Bang for Your Buck Baked Ziti

Baked ziti is a family favorite - easy, warm, and serves a big crew.  As delicious as the perfect mixture of cheese, sauce and pasta is, it's a little lacking in nutritional content.  So how do we improve on something so yummy?  Bring on the veggies!!!  Adding a whole bunch of vegetables to the ziti will up the nutrition...and of course the taste!

I tried this out on a vacation for the first time and oddly enough, it's become a traditional beach house food for us.  While not exactly summery, it's loaded with good stuff.  Perfect for after a long day at the beach, to carbo load  before a big game or race, or just to feed your army of hungry kids any ol' time.  To make it even easier, you could toss the ingredients into a crock pot and cook on low for an hour or two instead of baking in the oven and heating up the house. 

The vegetables can be added, subtracted or changed to your tastes. So experiment a little.  Have fun!

Bang for Your Buck Baked Ziti




Ingredients
1 lb. Ziti or Rotini

1/2 cup Italian dressing

1/2 red onion thinly sliced then cut in half for strips

2 cups frozen bell pepper strips

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup frozen whole leaf or chopped spinach

1 jar marinara sauce (or homemade if you're really good)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Prepare the pasta and set aside
2. Heat the dressing in a sauté pan. Add the onion and peppers, cook until softening. Add broccoli, cook an additional 5-7 minutes. Add spinach, cook until thawed and incorporated. Add mushrooms; cook 2-3 minutes more.
3. In a large bowl combine pasta, sauce, vegetables and cheese. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish.
4. Bake on 350 for 30 minutes.

Serve with a warm loaf of Italian bread for a hearty fall meal.