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Rockin’ Recipes: Gourmet Baked Ziti (Plus a Vegan Option) *Giveaway*

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This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for stopping by. The winner is Sassy. Congrats!

In our household, pasta is the dish we resort to when we don’t want to cook anything labor intensive or time consuming. By incorporating fresh veggies, ground turkey breast, and whole wheat pasta, the meal is nutritionally complete, yet flavorful so that my children still enjoy it. My children could eat the dish a few times a week and not tire of it. The hubby and I, on the other hand, are always looking for new ways to approach traditional pasta dishes.

I recently hosted a get-together with a few friends and their children and cooked up an incredibly rich and delicious baked ziti dish. Most people don’t readily think about this fact, but baked ziti is really a less labor intensive version of lasagna. Assembly doesn’t take nearly the amount of time it would with lasagna and precision isn’t as important. The number of variations are endless as well. You could add ground turkey breast and/or fresh veggies (my first thought is spinach) if desired. I actually made two versions of this recipe for our gathering…a traditional version filled with a variety of delicious cheeses and a vegan version for my son.

Here are the recipes:

Gourmet Baked Ziti

  • 1 20 ounce package of extra lean ground turkey breast
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, chopped (you can add more or less to taste)
  • 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 jar Ragu pasta sauce
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 12 ounces freshly cooked whole grain ziti

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Sauté chopped onion, garlic and fennel seed until vegetables are translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Cook ground turkey breast thoroughly (temperature of meat should reach 165ºF). Mix in 3/4 of the jar of pasta sauce (reserve some of the sauce for the initial bottom layer and finishing top layer), oregano, sage, and water 1/4 cup at a time (I used about 3/4 cup and that was the perfect consistency). Simmer, stirring occasionally and adding additional water as needed. After the mixture has simmered for approximately 10 minutes, stir in half of the grated Parmesan cheese.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Prepare your baking dish with an olive oil spray.

In medium bowl combine ricotta cheese, egg, and 6 ounces of the mozzarella cheese, reserving the last portion for the top.

Begin your bottom layer with the remaining pasta sauce. Continue to layer with meat mixture, cooked pasta, and ricotta cheese mixture, ending with pasta. Top with reserved sauce, reserved mozzarella, and reserved Parmesan cheese.

Cover and bake until heated through, about 40 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Vegan Baked Ziti

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, chopped (you can add more or less to taste)
  • 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 jar Ragu pasta sauce (some of the sauces are not vegan so be sure to read the label. This Tomato Basil sauce is free from dairy, eggs, and soy)
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
  • 8 ounces vegan mozzarella cheese
  • 12 ounces freshly cooked whole grain ziti (be sure the pasta is egg and soy free)

    • Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Sauté chopped onion, garlic and fennel seed until vegetables are translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Mix in 3/4 of the jar of pasta sauce (reserve some of the sauce for the initial bottom layer and finishing top layer), oregano, sage, and water 1/4 cup at a time (I used about 3/4 cup and that was the perfect consistency). Simmer, stirring occasionally and adding additional water as needed, approximately 10 minutes.

    Preheat oven to 450°F. Prepare your baking dish with an olive oil spray.

    Begin your bottom layer with the remaining pasta sauce. Continue to layer with sauce mixture, cooked pasta, and mozzarella cheese, ending with pasta. Top with reserved sauce and reserved mozzarella.

    Cover and bake until heated through, about 40 minutes or until cheese is melted.

    *Note* I recently made a vegan lasagna which includes a recipe for homemade vegan ricotta. You could include this in your vegan baked ziti dish, if desired.

    Both dishes were delicious and my guests, including the kids, ate way more than I thought they would. I highly recommend experimenting with both recipes, adding fresh veggies, meats, or subsituting various gourmet cheeses.

     

    My cheeky boy!

    Win It! One of you will win a $100 American Express gift card to create your own gourmet pasta dish for a group of family and/or friends. Simply leave me a comment with your favorite gourmet pasta dish/recipe. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy…I’m just looking for new and interesting ways to approach pasta. Comments will close on December 27th at 11:59 PM PST.

    US Residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

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    Disclosure: This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Ambassador in the Ragú® Mom’s the Word on Dinner Program. Visit www.facebook.com/ragusauce to join the conversation.

