Scrub carrots and shred, using large holes on grater.
In a large pot, cook ground beef and shredded carrot over medium heat until meat is brown.
Drain off fat. Stir in tomato soup, water, uncooked ziti, dried basil (if using) onion powder and garlic powder into meat mixture in pot.
Bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and cook about 20 minutes or until ziti is tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in fresh basil (if using) and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle individual servings with Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Smart Shopping Tips
Fresh herbs can cost a pretty penny from the produce section of a grocery store. Experiment with growing your own. They’re easy and most can be grown in pots all year long.
Fresh herbs should be added at the end of cooking time, while dried herbs are added at the beginning.
Cooking & Serving Tips:
Use lean ground chicken or turkey instead of beef.
Make it a vegetarian dish by replacing the meat with white pinto beans or garbanzo beans. Add beans after the ziti has cooked 10 minutes.
Instead of ziti pasta you can use whole grain penne pasta.