Pizza Pasta Salad

First you will need to make a box of spiral pasta. I had several boxes of Ronzoni Garden Delight Rotini from a recent sale. You can use plain rotini if desired, the garden version just makes the pasta salad more colorful.

Drain the pasta. Add 3 medium diced tomatoes, 16 oz of cubed cheddar and 3 ozs of sliced pepperoni. You can also added 1-2 green onion bunches if desired. I left them out. If you are a follower of my recipes on the blog, you know that I dont aways follow directions exactly. Today I used an 8 oz block of cheese. I personally feel that 16 ozs is a bit too much and I LOVE cheese. I also did not add the entire 3 ozs of pepperoni. Mix the ingredients throughout the pasta.

The next step is to make the dressing. You will need 3/4 c of canola oil, (vegetable oils is also okay), 1/2 c of red wine vinegar, 2/3 c of parm cheese, 2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp of salt. I did not have the full 2/3 c of parm cheese today, but did not realize that until I got to this step. I just added what I had. Mix well.

Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture. Chill several hours before serving.

Macaroni N Cheese...

8 cups cooked elbow macaroni, drained
4 cups grated cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot and add the cheddar. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture. Pour macaroni mixture into a casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Top with additional cheese if desired.

To freeze and use later simply cover and freeze instead of baking. Then thaw and bake at 350 for approx. 40 minutes

Baked Ziti

1 lb ground beef
1 cup onion (chopped) (I leave that out--maybe add onion powder for LITTLE flavor)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 (32 ounce) jar meatless spaghetti sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon oregano
1 (16 oz) package ziti pasta (cooked and drained)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet add ground beef, onions and garlic. Cook over medium high heat stirring frequently until the beef is browned. Stir in spaghetti sauce, chicken broth and oregano. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Stir in 1 cup of sauce into the cooked ziti noodles. Spoon ½ of the ziti mixture into a 13×9” baking dish. Sprinkle 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese and ½ cup parmesan cheese over the top of the ziti mixture. Top with 2 cups of the sauce, then add remaining ziti mixture and top that with the remaining sauce.

3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Return to over and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
(Makes 6 Servings)

Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta

8 ounces uncooked tube or spiral pasta
1 pound ground beef
6 strips of bacon, diced
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 cup (4 ounces) cheddar cheese, shredded
Barbecue sauce

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile in a skillet cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In the same skillet, cook bacon until crisp(I do mine in the microwave); remove with slotted spoon to paper towels. Discard drippings. Drain pasta; add to skillet. Add soup, beef, and bacon; heat through. Mix in desired amount of barbecue sauce. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and cook until the cheese is melted. 4-6 servings

Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese

1 (12 oz) package of macaroni pasta cooked and well drained, according to the package
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
6 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, or any other cheddar
1 ½ cup diced cooked ham
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced and sauteed in butter (I leave this out cause no one like it)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Combine soup and 6 cups of cheese in a saucepan. Heat this mixture until smooth and cheese is melted. In a 9x13 sprayed dish, layer half of cooked macaroni, the half of cheese sauce. Sprinkle with all of ham and sauteed mushrooms. Repeat the macaroni and sauce layers and end with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until bubbly (at least 25 min). Serves 8.

Garlic Chicken Pasta with Spinach

adapted from Cook's Country

6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (this doesn't add spiciness - just the right amount of flavor)
6 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound penne pasta
1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
6 tablespoons juice from 2 lemons
1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Meanwhile, combine garlic, pepper flakes and oil in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until garlic is golden and fragrant, about 1 minute.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and cut into bite-size pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the garlic/red pepper oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat until oil is rippling. Add chicken and cook until well browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.

Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta to boiling water and cook until tender but still slightly firm (al dente). Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water. Drain pasta and return to the pot. Stir in chicken, spinach, basil, lemon juice, Parmesan, and remaining garlic mixture, adding reserved pasta water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Meatballs with Cream Sauce

MEATBALLS:
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
2 T. ketchup
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup quick oats
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
3 T. flour

CREAM SAUCE:
2 T. butter
3 1/2 T. flour
1/4 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
14 oz. can chicken broth (If you want your sauce thicker, cut down the chicken broth to 1 cup)
2/3 cup milk
2 T. minced fresh parsley

In a bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients EXCEPT the beef and flour. Add beef and mix well. Shape into balls. Roll in flour, shaking off excess. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet and bake, uncovered, at 400 for 10 minutes. Turn meatballs, bake 8-10 minutes longer or until no longer pink. Meanwhile, for the sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, thyme, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add broth and milk; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes, until slightly thickened. If using the full can of chicken broth, the sauce doesn't thicken overly much, but it is delicious that way. If you want it slightly thicker, cut down the chicken broth to 1 cup. Drain meatballs on paper towels; transfer to a serving dish. Top with sauce and parsley. Serve over rice or egg noodles (I used egg noodles and loved the result!).

Italian Spaghetti

Cube 6 to 7 pieces of chicken breast or tenders
Season them with Salt, pepper, lemon pepper, & season salt
Cook them thoroughly.

Cook a package of Spaghetti noodles or fettuccini, drain water and pour noodles back into the pan. Pour about 1/2 bottle of Italian Dressing on the noodles.

Dump the seasoned, cooked chicken into the pan with the noodles--or put chicken on each individual serving.

You may serve this with tomatoes or olives, or whatever else you desire.

Garlic bread and a green salad and dinner is SERVED!!!

Slow Cooker Lasagna

* 8 lasagna noodles, uncooked
* 1 lb. ground beef
* 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
* 28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce (I make my own)
* 1/3 cup water
*white sauce from my regular Lasagna--
1 1/2 cup of milk, 4 1/2 tblsp of flour, LOTS of mozzarella cheese, & pepper & garlic salt
* 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Preparation
1. Break noodles. Place half in bottom of greased slow cooker.
2. Brown ground beef. Drain. Stir in Italian seasoning--garlic salt, pepper--whatever you prefer. Spread half over noodles in slow cooker.
3. Layer half of sauce and water, half of ricotta or cottage cheese and half of mozzarella cheese over beef. Repeat layers.
4. Cover. Cook on low for 5 hours. (You can also double these ingredients and make 3 layers.)


I have not tried this one, but plan to soon--then I will post a picture!!!

Lasagna

YUMMY recipe from Debbie

White Sauce
3 tblsp flour to one cup of milk
Add while cool so not lumpy
Add garlic powder & pepper
Once thick add a lot of mozzarella cheese
(I usually three times the white sauce if I am doubling it or just one and a half if not.)

Cook a pound of hamburger and add spaghetti sauce of your choice
garlic and any other seasoning you prefer on meat

First layer----meat sauce
Then noodles
Second Layer---cheese sauce
Then noodles
Third layer----meat sauce and cheese sauce
Then noodles

Pour cheese sauce on top, then top with grated cheese (Grated cheese may also go on meat layers too!!)

I of course use the No Cook Noodles and use about 12 of them!! I also double it and put a pan in the freezer for that special day when you feel like doing NOTHING, but are still HUNGRY!!