
Baked Ziti w/Italian Sausage
Ingredients
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2-24 ounce jars RAGU Mushroom Pasta Sauce
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3 tablespoons sweet basil
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1 teaspoon salt
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½ teaspoon black pepper
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½ teaspoon garlic powder
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1 pound ground beef
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8 ounce pack Italian sausage, mild
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8 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
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8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
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¼ cup grated smoked white cheddar cheese
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1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
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½ teaspoon parsley flakes
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1 pound of ziti noodles
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NOTE:
This meal can be prepared ahead of time and place in ready. Prepare ziti according to instructions; spoon ziti into eight 6"x3.5"x2" aluminum loaf pans. Sprinkle with more cheese and cover the loaf pans with plastic wrap, then cover it with foil. Place 4 pans in 2 gallon size ziplock freezer bags; freeze until ready to cook.
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Directions
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake sausages for 25 minutes on a flat pan lined with foil. Slice sausage and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
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Cook ground beef until done; add salt & black pepper; drain grease. Cook the ziti noodles; drain and set aside to cool.
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Pour pasta sauce, Italian sausage and ground beef into a large pot; add basil and stir.
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Cover and cook sauce on medium-low for 30 minutes.
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Mix all cheeses into a bowl; fold in Italian seasoning.
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Combine the ziti noodles with the meat sauce; stir to mix well.
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Pour ½ the sauce in the bottom of the 13x9 inch pan; sprinkle ½ of the cheeses on top of the sauce.
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Repeat this layering process until all of the ziti is gone.
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Bake covered for 30 minutes; remove foil and bake another 15 minutes until done.
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FROZEN ZITI:
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees; remove ziti from freezer.
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Remove plastic wrap and foil from ziti; rewrap loaf pans with foil on top of loaf pans.
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Line two flat sheet pan with foil; place loaf pans on pan and put in oven.
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Bake 25-30 minutes; remove foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes until cheese has melted and top of ziti is golden brown.
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Remove from oven and set aside.
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