
Place cooked ziti pasta along the bottom of a 13 x 9" baking dish. Top with spaghetti sauce, ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, remove and top with remaining mozzarella cheese and bake for another 10 minutes

I've made this in the past and it's very good. I don't use the parmesan cheese, so it turns into four ingredients (unless I add ground meat and/or mushrooms, which I've done). I serve meals like this with garlic bread and sometimes a green vegetable.

[cat lover]

Ummm, your version of it sounds good too! Care to post the recipe?

[vicki2]

No meat? I'd have to add some sweet Italian sausage to it. Or, if I'm feeling like it should be healthier in the meat department, some chopped up chicken.

[cat lover]

No meat? I'd have to add some sweet Italian sausage to it. Or, if I'm feeling like it should be healthier in the meat department, some chopped up chicken.


My DH is on a very restricted fat free diet, he can only have 50 grams TOTAL fat per day so by the time you add up the fat is everyday things we rarely eat any meat. Even chicken breast is limited due to the cholesterol. I post lots of recipes; some are how we ate years ago and are good if you can have the items and others I just change around so we can have them, but post the normal recipe. So I'm always looking for new recipes and change them around for us!:eek:

[vicki2]

Interesting.

I've been staying away from pasta lately because of the carbs but have become hooked on spinach sauteed in olive oil with garlic, pine nuts and either chicken or shrimp. Shrimp is good for cholesterol, I know, but I've convinced myself that it can't possibly be bad cholesterol!

[cat lover]

Well, I screwed up! LOL DH is only allowed 30 grams of TOTAL fat per day not 50. His maximum amount of cholesterol per day is 150 mg; so after everything he puts in his mouth has to count it really limits varieties without getting creative! So even with shrimp for him I have to watch the amount; it all depends on how I fix it (like what it is cooked in; those grams or mg count too)LOL.

[katharina]

Ummm, your version of it sounds good too! Care to post the recipe?

Sorry I didn't see this request before! Yikes I'm slow... but anyhow, here's the recipe. I use the meat, but since your husband can't have it that way, I'm sure it would still taste good without it.

Ziti Bake

16 oz. ziti
1 lb. ground beef
15 oz. ricotta
1 egg, slightly beaten
3/4 tsp. salt / 1/4 tsp. pepper
32 oz. spaghetti sauce
8 oz. shredded mozzarella

In Dutch oven, prepare ziti; drain. Brown beef and remove from heat. Stir in ricotta, egg, salt, pepper, and half of sauce. Add ziti and toss gently. Put into 9" x 13" pan. Pour rest of sauce over. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

**Notes... I find that 16 oz. of pasta is too much so I usually use just 8 or 12 ounces. I also add our favorite herbs often, and even a small can of mushrooms if I have them. Onion can be added... it's very versatile.

[cat lover]

Thanks! Besides leaving out the meast I can sub fat free ricotta and he just might be able to have it.

[ajrsmom]

This is one of my family's favs.

I usually add hot Italian sausage to it and no ricotta cheese.

If it were up to me, I would eat the Ricotta with a spoon ;) but since I don't usually eat this dish anymore, I make it their way.