    Caryn Bailey
    Latest posts by Caryn Bailey (see all)

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    617 Responses to Rockin’ Recipes: Gourmet Baked Ziti (Plus a Vegan Option) *Giveaway*

    6. ooohhh, that picture made me hungry. Via Food and Wine, here’s one of my favorites- original called for lamb and veal, which I don’t use – I often use 1 lb beef and 1 lb sausage though-

      Recipe: Lasagna-Style Baked Pennette with Meat Sauce

      MAKE-AHEAD
      STAFF-FAVORITE

      Ingredients

      1 pound pennette or ditali
      1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
      1 large onion, finely chopped
      1 pound ground beef
      1 pound ground beef
      One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
      1 tablespoon tomato paste
      2 teaspoons chopped marjoram
      2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
      Salt and freshly ground pepper
      1 stick unsalted butter
      3/4 cup all-purpose flour
      1 quart whole milk
      2 large egg yolks
      1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

      Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain well.
      In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the ground beef (both pounds) and cook, stirring to break up the lumps, until the meat is beginning to brown, 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, marjoram and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl.
      In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over moderate heat, whisking, for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook over moderately high heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is very thick and boiling, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the egg yolks and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir all but 1 1/2 cups of the sauce into the meat mixture along with the pasta and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the pasta into a 3-quart baking dish. Spread the reserved 1 1/2 cups of sauce on top.
      Bake the pasta in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, until bubbling. Preheat the broiler. Broil the pasta 8 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes, until the top is browned and bubbling. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

      Make Ahead The recipe can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated overnight. An additional 30 minutes of cooking time may be necessary.

      Reply

    14. I tried a new recipe last night. Extremely easy, and a good way to use leftover, dry tortillas. Ingredients: tomato soup, salsa, water, ground meat, cheddar cheese, and cut up tortilla pieces.
      Thanks for the great giveaway!

      Reply

    27. Linguine with a clam sauce is one of our favorites. Lots of olive oil, garlic, and broccoli. Add a little sea salt and fresh ground pepper. A sprinkle of crushed red pepper. Everyone in the family loves it.

      Reply

    39. I like to do a combo of mixed veggies, chunk chicken or tuna, shell/bowtie/macaroni noodles and a standard white sauce. It’s easy to whip up and works for our family. We add seasoned salt to our own servings if desired.

      Reply

    43. Wish we had a more “gourmet” recipe, but we generally enjoy just assembling a lasagne in a crockpot and letting it slow cook for a while. Sometimes we’ve used zucchini instead of noodles, but that does require just a little more time to cook the veggies instead and let out more liquid. I think the most decadent thing we did was make a chocolate pasta, real strawberries as the “sauce”, and whipped cream. It was tasty, but a lot of work. With all of those little ones around, I’d probably try some mac & cheese from scratch, chicken mixed in w/ noodles & sauce, maybe try making your own ravioli if you have time or want to try something different with the kids (not hard, but does take a while) – something along those lines.

      Reply

    45. It’s not fancy, but I have yet to meet anyone who dislikes it. Combine cooked macaroni, velveeta cheese, mushroom soup, milk and tuna in a dish and bake @ 350 for 30 minutes or until top is browning.
      bebemiqui82(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply

    53. baked spaghetti, normal spaghetti ( left overs work great) in a baking pan topped with pepperoni and mozz cheese. then bake. YUMMY!

      Reply

    54. my gourmet pasta recipe is simply this:
      whole wheat pasta (boil and drain)
      mix in 1/2 cup of soy milk and 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
      salt as needed

      nutritional yeast makes it taste like cheese plus you get lots of B vitamins.

      sarah at realtorsd.com

      Reply

    67. Mine is just an EASY roasted veggie bake — roast whatever vegs you usually like, and toss with a can of sauce and a pound of pasta.. bake in oven for like 30 min. Cheese on top. Done!

      Reply

    68. I call it my fake lasagna dish (lol)
      1 box of Rotini pasta
      2 jars of pasta sauce any kind will do
      2 lbs of ground turkey
      2 bags of mozzarella
      brown turkey, cook pasta al dente, in a bowl mix the brown turkey and mix jars of sauce together add some garlic, black peppper, italian seasonings then stir in the pasta, one bag of cheese . Oil the bottom of your lasagna dish, pour in the mixture. Top off with the other bag of cheese cover with tin foil bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. I freezes good too 🙂

      tamben7996(at)aol(dot)com

      Reply

    71. here is a vegan noodle salad
      15 ounces soba noodles
      1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
      1/4 cup rice vinegar (not rice wine vinegar)
      1/3 cup soy sauce
      3 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
      2 tablespoons brown sugar
      1-2 teaspoons minced garlic
      1 pinch cayenne pepper
      2 carrots, grated
      3 green onions, chopped
      1/4 cup sesame seeds
      1 red pepper, chopped
      1/2 pound smoked tofu, diced, optional

      Reply

    85. simple and tasty — sauce is olive (or grapeseed) oil, finely chopped garlic, roma tomatoes, fresh basil and some parm cheese — sautee and put over pasta of your choice. eat most during warmer months.

