Baked Beef Ziti

Pasta is a staple in our house for everyone, including Ben and Kate.  We have switched to whole wheat pasta and we are loving it.  It is so much more flavorful and filling than the white pasta.  You should give it a try if you haven't yet because I promise you will love it.  I made the Weight Watchers Baked Beef Ziti last night and it was something I will be making again soon.  It was very filling and there are even leftovers. 

Each serving is 5 points and it makes 8 servings.  If you have extra points you could do more cheese or grated Parmesan.

Ingredients:

12 oz uncooked ziti
2 tsp olive oil
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1/3 pound(s) raw lean ground beef
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup(s) part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (I used fat free because that is what we already had and it worked out fine)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon as it cooks, about 3 to 5 minutes; drain off any fat and set pan back over medium heat.

Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Spoon a small amount of beef-tomato mixture into bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover surface); top with half of cooked ziti. Next, layer with half of remaining beef-tomato sauce and half of mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining ziti and then top with remaining beef-tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving.