Ravioli Bake

This week,  I worked the early shift. This means I have to be up by 5:00 am and leave my house no later than 5:45 am. I'm a bit of a night owl so this usually leads to sleep deprivation by week's end. On these nights, the last thing I feel like doing when I walk in the door is spending hours in the kitchen. However, I still crave the comfort of a home-cooked meal. So what's a girl to do??  Pull out a few convenience products and fake it. We both loved this sauce, it gave the meal a kick of flavor and the fresh veggies added some bulk. Top it off with cheese and you have an easy and delicious dinner!
 

• 1 jar Newman's Own Sockarooni pasta sauce
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3/4 - 1 c water
• 1 lb spinach and cheese ravioli (I used 1 pack of Monterey Pasta Company ravioli from Costco because it's what I had, but next time I would use both so I could layer the ravioli)
• 2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
• 2 small zucchini, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 c fresh baby spinach leaves, chopped
• 1/2 c roasted red peppers, sliced
• 1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper,  to taste
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat the oven to 400 F.

Mix one jar of pasta sauce with the diced tomatoes and water. Pour a cup of sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, set aside.

Thinly slice the zucchini and toss with basil, garlic, spinach, roasted red peppers, red pepper flakes, olive oil, 1/4 c grated Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste.

Add a layer of ravioli, followed by a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese and some sauce. Then a layer of vegetables, followed by sauce and if you have anymore ravioli add another layer and finish with the remaining sauce. Top with fresh Parmesan and shredded mozzarella, cover with tinfoil.

Bake covered for 30-45 minutes, test a zucchini to see if it's close to your desired texture. Then uncover and bake for 15 minutes until cheese is golden and the sauce is bubbly. Let stand 10 min, sprinkle with fresh Parmesan and serve :) This pairs well with a garden salad, slice of garlic toast and a glass of wine.

Bonus: With such quick prep, enjoy the hour of baking time by catching up on a few chores, taste testing the wine or catching up with your significant other/roommate/family.