Back in the days when I had teenagers I never knew how many of these eating machines would be there for supper. This is a dish that would slow down the boys quicker than a pretty girl walking past the window. It also attracted a few pretty girls so my daughters never wanted for boys or new girl friends to meet. I do recognize most teenagers don’t get full they just get tired of eating.
Baked Ziti
Ingredients
- 1 pound Zitti cooked to package directions (any tube pasta will work)
- 24 oz carton cottage cheese
- 2+ Cups grated mozzarella
- 1+ Cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
- 1 Cup Italian dry bread crumbs
- 1 small can sliced black olives
- 1 small onion fine diced (Here are some great onion choppers for you!)
- 1 small jar green salad olives
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil (Here’s some olive oil dispensers you may like)
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder (Here are some great garlic presses for you!)
- 1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
- 1 Tablespoon dry Oregano
- 1 Tablespoon dry Basil
- ¼ Cup dry Parsley
- 2 large eggs (slightly beaten)
- Sea salt (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
- 2 jars chunky spaghetti sauce (divided)
Directions
Mix all together reserving one jar of sauce. In a five quart casserole pour half a jar of sauce in bottom, add mixture and top with balance of sauce. If you desire sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on top. Bake covered in preheated 375 oven for 30 minuets, uncover and bake 10-15 minuets more.
Notes
Serve with Garlic bread, red pepper flakes, and a large green salad. My gang loved to serve Mountain Dew in wine glasses just for the fun of it. I blew their mind one afternoon and served Chateaus de Faucet (water in a wine glass)
I honestly don’t know how long this will hold in the refrigerator. When your feeding hungry teenagers there never seems to be any leftovers. Some days I fixed something different for my ex-wife and myself just so we could eat.
A quick Garlic bread can be made by splitting a loaf of Italian bread lengthwise, melt a stick of butter add 1 Tablespoon Garlic powder and pour over bread top with a cup of grated Mozzarella cheese and slip it under the broiler till the cheese melts.
OK this is now your recipe. If you don’t have any teenagers to feed, take it to a potluck, invite the neighbors to supper, or perhaps invite the cheerleaders from your local high school for a pre-game meal. Y’all enjoy every bite.
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