Ziti

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Serves: 6-8

I like to make ziti layered, like lasagna.  This is roughly what I do:

1 pound ziti noodles

1 to 2 jars (24 oz) pasta sauce (Francesco Rinaldi is my favorite)

15 oz ricotta cheese

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 egg, optional

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook pasta al dente according to package directions.  

Meanwhile mix together ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella, 2 Tbsp Parmesan, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.

Grease a 9"x13" pan and spoon some sauce into pan; spread over the bottom.

When pasta is done, drain well and add half of the pasta to the baking pan.  Spread more sauce over the pasta.  Spoon all of the cheese mixture over the pasta and spread it as evenly as possible.  Add remaining pasta and spread more sauce over noodles.  Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 2 Tbsp Parmesan on top.  

Cover pan lightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Remove foil and cook 10 minutes more or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown around edges.  Remove from oven and allow to set for 10 minutes before serving.

Variations:

Brown 1 pound ground beef or bulk Italian sausage.  Drain liquid and mix meat into spaghetti sauce.

Cook frozen meatballs in sauce for at least 30 minutes. Leave meatballs whole, cut in half or quarters or  mash meatballs up.  It makes a tasty meat sauce!

Lemony Chicken Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8 to 10

1 pound acini de pepe pasta, uncooked
2 cubes Knorr(R) chicken bouillon (or 4 regular cubes)
2 c cooked chicken, chopped*
1 c red onion, chopped
1 c green bell pepper, chopped
1 c red bell pepper, chopped
1 c mayonnaise
1/4 c fresh lemon juice

Cook acini di pepe in water with bouillon according to package directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water when done cooking.

Add pasta and remaining ingredients to large bowl and mix well.

Note: It can get a little dry when refrigerated.  Instead of adding extra mayonnaise, I prefer to mix in a little bit of milk until it's the desired consistency.

*I use the leftovers from a rotisserie chicken.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Pasta:
1 pound elbow pasta (or shells)
1 tsp salt
Cheese Sauce:
4 1/2 cups water
2 1/4 cups Magic Mix (click here for recipe)
3/4 tsp salt
4 cups (1 lb) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Cook pasta according to package directions, adding 1 tsp salt to boiling water. Drain.
In pot used to cook pasta, add water, Magic Mix, and salt, stirring constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and starts to bubble.  Add cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir in pasta; serve immediately.

For baked macaroni, use 5 cups water and bake in 9"x13" pan at 375°F for about 30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.  Optional: crumble potato chips on top before baking.

Pasta e Fagioli

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups water
1 Knorr chicken bouillon cube (use beef bouillon if using ground beef)
1 lb. cooked ground beef, optional
2 cans (20 oz each) cannellini beans, drained
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 cup uncooked ditalini pasta
Parmesan cheese

Sauté onion over medium-high heat, until tender-crisp. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add water and bouillon and bring to a boil over high heat. Add remaining ingredients (except cheese) and simmer until pasta is cooked. Add more water, if necessary. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Variations:

Substitute 1 pound Italian sausage for the ground beef. Remove casing from sausage and brown over medium-high heat: remove from pan. Follow instructions and omit bouillon.

Ultimate Balsamic Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6 to 8


Warning: This salad is highly addictive!

1 lb box rotelle or rotini pasta, uncooked
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup fresh basil, sliced (stack leaves, roll up, and slice diagonally)

Add at least 5 of these:
1 can olives, drained
1 pkg grape tomatoes
1 green bell pepper, cut in 1" pieces
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 cups cooked chicken
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 jar artichoke hearts, drained
1 jar marinated sliced mushrooms, drained
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
8 oz. mozzarella, cubed
1/2 cup real bacon bits or cooked, crumbled bacon
2 to 3 green onions, sliced diagonally (white and green parts)

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in colander until cold. Drain well.

Meanwhile, prepare all other ingredients and add to a large bowl. Add drained pasta and gently toss.

Variation: Substitute leaf lettuce for the pasta to make a delicious tossed salad.

I used all of the ingredients, except the green onions, and it was delicious. The cranberries add a nice texture and flavor, so don't be tempted to leave them out if you have them. When I make this again, I will use either the beans or the chicken (most likely the beans because they look nicer and taste great in here!)

Bowties with Chicken and Bacon

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Whitney. It's delicious (therefore not so healthy), even my picky eaters love it! Here's the recipe as given to me:

1 box bowtie (Farfalle) pasta
2 to 3 chicken breasts, depending on size
4 to 6 strips bacon
1 stick butter
1/4 cup dried basil
2 cloves garlic

Cook pasta according to box. Meanwhile, cook bacon until a little overcooked. You want it to be crisp. Dump out grease, but don't wash pan. Cook chicken and let cool. Cut chicken into chunks. Dump out grease, but don't wash pan. Melt butter and cook garlic. Add dried basil. Put bacon in a plastic bag and crush into bits. Combine everything in a large serving bowl. Serve warm topped with Parmesan cheese.


This is what I do when I'm in a hurry (almost always!):

1 box bowtie (Farfalle) pasta
1 cup frozen vegetables (such as broccoli, peas, or chopped spinach), optional
1 stick butter
1/2 cup precooked bacon pieces*
1 tsp dried minced garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 can (13 oz.) chicken, drained
1/4 cup dried basil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Put frozen vegetables in a colander in the sink. Drain pasta over vegetables. Lower heat to medium-low and add butter, bacon, and garlic (if using garlic powder, add with the basil). When butter is melted add the chicken, basil, salt, pepper, and pasta. Remove from heat and stir. Serve immediately topped with Parmesan cheese.

*I found a big bag of precooked bacon pieces in the refrigerator section at Sam's Club. When I got home, I put 1/2 cup bacon into labeled snack-size ziplock bags, then put all of the bags in a large freezer bag and put it in the freezer. Now when I need crumbled bacon, I just grab a bag and heat it in a skillet or microwave it just to crisp it up. So easy!!


Serve with garlic bread and a green salad.