When you are in a rush and want something utterly yummy for dinner, this is your meal ticket.

This baked pasta dish has all of the great flavors of lasagna, but takes only about 10 minutes to throw together before baking. It’s a good way to sneak some spinach into the little ones, too.

Definitely bake some of the ziti in ramekins, if you have some. It looks rustic and appealing. And it gives your husband some hot food to start on while you finish the photographs. :)

Lasagna Style Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

1 lb ziti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound ground beef
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 26-ounce jar marinara sauce
4 cups baby spinach
1 cup ricotta
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return it to the pot.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the beef, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon until it’s no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes.

3. Toss the pasta with the meat mixture, marinara sauce, spinach, ricotta, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, 2-quart souffle dish, or 4 large ramekins. (I had enough for a 13×9 inch pan and one large ramekin). Sprinkle with the mozzarella and remaining ¼ cup of the Parmesan and bake until the cheese melts, 12 to 15 minutes.

Recipe slightly adapted from Playing House

Hey! It looks like someone is hiding inside there. Ziti Eyes!

I had one of those weird music moments yesterday.

I was running with a playlist that I had thrown together by just randomly dragging and dropping some music that I had recently gotten.

So, Rob St. John’s Your Phantom Limb comes on. LOVE that song.

Now here is the weird music moment.

The next song to play was The Young Republic’s ‘Girl In A Tree’ which has the lyric:

“He still feels you in bed just like a phantom limb”

Oooh…..gave me chills. I even was able to run faster.

Rob St. John-Your Phantom Limb (Toad Session)

You can listen to Rob St. John in a session on Toadcast #162. Check him out on Myspace.

Rob St. John’s new album is out next month on Song, By Toad Records. Can’t wait.

About 37 seconds into Girl In A Tree….Heaven. I love that kind of change up in a song. Blast this.

The Young Republic-Girl In A Tree

Check out The Young Republic on Myspace and buy their music here.

Cheers!