the wednesday dish

This is a new recipe. I found it in a magazine. I love making pasta dishes, but have never made one in a slow-cooker. Overall it was a pretty good meal (my husband said he liked it anyway). I served it with a salad and garlic bread. The only bad part is that it's not your typical slow-cooker recipe where you let your food cook all day. Preparation begins about 3 hours before you want to eat, so it's not that convenient for those who work. For those who don't have time to make it during the week, it's definitely worth trying on a weekend!

slow-cooker baked ziti

Ingredients:

• 1 15-oz. container part-skim ricotta
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 lb uncooked ziti
• Two 25-oz jars marinara sauce
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained (optional)

Preparation:

1. Combine all three cheeses and salt in a medium bowl. Rinse ziti under cold water in a colander, allowing some water to cling to pasta.
2. Mist inside of slow cooker with cooking spray. Place half of pasta in an even layer over bottom of cooker. Spoon half of sauce over pasta. Dot with half of cheese mixture and half of basil. Repeat with remaining pasta, sauce, cheese and basil. Pour in 2/3 cup water.
3. Cover and cook on high until pasta is tender. Approximately 2 to 3 hours.

*If you choose to add ground beef. Brown first and then mix with the jars of sauce.