      Reply

    98. Mine is super duper easy! I mix Philly Italian cream cheese, a little butter, cooked bacon, cooked chicken and fresh basil. Toss it with fettuccine and enjoy! So easy and sooooo yummy!

      coriwestphal at msn dot com

      Reply

    105. i LOVE chicken marsala but i have yet to find the perfect recipe (like carrabba’s). i’ll let you know if i do! for now i make spaghetti instead…. with lentils, peppers, mushrooms, and onions – no meat.

      Reply

    110. We like to make Fettccini Alfredo using Cream Cheese as the base rather than a Roux or just butter & cream… It makes a rich sauce for sure!
      inalak at msn dot com

      Reply

    112. I LOVE Carbonara! This is a great Recipe that I’ve found from Rachael Ray!

      •Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
      •1 pound pasta, such as spaghetti or rigatoni
      •1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (enough to coat bottom of pan)
      •1/4 pound pancetta (Italian bacon), chopped
      •1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
      •5 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
      •1/2 cup dry white wine
      •2 large egg yolks
      •Freshly grated Romano cheese
      •Handful of finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

      Directions:

      1. Put a large saucepot of water on to boil. Add a liberal amount of salt and the pasta. Cook to al dente, about 8 minutes.

      2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and pancetta. Brown pancetta 2 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Add wine and stir up all the pan drippings.

      3. In a separate bowl, beat yolks, then add 1 large ladleful (about 1/2 cup) of the pasta cooking water. This tempers the eggs and keeps them from scrambling when added to the pasta.

      4. Drain pasta well and add it directly to the skillet with pancetta and oil. Pour the egg mixture over the pasta. Toss rapidly to coat the pasta without cooking the egg. Remove pan from heat and add a big handful of cheese, lots of pepper, and a little salt. Continue to toss and turn the pasta until it soaks up egg mixture and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley and extra grated Romano.

      Read more: Rachael Ray Recipes – Carbonara Recipe by Rachel Ray – Good Housekeeping

      Reply

    121. I love this pasta puttanesca recipe I found a while ago by Paula Deen
      1 pound linguine
      1 (2-ounce) can anchovies, drained, oil reserved, chopped
      6 garlic cloves, chopped
      1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with added puree
      1 pound shrimp, peeled
      1 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
      1/4 cup capers, drained
      1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
      1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
      Salt and freshly ground black pepper

      it is so delicious!
      ashleygatewood1(AT)gmail.com

      Reply

    135. Ours is nothing fancy at all. Baked ziti with italian sausage is a quick 30-minute meal that our whole family loves.
      Thanks for the chance to win!

      Reply

    145. I like Basic Pasta
      1 egg, beaten
      1/2 teaspoon salt
      1 cup all-purpose flour
      2 tablespoons water
      Directions

      In a medium sized bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the flour, add the slightly beaten egg, and mix. Mixture should form a stiff dough. If needed, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water.
      On a lightly floured surface, knead dough for about 3 to 4 minutes. With a pasta machine or by hand roll dough out to desired thinness. Use machine or knife to cut into strips of desired width.

      Reply

    149. One of our favorite pasta dishes is spicy hot shrimp. The shrimp is better grilled, but if it’s cold weather, I fry them up in the pan or broil them in some garlic olive oil. Then just toss the cooked shrimp in with some cooked linguine noodles, olive oil, black pepper, red pepper flakes, sea salt, dried basil, garlic salt and a bit of butter to your liking. It’s really easy to make and very filling.

      Reply

    163. My favorite thing to add to pasta for something different is PESTO! It can be used by itself or as added flavor in your favorite pasta recipe.

      Reply

    169. We don’t eat a lot of pasta dishes and when we do they’re nothing fancy. Our favorite pasta dish though is pizza casserole. All it is is your favorite pasta, with pasta sauce, mozz cheese and whatever you like on your pizza. (It’s pepperoni for us.) Then it bakes for 30 minutes at 350.

      Reply

    194. I love to make linguine with 3-4 different kinds of fresh and dried mushrooms, with olive oil & butter, tomato paste and sundried tomatoes, a little white wine (if no kids!)

      Reply

    199. I love all kids of pasta dishes. One of my favorites is angel hair tossed with garlic olive oil, tuna and shrimp and garnished with fresh parsley.

      Reply

    204. One of my favorites is super easy. I cook gnocchi and then drain. While draining, I put olive oil and butter in the pan along with italian seasoning, salt, pepper and crab meat (I also use diced, cooked asparagus sometimes). Once that is blended (a minute or two, I add the gnocchi and some grated parmesian cheese. I put on plates then top with additional cheese. Super easy and very tasty.

