Mind Over Matter

What’s going on y’all?? I got a really simple tasty recipe that’s been around for ages. Who hasn’t heard of baked ziti? For me personally I was relieved I was able to enjoy this dish because sometimes certain meats don’t do well for me… meaning my body just doesn’t like them. I’m trying to work on that and usually it’s with that gamey taste but for me it even happens with chicken sometimes depending on how it’s cooked. Do any of you have this issue? Let me know in the comments.

Ingredients: A large white onion, pasta sauce, ground beef, garlic, a box of ziti, veggie stock (you can use beef stock if you like). NOT SHOWN ABOVE: Olive oil, shredded cheese and seasonings which I will list at the end of the post. NOTE: Please note that I do not include pictures of boiling the ziti in this post.

Step one: (Top left) Begin by prepping your onion, give it a good chop. I like mine chunky.
Step two: (Top right) In a nonstick heavy bottom pan, heat up olive oil on medium heat. Add the chopped onion, sprinkle a lil bit of salt and sweat them for about 3 minutes then add your garlic. Continue cooking for another 2 – 3 minutes and keep stirring.
Step three: (Bottom left) Move the onions aside and add the ground beef. Break it apart so it cooks evenly. Set your timer for about 10 minutes.
Step four: (Bottom right) Add the seasonings while the ground beef is cooking. Stir everything together to distribute all the spices evenly.

Step five: (Top left) This is what your pot should look like after about 10 minutes. The ground beef will no longer have any pink color left which means its COOKED!
Step six: (Top right) Add your pasta sauce to the pot, stir to coat the ingredients well and then cook for 8-10 minutes. I would stay closer to the 8 min mark. Close the lid and let it all get hot and *juic-ay*.
Step seven: Before the timer is up, be sure to add in 1/4 cup of stock. Give it a good stir then let it finish cooking.
Step eight: Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a baking dish, coat the bottom with a lil olive oil. Don’t be afraid of rubbing the dish down with olive oil! It’s good for you. Then lay down a bed of the ground beef sauce first BEFORE the boiled pasta.

Step nine: Layer up the baking dish in this order; ground beef sauce, pasta, ground beef sauce, until you are finished. I just LOVE how mine came out! Okayyy now pop it in the oven for 10 minutes.

Step ten: You can sprinkle a nice dose of shredded cheese of your liking. I used a mix blend. No ricotta cheese in this baked ziti recipe. Minimal cheese, more beef & more sauce. LOTS of yummy goodness. Place it back in the oven to just melt the cheese for 5 minutes or less.

And that my dear readers, is my version of ground beef baked ziti! I was able to eat the beef and not have any problems, it was actually really flavorful and moist. I got my protein and carbs so I’m a happy girl. I hope you try this recipe, happy cooking! Enjoy!

Prep: 2 mins Cook: 30 mins

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 large White Onion
• 1 box Ziti Pasta
• 1/2 tbsp Garlic
• 1 bottle Pasta Sauce
• 1/4 cup Veggie Stock (use your preferred choice of stock)
• 1.5 lbs Ground Beef
• 1 tbsp Cayenne
• 1/2 tbsp Vegetable Masala
• Pinch of Oregano
• Pinch of Nutmeg
• Salt & Pepper