MILLION DOLLAR BAKED ZITI
This Million
Dollar Baked has been a family favorite for decades and is destined to become
one of your new family favorites! It's loaded with hearty sausages,
garlic-infused tomato sauce and a hidden layer of creamy, gooey cheese that
tastes like a million dollars AND is quick and easy to prepare, fabulous for a
crowd, freezes beautifully and does not break the bank!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 3 - 4 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
- 8 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup plain 0% greek yogurt (or use sour cream)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 15 - 20 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 8 slices of provolone cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 50 oz jarred pasta sauce (I used mushroom flavor)
- 16 oz baby bella mushrooms, chopped into chunks
INSTRUCTIONS
First, In a
medium bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt (or sour
cream), basil and parsley. Set aside or place in the fridge
Then, In the
oven or in a large saucepan, add garlic, onion, mushrooms, 1 tablespoon olive
oil and 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.
Sauté over
medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until mushrooms have cooked well.
Cook penne
al dente while cooking mushrooms
Once the
mushrooms have finished cooking, add the pasta sauce and 1 cup parmesan and
remove from heat.
Add the
cooked penne to the sauce and stir. Salt to taste (I added another teaspoon of
salt)
In a large
13 X 9 dish, add half of the penne / sauce mixture
Garnish with
slices of provolone cheese
Spread the
cream cheese mixture evenly over the provolone, using a rubber spatula to
smooth well
Add
remaining sauce / noodles
Garnish with
mozzarella cheese
Bake at 400
degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly
Garnish with
parsley, if desired
Happy
Cooking Time.