      Reply

    209. Cooked macaroni mixed with tomato sauce, garlic and onion bits, cooked ground turkey or beef and lots of cheese, then baked for 30 minutes.

      Reply

    214. i like making lasagna, but i’m not sure how gourmet that is. i have a nice recipe for pasta with chicken and sun-dried tomato cream sauce that is more gourmet. 😉

      Reply

    216. I don’t really make gourmet pasta dishes. My family loves spaghetti with meat sauce, spaghetti with meatballs and lasagna.
      Thank you!
      jackievillano at gmail dot com

      Reply

    223. My favorite pasta dish is grilled shrimp scampi with angel hair pasta, you can add a light alfredo sauce too! Yum!

      Reply

    231. Here’s a favorite recipe in our family

      Stuffed shells

      2 boxes shells
      2 cans Ricotta
      2 eggs
      12 oz Mozzarella cheese
      1/2 c. Parmesean cheese
      1 tsp. Italian seasoning
      1/4 tsp. pepper
      1/2 tsp. salt
      Your favorite Ragu sauce

      Cook and drain shells. Mix all the above ingredients. Fill cing bag to stuff shells. Use 1 layer sauce, then shells; top with sauce and Mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

      Reply

    255. I love a cheesy lasagna!!! My favorite. Does not matter what else is in it as long as I put a ton of cheese!

      gmissycat at yahoo dot com

      Reply

    262. I like to make individual Lasagna. Instead of layering noodles, meat sauce, cheese, you take one noodle, put a layer of each and roll it up. Do that for as many as you want, bake as usual. You have individual Lasagnas. You take the left overs and freeze them. They make a great lunch for hubby. He takes a frozen one (or two) to work. By lunch they are defrosted and he pops them in the micro to warm them up

      Reply

    271. I’m not much of a recipe cook.
      You can have lots of fun with pasta.
      One of my favorites is adding fajita chicken, bell peppers, rotel tomatoes & salsa.
      It’s great!
      Thank you.
      barbara dot montyj at gmail dot com

      Reply

    277. I like shrimp and noodle alfredo. I saute shrimp in butter and garlic, cook some noodles, throw it together with a jar of alfredo sauce and heat in oven.

      Reply

    290. I like to take Homemade MacNCheese and use half elbow pasta and half whole grain penne pasta. Many times I use the shredded kraft casserole cheese to mix it up.

      Reply

    292. We take the big pasta shells and stuff them with chicken, broccoli and Alfredo, top the whole thing with extra cheese and bake.

      Reply

    294. One of our favorite pasta dishes to make, especially in fall and winter, is spaghetti with pumpkin sauce with broccoli and sausage. It’s a pretty delicious combination of flavors!

      Reply

    307. my roommate has amazing “mac n cheese”. not sure the actual ingredients but it involves velveeta, mozarella, half and half, mushrooms, bacon… all over penne pasta then topped with more shredded mozarella and baked. its to die for! sometimes she adds chicken to it too.

      Reply

    313. Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken is about as “gourmet” as it gets around here. Serve with a salad and garlic and/or cheese toast.

      Reply

    333. One of my favorite pasta dishes is Pasta Primavera made with lots of oven roasted broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, red onions, and lots of garlic. I got a taste for it when I worked at Greensburg Country Club as a teenager. The Chef would make it for us every once in a while. Good luck to everyone!

      Reply

    335. I like to make a Pasta with tuna and green olives. This is not an original recipe but I cannot remember where I got it. We have it at least monthly at our house.

      4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
      2 to 3 large cloves garlic, minced
      Pinch hot red chile flakes
      3 Tbs. finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley or 1 TBS dried
      16 oz can of diced tomatoes with their juices
      1 can of tuna packed in olive oil, well drained and very finely minced
      1/3 cup quartered green olives
      Pinch of salt
      1 lb. dried penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti
      parmesan cheese

      Combine all ingredients except cooked pasta, let sauce marinate for at least 10 minutes, add cooked pasta and serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

      reejen at comcast dot net

      Reply

    340. When I was little, my mom used to slice hot dogs into little pieces and then stick 2 or 3 strands of uncooked spaghetti noodles through the middle of them. And then boil it! So the hot dog chunks would be cooked inside the pasta! It was a great idea!
      Awesome blog by the way and thanks for the giveaway!
      Would love, love, LOVE to win this!
      =]
      iplaytrack1224(at)hotmail(dot)(com)

      Reply

    342. My favorite is angel hair pasta with browned butter, Mizithra Cheese and white clam sauce. Sounds odd but tastes great!

      chrisdeglen(at)gmail(dot)com

      Reply

    347. I love to make lasagna:
      I lb. lasagna noodles
      1 lb. ground beef
      1 lb. italian sausage, removed from casing
      1 green pepper
      1 medium yellow onion
      3 cloves garlic
      1 tbsp. italian seasoning
      1 tbsp. parsley
      1 tsbp. basil
      1 16 oz container cottage cheese
      2 lbs. mozzarella cheese
      2 c. parmesan cheese
      2 16 oz jars spaghetti sauce, any flavor

      Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9X11 pan.
      Boil noodles until al dente
      saute green peppers, onion, and garlic
      Saute ground beef & italian sausage

      When all items are cooked, start compiling lasagna. Start with a layer of noodles, top with cottage cheese, then sauce, then meat/veg mixture, then mozzarella. Alternate until pan is full. Top with spices and parmesan cheese.

