Recipe for cooking baked ziti and cheese

Quick Meals- Salads and Pasta :: Pasta Recipes

Baked Ziti and Cheese

1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage
1 C. sliced mushrooms
1 C. green bell pepper slices, cut into 2-in. lengths
1/3 C. chopped onion
1/2 C. butter or butter replacement
1/3 C. unsifted flour
2 1/4 C. milk
2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 C. grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper
3 C. ziti, uncooked

Bake sausage at 350 degrees F for 30 min.; cool.

Slice sausage in thin pieces; set aside. Saut mushrooms, green bell pepper and onion in butter or butter replacement in 3-qt. saucepan until tender, but not brown; remove vegetables from pan and set aside.

Blend flour into butter or butter replacement in saucepan; gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir constantly over med. low heat until mixture begins to boil. Boil and stir 1 min. Add 1 1/2 C. Cheddar cheese and Parmesan or Romano cheese, salt and pepper; stir until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside and keep warm.

Cook ziti according to pkg. directions for 10 min.; drain well.

Stir cooked ziti, reserved sausage slices and reserved sauted vegetables into the cheese sauce. Pour mixture into a buttered 2-qt. casserole or baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 C. Cheddar cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 min.

Remove foil; bake about 10 to 15 min. longer or until top is browned.

Makes approximately 4 to 6 servings.