Baked Ziti for a Crowd

I needed something to feed seven people tonight that we could eat in shifts tonight as it's Curriculum Night at my son's elementary school. The kids were staying with my in-laws, and I wanted something that I could make ahead of time and pop in the oven when they were ready to eat. Baked pasta dishes are always great reheated, so I looked for a Baked Ziti recipe and found the one linked above on Allrecipes.com. I altered it using a different cheese and opting for organic and whole wheat products. I also skipped the layering process and just mixed all the ingredients together to make it super fast and easy. YUM YUM!

This would be great to make for a the night before Thanksgiving or during the Christmas holidays or on vacation to the mountains or beach when you're looking to feed a crowd. You can make it ahead of time and freeze it before you bake it. Or, make the whole recipe and divide it in half and stick half in the freezer. It may just take a little more baking time unless you thaw it the night before in the fridge, but it will be just as delicious!

Recipe adapted from recipe from Allrecipes.com found HERE.

Ingredients:
1 lb Whole Wheat Ziti
1 onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef (I used organic grass fed) - use ground turkey or ground chicken if you don't eat red meat.
2 (26oz) jars organic spaghetti sauce
6 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
6 oz Mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 oz sour cream
2 T grated Parmesan cheese

Method:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, brown onion and ground beef in large skillet over medium heat. Drain and return to skillet. Add spaghetti sauce, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine pasta, ground beef mixture, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, and sour cream in a large bowl. Pour into greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly.

Happy Cooking!