Baked Ravioli

So my second job is basically a receptionist position. I'm sitting at a computer for 4 hours, where I have to do basic computer skills such as emails, scanning, data entry, etc. and I'm answering any phone call that comes in, and helping anyone who comes through the front door. But when there isn 't any of that stuff going on, I can do whatever I want (on the computer at least) as long as I'm ready to answer the phone if it does ring. So during these 4 hours, after I get bored of Facebook and finish reading all the blogs posted during the day I browse recipes, cooking blogs (such as those listed on my side bar), martha stewart, all recipes, my recipes, or any others I happen to happen upon. I make lists of the recipes I like, and lately I've even started to organize them according to type of food, dish as well as ethnicity.

Of course there are probably many of those that I will never actually make, because when I'm thinking of what to make for dinner I don't always go back to the list. BUT, the other day I was craving Italian food. (Probably because the previous week Nate and I basically cut carbs from our diet.) And I went to the listed and decided upon Martha Stewart's Baked Ravioli. Here is my slightly edited version.

Baked Ravioli

1 TBS olive oil

1 1/2 TBS minced garlic

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp oregano

1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes

1 (14.5 oz) can diced Italian flavored tomatoes

2 lbs frozen ravioli **

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup Parmesan

**I actually used 1 lb ravioli, and then realized I needed more noodles and used about 1 cup of rigatoni noodles. You could use any type of noodle that you have around the house.

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

2. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat.

3. Add minced garlic and saute with salt and pepper for about 1 minute.

4. Add thyme, oregano and tomatoes.

5. Bring sauce to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer.

6. Break up tomato chunks with a spoon as much as possible.

7. Scoop most of the bigger tomato chunks out and blend (I used a magic bullet, but a regular blender would work too) till chunks are gone. (There will still be some chunks, but small ones, you don't want any full sized tomatoes in your sauce).

8. Return blended mixture to the sauce.

9. Simmer for about 15 minutes.

10. Meanwhile, cook ravioli in a large pot of boiling water, until they float to the top (pasta does not need to be completely cooked because it will continue to cook in the oven.

11. Drain water from pasta.

12. Toss pasta and sauce in a large bowl.

13. Pour pasta into a 9x13 pan. 

14. Top pasta with Parmesan cheese, then mozzarella cheese.

15. Bake for 20 minutes, until pasta is golden.

I though this was amazing. Although I really like the sauce recipe I learned from my parents, I'm always up for finding new tomato sauce recipes, and this one was perfect. 

I made this, and it was so good, I had to go back for seconds. I even had this reheated the next day. In my opinion Italian food makes the best leftovers.  

What is your favorite meal to eat as leftovers?