      Bake for 45 minutes or until cheese on top is melted.

      Reply

    359. Sorry, I don’t have any gourmet dishes. I’m looking for Vegan Dishes for my husband and this one sounds great! For vegan spaghetti, we use meatless crumbles in the sauce, that’s as gourmet as it gets.

      Reply

    360. I don’t really have a gourmet dish but I like to make my own Beefaroni using homemade sauce/ ground beef/ and diary free cheese. Love it.

      dlsloveblogs at gmail dot com

      Reply

    366. We love to make Pasta salad with all different types of noodles, usually little bits that I have left over all go in! The kids think it’s funny to have all different types of noodles in the salad!

      Reply

    378. I make a dish with spaghetti, onions, skim milk, and a touch of tomato sauce….the milk and onions combine to be creamy and delicious, yet lowfat.

      Reply

    383. We usually stick to the basics when it comes to food. We like spaghetti and Fettucine Alfredo with chicken. thank you
      !

      Reply

    403. Use day old spaghetti with sauce and put in a pie pan add cheese on top and put in oven until bubbly. We call it speghetti twice.
      vmkids3 at msn dot com

      Reply

    411. I have a macaroni n cheese recipe that my family has always enjoyed very much. I adapted it from a recipe I found somewhere. It’s very simple and good. When all the kids (4) were home I always used to double the recipe.
      Butter or margarine 3 Tablespoons
      Flour 2 Tablespoons
      Milk 1 cup
      Salt 1 teaspoon
      Pepper 1/8 teaspo
      Macaroni, cooked 3 cups
      Cheese, diced 1/2 lb.
      Cracker Crumbs 1/4 cup
      Paprika
      Makes 4 servings. Double if more than 2 or 3 people.

      Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter or margarine in a skillet. Mix in flour and allow to brown slightly. Then gradually add milk, stir until thickened.
      Add cheese and stir until melted and blended. Meanwhile cook macaroni. Add macaroni to cheese mixture and mix well. Pour into baking dish.
      Top with 1 Tablespoon butter or margarine and cracker crumbs. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

      Reply

    418. I like this giveaway post on Facebook – my FB name is Amanda Moore, I clicked the “like” button under the post!

      Reply

    419. I make a dish where you crush up 2 sleeves of ritz crackers add 1/2 cup of melted butter and some garlic salt to the crumbs. Take half and spread it in a 9×13 pan. Take 2 cans of cream of chicken soup and 1 cup of sour cream mix it together. Toss in about 5 cut up cubed chicken breasts (don’t have to be cooked) and then mix that. Spread the chicken mix on the cracker base, and then top the chicken with more of the crackers. Cook for 30 minutes on 350. Serve that over pasta. We like rotini or capavelli noodles for it, but you could use any kind!

      Reply

    420. My favorite pasta dish is a pasta salad. Prepare a box of colorful rigotini. slice and dice some veggies such as onions, broccoli, Sugar Snap peas, and add grape tomatoes. 1 small bottle of Italian dressing. chill a couple of hours and eat. you can add ham and vary the fresh veggies that you can find at the grocers. I love it in summer and the rest of the year too.

      Reply

    421. I have begun making mile high lasagna in the crock, and add creamed spinach in the layers, and half ground beef, half italian sausage.
      i also make an impromtu fresh pomodoro sauce by saute’ing fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, oregano, red onion, garlic and EVOO.i add a bit of sugar and toss in angel hair pasta. i like my sauce chunky. and very garlic and basily.
      I also make a mozerrela en carroza. italian grilled cheese, italian bread dipped in egg and butter, grilled in fresh mozzerella and basil leaves. dip in sauce.

