Well, since we are all at home for an indefinite period of time observing social distancing due to the Coronavirus pandemic, I thought I’d share Easton’s Favorite Baked Ziti Recipe with you guys. I posted this last night on Instagram Stories and there seemed to be a lot of interest! I know we are all thinking of ways to feed our family during this extended period of time at home with restaurants closed, so I’m hopeful that you can get some good ideas for your family here at CC and Mike, starting with this Baked Ziti recipe!
This recipe is Easton’s favorite for sure. It’s what he always requests if he’s having friends over as well and I love that it feeds a large group of hungry boys! It also isa recipe that I can make and it will feed our family for the week. We can eat it for dinner and then also heat it up for lunches throughout the week. It’s a great recipe to cook for your family!
If you’re looking for other easy recipe ideas for your family while you are stuck at home quarantining (is quarantining a word by the way?), I would recommend some of these for you to try:
CC AND MIKE FAVORITE RECIPES
- Healthy Baked Oatmeal – I posted this one on stories the other day and people have LOVED making it. It will feed your family for a week and is healthy! We love it with blueberries and strawberries on top
- Two Minute Crockpot Chicken Tacos – This is our most pinned and most used recipe on Pinterest! It makes a bulk chicken mixture that can be used for tacos, enchiladas,
- Crockpot Tortellini Soup – This is a huge favorite in our family and one of our fan favorites as well
- Tortilla Soup – this can be cooked with all canned items. You can use the meat mixture from the
- Four Ingredient Chicken Salad – Again, if you use canned chicken this can be made with all canned items.
- Oreo Madness Dessert
- Hamburger Soup – Also a favorite for my kids and whole family and so easy to make
- White Chicken Chili – again, if you make with canned chicken this recipe can be made entirely with canned items
- Corona Crack – OK, so this is actually named Christmas Crack and is one of our most loved recipes, BUT, a follower said they made it with green and black M&M’s and called it Corona Crack instead. I thought, why not? If we are all stuck at home social distancing and working on beating this nasty virus we are fighting, why not have a little Corona Crack to enjoy while we snuggle up and binge watch Netflix with our families!
- Mexican Pinwheels – this is a family favorite, makes a large amount that can be saved, and is always loved by kids and adults alike. It’s on our list of things to make during the Corona Quarantine!
1. Boil water and cook the penne pasta for 10 to 13 minutes until thoroughly cooked. Strain and set aside.
2. Brown Italian Sausage while the Penne Pasta Cooks, then add 4 to 5 cups of the spaghetti sauce to the meat (if you like your ziti saucier, add the whole 48 oz jar. We usually only add 4 to 5 cups of the sauce to our Ziti)
3. In a 9×13 pan layer the following: 4 cups penne pasta, 1/2 package of pepperoni, 1/2 can of olives, then pour 1/2 of the meat mixture on top.
The pan I’m using is from the Tara Collection at QVC and I love them! The collection is beautiful and comes with a lid that doubles as a server which I love! You can shop this collection here:
You can shop my other favorite kitchen products including my Cuisinart crockpot that I’m obsessed with because you can brown and sauté and cook ALL IN ONE. I use it constantly and love it!
4. Spread the meat mixture evenly on top of the layer then sprinkle 1/2 the bag of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 the container of shredded parmesan cheese on top of that.
5. REPEAT THE ENTIRE LAYERING PROCESS AGAIN with the remaining ingredients: Penne Pasta, Pepperoni, olives, Meat/Sauce Mixture, Cheeses
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes on 350 degrees and ENJOY! We love to serve Easton’s Favorite Baked Ziti with roasted broccoli and cheesy garlic bread.
- 1 package Italian Sausage I like to use the Sweet Mild type but if you like spicy you can use spicy
- 1 48 oz jar Spaghetti Sauce We use 3/4 of the jar for our ziti but if you like more sauce you can use the whole jar
- 1 lb penne pasta, uncooked
- 8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
- 5 oz shredded parmesan cheese
- 2.25 oz sliced black olives optional
- 6 oz sliced pepperonis
- 8 slices provolone cheese sometimes we like to use provolone cheese slices in place of the parmesan cheese
- 1. Boil water and cook the penne pasta for 10 to 13 minutes until thoroughly cooked 2. Brown Italian Sausage while the Penne Pasta Cooks, then add 4 to 5 cups of the spaghetti sauce to the meat (if you like your ziti saucier, add the whole 48 oz jar. We usually only add 4 to 5 cups of the sauce to our Ziti) 3. In a 9x13 pan layer the following: 4 cups penne pasta, 1/2 package of pepperoni, 1/2 can of olives, then pour 1/2 of the meat mixture on top. 4. Spread the meat mixture evenly on top of the layer then sprinkle 1/2 the bag of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 the container of shredded parmesan cheese on top of that. 5. REPEAT THE ENTIRE LAYERING PROCESS AGAIN with the remaining ingredients: Penne Pasta, Pepperoni, olives, Meat/Sauce Mixture, Cheeses 6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes on 350 degrees and ENJOY! We love to serve Easton's Favorite Baked Ziti with roasted broccoli and cheesy garlic bread.