Baked Ziti

This is the first dinner I made for Chad when we were dating. All the memories. He still likes it and I still like making it. Instead of making one large pan you can divide the Ziti between two dishes and either give one away or put it in the freezer for up to 2 months. (See make-ahead directions below.)

6 cups Ziti, uncooked
3 cups Spaghetti Sauce, divided
1-3/4 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 egg
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375 F. Cook pasta according to package directions for 9 minutes; drain. In large bowl, stir together hot past, 1-1/2 cups spaghetti sauce, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parsley, egg, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. In 13x9x2-inch baking dish, spoon past mixture; top with remaining 1-1/2 cups sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

MAKE-AHEAD DIRECTIONS: Prepare recipe as directed, but do not bake. Cover with plastic wrap, then foil. Refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze up to 2 months. Thaw frozen version in refrigerator overnight. Remove plastic wrap; replace foil. Bake as directed, adding about 10 minutes to baking time.