      Reply

    424. Win It!>>>Lasagna Pierogi >>Ingredients:
      •12 lasagna noodles
      •4 tbsp butter
      •4 onions, diced
      •2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
      •6 cups mashed potatoes
      •1/2 cup sour cream
      •salt and black pepper to taste

      Reply

    425. 2nd …sorry, 1st one doesn’t have my name……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. Win It!>>>Lasagna Pierogi >>Ingredients:
      •12 lasagna noodles
      •4 tbsp butter
      •4 onions, diced
      •2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
      •6 cups mashed potatoes
      •1/2 cup sour cream
      •salt and black pepper to taste

      Reply

    443. My husband makes a wonderful vegetarian sauce with canned tomatoes, mushrooms, black olives, sauted onions and garlic, and a little wine. We serve it over just about any kind of pasta.

      Reply

    448. Chicken Spaghetti

      Ingredients:
      •1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
      •1 lb. Angel hair pasta
      •1 can Cambell’s Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
      •1 lb. Mexican or regular Velveeta Cheese
      •1 can Rotel tomatoes (tomatoes with green chiles)

      Preparation:

      Boil chicken breasts in large pan adding a pinch of salt to water. Remove chicken when completely done. Boil noodles in remaining broth, drain after done. Cut chicken into small, bite-sized pieces. Cut cheese into small chunks and melt in sauce pan. Combine in large pan: chicken, noodles, cheese, soups, and Rotel. Mix well and serve.

      Reply

    449. Penne with spinach dinner surprise recipe
      Ingredients

      * 1 tablespoon olive oil
      * 2 cloves garlic, chopped
      * 1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
      * 1 15-ounce can or half of a 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
      * 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
      * 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
      * kosher salt and black pepper
      * 12 ounces penne (3/4 box)
      * 1 5-ounce package baby spinach
      * 8 ounces mozzarella, grated (about 2 cups)
      * 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan (about 1/2 ounce)
      * green salad, for serving

      Directions

      1. Heat oven to 400° F. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes.
      2. Cut up the whole tomatoes in the can with scissors or crush by hand. Add to the saucepan with the vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
      3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Cook the penne for half the package directions’ recommended time.
      4. Add the spinach to the sauce and cook, stirring, until it begins to wilt, about 1 minute. Add the drained pasta and toss to combine.
      5. Place half the pasta mixture in an 8-inch square baking dish and sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining pasta and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and Parmesan.
      6. Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until bubbling and beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with the salad (if desired)

      emmaspeel(at)gmail.com

      Reply

    452. I mahe homemade meatballs & instead of bread crumbs use onion soup mix. I add spinach leaves*fresh* when the sauce is almost ready. It adds extra vegs that the kids don’t see wink wink

      Reply

    457. Linguini with Clams and Garlic Butter Sauce

      Ingredients

      14 ounces dried linguine
      12 littleneck clams, steamed
      2 ounces crushed garlic
      6 ounces garlic butter plus extra for bread, recipe follows
      1/4 cup white wine
      2 lemon wedges, juiced, plus 1 wedge, for garnish
      1/2 ciabatta bread, toasted
      1-ounce shredded Parmesan
      Pinch minced fresh parsley leaves
      1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
      Directions

      Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Steam 12 littleneck clams and set aside. In a saute pan over medium heat, add crushed garlic and then add the garlic butter and wine. When butter starts to bubble, add clams and mix around until clams are coated. Add lemon juice, and toss to coat. Place pasta in a serving bowl, and top with the clam mixture.

      Cut toasted bread into slices and brush with garlic butter. Garnish with Parmesan, parsley and crushed red pepper. Serve with a lemon wedge.

      Garlic Butter:

      Melted unsalted butter

      Lemon juice

      Minced fresh garlic

      Garlic powder

      Onion powder

      Crushed red pepper

      White wine

      Parsley

      In a small bowl, combine all ingredients, to taste.

      Reply

    463. Baked Ziti Recipe

      Cook time: 55 minutes

      If you don’t have Italian seasoning in the pantry, use 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.
      Ingredients

      1 pound ziti (can sub penne) pasta
      Olive oil
      1 pound bulk Italian sausage or ground beef or pork
      1 large onion, chopped
      3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
      1 Tbsp fresh rosemary (or basil), minced
      1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
      1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
      1 large jar of marinara sauce (about 32 ounces) or make your own tomato sauce
      1/2 pound of mozzarella cheese, grated
      1 heaping cup of ricotta cheese
      1 cup grated parmesan or pecorino cheese

      Method

      1 Bring a large pot of water to a strong boil. Add about a tablespoon of salt for every 2 quarts of water. Add the pasta and boil, uncovered, until the pasta is al dente—edible but still a little firm. Drain the pasta through a colander. Toss with a little olive oil so the pasta does not stick together while you make the sauce.

      2 Pour a tablespoon or so of olive oil into a large sauté pan on medium-high to heat. When the oil is hot, add the bulk sausage or ground meat. Do not crowd the pan (work in batches if needed). Break up any large chunks of sausage as it cooks. Brown well. Don’t stir that often or it will be more difficult for the meat to brown. If you are using ground beef or pork instead of sausage, add a little salt.

