Easy Baked Ziti

Tonight we had Easy Baked Ziti with Baked Meatballs. Remember, I go for the easy way, not so much how everyone else might make their baked ziti. I mix mostly everything in one bowl and then dump in the baking dish. I guess it could be called One Bowl Baked Ziti! Miss Picky likes it, and she doesn't eat cheese most of the time, so who am I to argue? It was her pick what to have for dinner tonight. I thought I'd be nice, vacation is over and we're getting back to routine. Six in the morning wake -up! Welcome to Monday! It's been a nice week while it lasted.

and my friend Kathleen, of Cuisine Kathleen, I know how much you love dogs, by the way, my dog Chip has very good table manners! He's just looking!

You can make your own sauce, or just buy a jar, we like Prego, Victoria brand or Rao's Marinara or you can even make your own jarred Rao's sauce, like from the Rao's Cookbook. All good.

A nice dessert to end the meal is Zabaglione with fresh fruit. I didn't make it, but it's still a nice dessert! We went out for Italian ices. Also a nice way to end a meal!


Easy Baked Ziti
adapted from the millions of recipes out there
Printable Recipe

Marinara sauce
Ricotta cheese (more or less depending on how cheesy you like it!)
Mozzarella cheese (I used shredded. Use whatever you like.)
One large egg (I like it with the egg, I know some who don't use it.)
Grated parmesan cheese or parmigiano-reggiano
1 pound box Ziti pasta, cooked al dente and drained

Take a big mixing bowl, add the egg with a small container of ricotta, use a larger container of ricotta if you like, but then add another egg if you like. Mix some grated cheese in to the ricotta and egg and then mix the ziti noodles in to the cheese mixture. Coat the bottom of a large baking dish (9×13 dish) with some marinara. Put some of the ziti cheese mix on top. Sprinkle with some shredded mozzarella, then a little more of the sauce to cover. Another layer of the noodles, some more sauce, then layer the top with the rest of the mozzarella.Cover with sauce lightly and some thin slices mozzarella. Pile the rest of the ziti mixture on top of that layer. Bake at 350 until cheese has melted, bubbly and lightly beginning to brown.



I never baked my meatballs before, but it sounded like a good idea. this one got great reviews over at the cooking forum. O f course I never follow exactly, and somewhere along the way I got distracted, so there is no onion in mine. No veal or pork. I forgot to add it to the list. and I decided to be nice to Larry and not send him out for the third time today! The guy at the grocery knows he'll see him at least two more times after the first list! If they had a cell phone signal in the front of the store it might save a couple trips. but I doubt it. I didn't read the whole recipe and used eggs, not just the yolks. I used white bread soaked in the milk, instead of bread crumbs. I guess same difference, it squishes very well! I didn't roll them in bread crumbs, I threw them in a pot of sauce to simmer for a while.
Baked Meatballs
recipe from Marilyn (DanaIN - Cooking Forum)
Printable Recipe

3/4 + 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup heavy cream (or milk)
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground veal or pork
1 onion; minced
2 cloves garlic: crushed or minced
1 teaspoon each; oregano, basil, parsley
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon table salt)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2 egg yolks

Combine 3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs with milk; let set for five minutes. Stir together onion, garlic, oregano, basil, parsley, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, egg yolks and bread soaked in milk. Fold in meats and shape into 1/4-cup balls and roll in remaining bread crumbs. Place a rack inside a baking dish sprayed with Pam leaving a little space between each meatball. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 425° until they reach an internal temperature of 160°. Do not over bake. Makes about 20 meatballs. These are very tender and juicy.
These are also good simmered in sauce after baking. If desired, omit bread crumbs on the outside.

Zabaglione
by Tyler Florence

4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup dry Marsala wine
8 long-stemmed strawberries
Bring a pot of water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a metal or glass heat-resistant bowl and whisk until foamy. Set the bowl over the simmering water, without letting the bottom touch the water, and continue to whisk constantly. Gradually pour in the Marsala while continuing to beat - don't let it boil. Keep working-out that arm and whisk vigorously for a good 5 minutes, until the custard has doubled in volume and is very thick and yellow.
Spoon the zabaglione into dessert bowls and serve with fresh strawberries.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a nice day, we all sat down together, and we ate early. That doesn't always happen these days! I'm ready to face the week!

Tweet