Creamy Baked Ziti

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 (12 ounce) box ziti pasta or 1 (12 ounce) box penne pasta
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 (26 ounce) jar tomato and basil pasta sauce
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (15 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese

Recipe

• 1 in a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoons olive oil and onions and saute 5 minutes or until tender.
• 2 add beef and brown.
• 3 meanwhile, in a large pot or dutch oven, cook pasta ala dente and drain well.
• 4 brown beef until it's no longer pink and drain off fat.
• 5 in the same skillet, add to beef and onions, 1/2 teaspoons salt, garlic, pasta sauce, tomatoes, and tomato sauce.
• 6 stir to blend, then set aside.
• 7 in a heavy saucepan, melt butter over low heat, add flour and whisk constantly until smooth and well blended or about 1 minute, gradually add milk and simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles and thickens.
• 8 remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese and remaining 1/4 tsp salt and pepper.
• 9 pour beef mixture and milk mixture into dutch oven with noodles and mix until well blended.
• 10 transfer entire mixture to a large, buttered, baking dish or nonstick lasagne pan, top with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake at 350' for 20-25 minutes or until mixture is heated through and bubbly and cheese is melted and becoming crusty.
• 11 ** sometimes i add 1/2 the cheese to beef mixture and then top with the other half.
• 12 let stand approximately 5-10 minutes, and serve.