      3 When the meat is mostly browned, add the onions and stir well to combine. Sauté everything until the onions are translucent and beginning to brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary or basil, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Cook 1 minute, then add the tomato sauce and stir well. Bring to a simmer.

      4 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole pan, then dot the surface with half the ricotta cheese. Ladle in some sauce with the pasta, mix it well and add the pasta into the casserole.

      5 Pour the rest of the sauce over the pasta, dot the remaining ricotta cheese over the pasta, and sprinkle on top both the mozzarella and the Parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven until the top is nicely browned, about 20 minutes.

      Yield: Serves at least 8

      Reply

    467. Mmmm. Fettucini alfredo is my all-time favorite. I love adding wilted spinach and roasted elephant garlic slices.

      Reply

    474. Mine is Skillet Parmesan Chicken

      3 to 4 boneless chicken breast
      marinara sauce
      minced garlic
      italian bread crumbs
      mozzarella cheese
      Parmesan Cheese
      speggetti noodles
      1 egg

      mix half bread crumbs and half the parmesan cheese. dip the chicken breasts in a scrambled egg mix then dip in the crub/parm mix. fry in a skillet until almost browned, pour in the marinara sauce and minced garlic, top with mozzarella cheese until melted, then top off with left over parmesan cheese! Boil your noodles and spread on a plate and top with sauce and a peice of chicken! YUMMY and EASY!

      lyndsey.rullman at hotmail dot com

      Reply

    481. Aww such cute photos! We like fettuccine sometimes as a pasta dish, and you can even add shrimp, chicken breast strips, or veggies to it. Thanks!

      Reply

    501. My favorite is Cavatini. You can get it at Pizza Hut but I have the recipe to make it at home as well.

      boylaneely at hotmail dot com

      Reply

    507. My favorite pasta recipe is Pasta with Pesto Sauce. I make the pesto by combing lots of fresh basil, really good olive oil, walnuts, and a bit of fresh garlic in a blender. I use store bought whole wheat vegan pasta. It’s delicious!!!!

      Reply

    512. I try to eat healthy foods…so what I’d do is start out with whole grain pasta and just add “good stuff to it” like lots of different vegetables, wheat germ, flax seed, salmon or chicken, maybe some egg whites, a little bit of black pepper, curry powder, etc. Then I’d add a combination of extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar and water. There is no exact measurements. I do this all the time and it always comes out good.

      Reply

    529. I love lemon linguine! It’s real easy just melt butter with lemon juice and basil and toss with cooked (and drained) linguine – it’s really good and easy!

      Reply

    545. My fav is just a simple baked ziti.

      1 pound dry ziti pasta
      1 onion, chopped
      1 pound lean ground beef
      2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
      6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
      1 1/2 cups sour cream
      6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
      2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

      Directions
      1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
      2. In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.
      3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
      4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.

      Reply

    547. It’s hardly fancy, but green peppers, onion (both chopped), carrots (grated) and browned burger (beef, turkey etc) with sauce and pasta (usually elbows in my house) = goulash.

      Reply

    548. My favorite gourmet pasta dish is Grant’s Special Mardi Gras Pasta found on allrecipes.com:

      Ingredients

      1 (12 ounce) package dry fettuccine pasta
      1/2 cup butter
      3 tablespoons green onions, chopped
      1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
      1/2 cup chopped andouille sausage
      2 tablespoons minced garlic
      1/2 cup chopped tomato
      1 cup fresh shrimp – peeled, deveined, and chopped
      1 tablespoon dry white wine
      1 tablespoon lemon juice
      1 cup heavy cream
      1 1/3 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
      1 1/3 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper
      1 1/3 tablespoons chopped yellow bell pepper
      1/2 cup diced cold butter
      1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
      salt and ground black pepper to taste
      Directions

      Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the fettuccine, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
      Melt 1/2 cup of butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the green onions, mushrooms, and andouille sausage until the mushrooms begin to release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato, and cook, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant, 3 minutes; stir in the shrimp, and cook and stir until the shrimp are opaque and pink, about 3 more minutes. Pour in white wine and lemon juice, and cook until the liquid has reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Pour in heavy cream, and cook until the cream has reduced and thickened. Stir in the green, red, and yellow bell pepper.
      Drop in about 2 tablespoons of the diced cold butter. Holding the skillet by the handle, swirl the sauce over medium-low heat until the butter has melted and incorporated; repeat several times with 2 more tablespoons of butter until all remaining butter is incorporated. Remove the sauce from the heat, and stir in parsley. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Gently toss the sauce with the cooked fettuccine to serve.

