I feel so lazy with this recipe, but it is so easy and yummy. And, from my picky little pint-sized eater, it gets a huge thumbs up.
Ingredients
1 box ziti or penne, whole grain or regular
2 jars of spaghetti sauce (your choice on brand)
1-12 oz. bag of meatballs from the freezer section of your grocery store
mozzarella cheese
grated Parmesan cheese
non-stick cooking spray
Cook pasta according to al dente package directions. Drain.
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, gently combine the cooked pasta and meatballs. Pour in the sauce. Pour in enough so that it will not dry out when baking, and even a little extra for good measure. (That is always the biggest mistake when making baked pasta - not enough sauce to compensate for baking.) Mix well so the sauce is evenly distributed. Sprinkle in a hand full of grated Parmesan and mix well. Spread evenly in baking dish.
Cover with foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until contents are heated through. Remove from oven, remove the foil. Sprinkle with two hands full of mozzarella cheese, or until top is covered evenly and lightly. Return to oven about bake for about 5-10 minutes more, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve hot with a salad (see my dressing recipes) and garlic bread.
This recipe serves 6-8 people easily. It also makes wonderful leftovers and freezes well, so I recommend making it in a larger batch.
