Lasagna-Style Baked Ziti

This recipe came from RealSimple (which I LOVE) and got 2.56 stars.


Ingredients

12 ounces ziti (about 4 cups)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 pound lean ground beef or turkey
kosher salt and black pepper
1 26-ounce jar marinara sauce
1 bunch spinach, thick stems removed (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
1 cup grated mozzarella (4 ounces)

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain it and return it to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the beef, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon until it’s no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Toss the pasta with the meat mixture, marinara sauce, spinach, ricotta, and ¼ cup of the Parmesan.
5. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or 4 large ramekins. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and the remaining ¼ cup of the Parmesan. Cover in foil, wrap tightly, and freeze.
   

To Bake:

1. Thaw in refrigerator
2. Make sure top layer of foil is easily removable.
3. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until heated through. Remove foil for last 8-10 minutes
4. ENJOY!!!

**I made this with ground turkey and everyone really liked it. You could probably bake this from frozen for about an hour but I haven't tried that yet.