      Reply

    549. I LOVE pasta, and stuffed shells are one of my faves. I always tend to add things outside of the recipe, but this is the basic recipe:

      24 jumbo pasta shells
      1 15-oz. container ricotta
      2 cups shredded mozzarella
      1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
      1 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
      1 large egg, lightly beaten
      Salt and pepper
      1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
      Pinch of ground nutmeg
      1 26-oz. jar spaghetti sauce
      Preparation

      1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Mist a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Cook pasta shells according to package label directions; drain and set aside to cool. While pasta cooks, in a large bowl, stir together ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, egg, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and nutmeg.
      2. Spread 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce over bottom of baking dish. Stuff shells with cheese-and-spinach mixture and place in dish. Spoon remaining sauce over shells and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella.
      3. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake about 10 minutes longer, until bubbly and cheese begins to brown.

      Reply

    554. I”m a horrible cook so I can’t really give advice on cooking a new pasta dish. However, I will say that I love manicotti and if you spiked the ricotta with spinach and other finely diced veggies, it would most likely be very delish!

      Reply

    556. i love just some angel hair with butter and parmesan, or you can use olive oil and toss in some basil. simple is good

      Reply

    567. Our favorite past dish is spaghetti. We make it with rotini noodles. After we top the rotini noodles with our meat/spaghetti sauce, we top that with mozzerella cheese. Eat it with a side of garlic bread and a small side salad.

      [email protected]

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    569. We love this one from Sara Moulton from her cookbook, Sara’s Secrets for Weeknight Meals. It’s yummy!!

      Ingredients
      Kosher salt
      1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
      8 ounces frozen breakfast sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick (Note: do not defrost sausages before cutting them)
      1 garlic clove, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
      1 teaspoon fresh sage, rinsed, dried, and chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon rubbed)
      1 teaspoon fresh thyme, rinsed and dried (or 1/3 teaspoon dried)
      2 cans chopped tomatoes (14 1/2 ounces each)
      1 pound rotelle (cartwheel or other shaped pasta)
      2/3 cup heavy cream
      Freshly milled black pepper
      1 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated (about 1/2 cup)
      Cooking Directions
      Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat until hot; reduce the heat to medium, add the sausage, and saute, stirring occasionally, until it is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. (Don’t discard the fat released by the sausage.) Add the garlic, sage, and thyme; cook 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the sauce for 20 minutes.
      During the last 10 minutes, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the cream to the sauce and simmer just until the sauce has thickened slightly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drain the pasta, reserving 2/3 cup of the cooking liquid. Stir the pasta cooking liquid into the sauce and toss with the drained pasta. Top each portion with some of the Parmigiano-Reggiano.

      Reply

    576. Kidney Beans Italian – pre- cooked to al dente Pasta, can of kidney beans, shredded cheese and partly pre-cooked bacon – can also add some onion to taste. Leter it in a casserole and pour a can of tomotoe soup over it. Bake at 350 for about an hour. YUMMY

      Reply

      • Ooh – at a restaurant I had a delicious bow tie pasta with caramelized onions, chicken and alight garlic sauce

    589. Made this last week:
      take shrimp, cook in butter and garlic & add salt and red pepper to taste. While doing that, nuke a bag of frozen brocolli cuts. Then add a jar of alfredo and the cooked brocolli to the pan with the rest. Prepare fettucini noodles to serve it on. Yummy & quick & easy.

      Reply

    597. one that is really simple and my kids love is I take elbow the spiral macaroni and make baked mac and cheese and I add a can of whole tomaotes broken up and baked with it

      Reply

    600. CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA (YUMMMMMMMY)
      4 ounces linguine pasta
      2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
      2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
      2 tablespoons butter
      1 red bell pepper, sliced
      1 green bell pepper, sliced
      4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
      1 green onion, chopped
      1 cup heavy cream
      1/4 teaspoon dried basil
      1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
      1/4 teaspoon salt
      1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
      1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
      1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

      1.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
      2.Place the chicken and the Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the chicken in butter or margarine until almost tender (5 to 7 minutes).
      3.Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, mushrooms and green onion. Saute and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat.
      4.Add the cream, basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Heat through. Add the cooked linguine, toss and heat through. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.
      sassysasha817 at gmail dot com

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    601. My current favorite pasta recipe is a Giada De Laurentis dish which is Penne with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto.
      12 ounces penne pasta
      1 (8.5-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
      2 garlic cloves
      Salt and freshly ground black pepper
      1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
      1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

      Directions
      Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

      Meanwhile, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and basil in a food processor and blend until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer the tomato mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan.

      Add the pasta to the pesto and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve.

      It is simple to make and is really good!

      [email protected]

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