3. Southwest Baked Ziti

This recipe was taken from Recipe Goldmine. We loved it, and so I am re-posting it here for all to enjoy! I loved this even though I honestly abhor ricotta cheese. I would eat this again and again! I am posting it in its original form which added up to 5 points a serving, but we added some points and bulk (most of us over here have over 30 points a day right now, and I have 44!) by using another 4 oz of pasta, and upping the cheese and sauce a little. Molly used whole wheat rotini instead of ziti, and it was great! Ours came out to 8 points for a 6th of the pan, which you can see from the picture was very satisfying!

Southwest Baked Ziti - 5 points per serving
Serves 6
Special Equipment: Casserole Dish or baking pan.

8 ounces ziti pasta, uncooked
8 ounces tomato sauce, salt free or regular
8 ounces salsa, hot or mild
3/4 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1 cup fat-free mozzarella cheese
11 ounces canned corn, drained
4 ounces green chile peppers, drained, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fat-free parmesan cheese, grated

Cook pasta according to package directions, using the shorter amount of cooking time given. Drain.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8-inch square baking pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine tomato sauce and salsa in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese with half of the mozzarella cheese. Stir in half the sauce, along with the corn, chiles, oregano, and pepper. Add the cooked ziti and mix well. Spoon into prepared casserole. Spread remaining sauce over top of casserole, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and then Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake 15 more minutes.