Pizza Baked Ziti — A Weeknight Win for the Whole Table

My week with the kids. School's almost out — last week of second grade for Aiden, last week of first grade for Zaria. Aiden brought home a folder of papers from his teacher with grades and a note that said he was reading at a fourth-grade level. Fourth grade. He's eight. I sat on the porch reading the note three times. Then I called Mama. She said, "Of course he is. He's a Carter." I told Aiden how proud I was. He said, "Daddy, it's not that hard." I said, "It is hard. You're just good at it. Stay good at it." He said okay. He went to play basketball in the driveway.

Zaria's report card came home the next day. Her teacher had written: "Zaria is a leader in our classroom. She organizes the other children, ensures everyone has paper and crayons, and reminds the teacher of the schedule." I laughed out loud. The teacher's diplomatic way of saying my daughter ran the room.

Wednesday I made jambalaya again. The recipe is dialed now. Aiden ate two bowls and asked for thirds. Zaria picked out the andouille and ate just the chicken and rice. Compromise dinners. Single-dad currency.

Thursday I made a meatloaf. New attempt at an old standard. Beef and pork mix, breadcrumbs soaked in milk, onions sweated soft first, eggs, garlic, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, parsley, a little ketchup mixed in for sweetness. Topped with a glaze of ketchup, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard. Baked at 350 for an hour. Served with mashed potatoes and green beans. Aiden's eyes got wide when he tasted it.

Friday Aiden's last day of second grade. The school had an end-of-year program. I left work early, met Brianna at the school. We sat in the same row but not next to each other. Aiden gave a small speech as part of his class — they each said one thing they learned this year. Aiden said, "I learned that math is just patterns and you can find the pattern if you try." His teacher beamed. I almost cried.

Saturday I took the kids to Belle Isle for the day. Brought a cooler with sandwiches, fruit, and a thermos of lemonade. We rode bikes. We saw the Detroit River. We watched the freighters go by. We came home tired and happy. Sunday at Mama's. She made oxtails — slow-braised for four hours with onions, carrots, celery, garlic, tomato paste, beef broth, and a little red wine. Served over rice with the gravy spooned heavy. The kids tried oxtails for the first time. Aiden loved them. Zaria asked for plain rice.

That meatloaf on Thursday reminded me why I love the classics — simple ingredients, done right, and the look on Aiden’s face when he took that first bite said everything. This Pizza Baked Ziti carries that same energy: familiar flavors, nothing fancy, just real food that makes kids happy at the table. After a week of report cards, end-of-year programs, and Belle Isle bike rides, I wanted something I could pull together without thinking too hard — something that felt like a reward for all of us.

Pizza Baked Ziti

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb ziti pasta
• 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed (sweet or mild)
• 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup mini pepperoni slices
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook ziti 2 minutes less than package directions (it will finish cooking in the oven). Drain and set aside.
2. Brown the sausage. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the Italian sausage, breaking it into crumbles, until browned and cooked through, about 7–8 minutes. Drain excess fat.
3. Build the sauce. Add marinara, diced tomatoes, garlic powder, oregano, and red pepper flakes to the skillet with the sausage. Stir to combine and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Preheat the oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
5. Combine. In a large bowl, toss the cooked ziti with the meat sauce. Add the ricotta, half the mozzarella, and half the Parmesan. Stir until evenly coated.
6. Assemble. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella, remaining Parmesan, and scatter the mini pepperoni evenly over the top.
7. Bake. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 12–15 minutes, until cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden in spots.
8. Rest and serve. Let the baked ziti rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 620 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 26g | Carbs: 62g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 980mg