Baked ziti with cheater sauce

FIVE MINUTES of prep. That's it.

If you want lasagna night cheers and accolades without pesky lasagna night hubbub, this recipe is for you!

BAKED ZITI

Ingredients:

1 jar of spaghetti sauce (read below for my cheater "sauce" recipe)*

1 1/2 cups water

3 teaspoons garlic powder 

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese --  

   reserve 1 1/2 cups mozzarella for topping

12 oz. cottage cheese

4 cups of ziti or penne pasta

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix ingredients together in a big bowl.** 

Grease a 9 x 13 pan.

Dump everything into the 9 x 13 pan.

Cover with foil.

Bake for 55 minutes.

Remove foil and top with the reserved mozzarella.

Bake uncovered for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

*MY CHEATER "SAUCE" RECIPE

I mix 1 can of diced tomatoes with 2 cans of tomato paste in a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Then I fill with water to the 4 cup line. I add Italian spices, a few tablespoons of sugar and some salt and pepper. I sometimes microwave for 45 seconds so I can claim I cooked it.

**The uncooked pasta clicks on the side of the bowl when mixing. You can pretend you're making shellfish. That's what I do.