March 20, 2012

Budget Friendly Entree

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Margaret's Morsels | Baked Ziti

An easy way to stretch your grocery budget is to prepare one or two meals a week without meat.  Vegetables are a good choice, but so is pasta, especially when the pasta doesn't require a lot of additional ingredients.

Baked Ziti is one of my favorite pasta dishes.  Not only is it easy to prepare, at .67 cents a serving, it's budget friendly.  Unlike ziti recipes that use homemade sauce and several kinds of cheese, this recipe only uses four ingredients:  ziti, Parmesan cheese, pasta sauce and Mozzarella cheese.


Margaret's Morsels | Baked Ziti

For some reason, I have a hard time finding ziti -- a tubular pasta -- in the grocery store.  If you have the same problem, penne, rigatoni or mostaccioli are all good substitutes.  


Margaret's Morsels | Baked Ziti
Ziti is on the left; mostaccioli on the right.

Cook the ziti in a pot of salted water.  Drain the ziti thoroughly and combine it with the pasta sauce and 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese.  To keep from dirtying another bowl, I combine the ingredients in the pot I used to cook the ziti.


Margaret's Morsels | Baked Ziti

Pour the contents into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.


Margaret's Morsels | Baked Ziti
Baked for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  For a smoother finish, use finely shredded Mozzarella cheese and put it on top of the Parmesan cheese.


Margaret's Morsels | Baked Ziti

Put the uncovered dish back in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese.

Add a salad and garlic bread and you've got a filling meal that doesn't break the bank.


Margaret's Morsels | Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti
6 Servings

1 (8 oz.) pkg. ziti
1 (26 1/2 oz.) can spaghetti sauce
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook ziti according to package directions; drain.  Combine ziti with spaghetti sauce and 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese.  Pour into a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish.  Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover ziti; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and the remaining Mozzarella. Return to oven until cheese melts.


© Margaret's Morsels

16 comments:

  1. Bing bang bong done. No fuss delicious food. You have summed up everything for me with that recipe.  ✔

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    1. Thank you!!!! I'm glad you liked the recipe. I hope you'll check out the other recipes I've posted that are also easy to make.

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  2. This looks Yummy!! Hey I would love if you stopped by My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday - Link Party, and share your stuff!! http://www.cookinandcraftin.com/my-2-favorite-things-on-thursday-link-party-3/

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    1. Thanks, Elaine! I'll try and stop by your link parties on Thursday. Have a good week!

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    2. Thanks for Sharing on My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday!! Come back again next week!!

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    3. Thanks for hosting, Elaine! I hope to be back next week:)

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  3. Thanks for sharing with us at the #HomeMattersParty this week. We hope you will link up again next Friday.
    ~Bonnie

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    1. Thank you for hosting the party, Bonnie! I hope to stop by and party with you again soon:)

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  4. We just love Baked Ziti and your recipe looks delicious. Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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    1. Thanks, Miz Helen! I hope to party at your place again soon:) I hope you have a good week.

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  5. Thank you for sharing your wonderful blog post on #PureBlogLove Link Party. I just wanted to personally drop by to say hello and thank you for taking the time to celebrate with us last Thursday night!
    Besos
    Heidy

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    1. Thanks, Heidy! Thanks for hosting the party! I hope you have a good week.

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  6. This also makes a great snack!

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    1. Great idea, Rachel! I'll have to try that, if my kids ever leave any leftovers!

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  7. Now I know what ziti is! It came up in something we watched recently . Never come across it here in the UK. Looks like a great recipe!

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  8. Thanks, Lizzie! I have trouble finding ziti so I substitute mostaciolli instead. One of these days I'm going to try the recipe with rotini. Thanks for writing.

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