Recipe Wednesday: Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil                                                                1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

3 cloves garlic, minced                                                   salt & pepper to taste

1 large onion, diced                                                         16 oz ziti or mostaccioli 

1 lb italian sausage                                                         1 15 oz size ricotta cheese

    1 lb ground beef                                                 1 1/2 lb mozzarella cheese - grated

1 28oz can whole tomatoes with juice                           1/2 c grated parmesan cheese

 2 14.5oz cans tomato sauce OR marinara sauce             1 whole egg 

2 tsp italian seasoning                                                    fresh minced parsley

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for several minutes, or unti l starting to soften. Add sausage and beef and cook until browned. Drain off fat. 

Add tomatoes, juice, salt, pepper, italian seasoning, & red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer for 25-30 minutes. After that, remove 3-4 cups of sauce to a different bowl to cool down.

Preheat oven to 375*

In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, 2 cups of mozarella, parmesan, egg and salt & pepper. Stir a couple of times - do not mix completely.

Drain the pasta, rinse under cold water. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine. Add the cooled meat sauce and toss to combine. 

Add half the coated pasta to a large casserole dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top. Then top with half of the remaining mozarella cheese. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta, the sauce, and mozarella. 

Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from oven and let stand for about 5 minutes before serving. 

Garnish with chopped parsley over the pasta before serving.

Happy Baking!

Make it a great one!

 Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!

Recipe: Homemade Bread Bowls

1^st Ingredients:

2 ½ cups warm water

2 tbsp yeast

1/3  cup sugar

Directions

Combine and let sit for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly.

2^nd Ingredients:

1/3 cup oil

1 tbsp salt

6-7 cups white flour (all-purpose)

Directions

Add oil, salt and 3 cups of flour to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed – if in a bread mixer.

Begin adding the rest of the four 1 cup at a time until 5 cups total. 

Mix on high speed and continue to add the flour – ¼ cup at a time just until the dough begins to clean the sides of the bowl and pulls away toward the middle. Do not add more than 7 cups of flour. 

Knead for 6 minutes.

Divide into 6 pieces. Make round balls. Place on large baking sheet and let rise until doubledin size.

Bake at 350* for 20-30 minutes.

Let cool.

Cut top off and pull out inside bread – leaving a hollowed out bread bowl.

Fill with your favorite soup or chowders – stew or chili work really well, too.

Save the scooped out bread for croutons or serve on a plate next to bowl. You can dunk it into your soup.

Enjoy!

Make it a great one!

Daughter, Sister, Friend, Wife - in our 18th year of wedded bliss, Stepmother to 2 adult children, Mother - (G16, G15, B12, G10, B9, B5, G4, & B1), StepMother-In-Law to 2, StepGrandmother to 4 precociously precious little boys! Blessed, Happy & Satisfied!