Slow Cooker Sunday: Slow Cooker Baked Ziti

I love the Slow Cooker.  We have the best one from All clad.  Here is a link if you are in the market for a new one...

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku8260341/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1%7C16%7C%7C%7C0%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Cslow%20cooker&cm%5Fsrc=SCH

I don't remember how I got on the whole kick of finding a baked ziti recipe for the slow cooker but nonetheless, this is the one I found online and we have fallen in love with it.

Slow Cooker Baked Ziti

from www.recipezaar.com

1 lb. ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon salt

2 (25 ounce) jars pasta sauce

1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 (16 ounce) box ziti pasta 

1.  Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is no longer pink. Stir in seasonings to evenly coat meat; stir in pasta sauce. Set aside.

2. Mix 1 cup mozzarella, the ricotta and parmesan in a medium bowl. Spoon 2 cups of meat sauce into the slow cooker; top with 2 cups ziti. Drop half of the cheese mixture, by rounded tablespoons, over ziti; carefully spread over ziti using back of spoon. Layer with 2 cups meat sauce, the remaining ziti and remaining cheese. Add remaining meat sauce, completely covering all the ziti and cheese. Place lid on slow cooker.

3. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours or until noodles are tender.

4. Carefully remove lid to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle food with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella; let stand 10 minutes until melted. Serve directly from slow cooker.

GF/WF notes:  The only thing you have to change to make this GF/WF friendly is the pasta.  I have trouble finding GF Ziti shaped pasta so I usually buy penne because that is the easiest to find.  My favorite brand of WF pasta is Vita Spelt.  My favorite brand of GF pasta that I have found as there are many that I haven't tried is Tinkyada Pasta Joy, Brown Rice Pasta.