Tomato Basil Pasta Salad

Tomato Basil Pasta Salad

16 oz uncooked penne pasta
3/4 C olive oil
1/3 C balsamic vinegar
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
1-2 C fresh mozzarella pearls
1/2 C pine nuts
1-2 basil leaves, torn
Salt, to taste

Cook & drain pasta and place in salad bowl. In small mixing bowl whisk together oil & vinegar; pour over pasta & mix well. Add remaining ingredients and toss well to coat. Cover & refrigerate until ready to serve.

Lazy Lasagna

I remember the first time I had lasagna.  It was down in Southern Indiana, visiting my Aunt Glenda. It was the most scrumptious comfort food I could ever imagine.  When I first became and adult and discovered a "Lazy" version, it was PERFECT!  I've tweaked it over the years to suit my kids' taste, and while it's certainly not gourmet, we rarely have leftovers.

2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, chopped (optional)
1 lb ground beef
1 tsp oregano
1 large (32 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
16 oz cottage cheese, or ricotta cheese
8 oz sour cream
1/2 C grated Parmesan
1 box lasagna noodles, uncooked
2 C shredded cheese
3/4 C water

Preheat oven to 350.  Lightly spray pan and saute garlic and onion until tender.  Add ground beef and oregano and cook until browned.  (Can also use garlic and onion powder if preferred.)  Drain fat and add spaghetti sauce, stirring to heat through.  In small mixing bowl combine cottage cheese, sour cream and Parmesan; set aside.  Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  Spoon 1 1/2 C meat sauce into bottom of pan, spreading evenly.  Layer with uncooked lasagna noodles, adding broken pieces to ends if needed.  Spread half the cottage cheese mixture over noodles, followed by half the remaining meat sauce and 1 C shredded cheese.  Repeat with 2nd layer.  Using spatula, create space between lasagna noodles and edges of pan.  Pour the water around the edges of pan.  Cover tightly with foil and bake 50-60 minutes.  Remove foil and bake another 15=20 minutes.  Let stand 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

For Sunday dinner, I assemble this the night before, cover with foil and refrigerate.  Then I stick it in the oven as soon as I am home from church.

Spaghetti Boats

If I am short on time (not even enough time to boil the pasta), I opt for Spaghetti Boats instead of regular spaghetti.  The kids love them and it seems no matter how big the "boats" are, there are rarely leftovers!  (Note down below for variations we often eat as well.)

1 large loaf French or Italian Bread

1 lb ground beef

chopped garlic, onions, peppers, oregano as desired

1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce

2 C shredded cheese (I usually use Colby-Jack or Mozzarella)

Cut the loaf of bread in half, lengthwise and then cut each half into quarters, ending up with 8 "boats".  Set aside on baking sheet.  In skillet or sauce pan brown ground beef and add desired veggies.  Drain fat and add favorite spaghetti sauce.  (Homemade or store bought.)  Mix well, and stir until heated through.  Spoon meat sauce evenly over each bread boat.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake in 350 degree oven 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted. 

Tip:  I like to line my baking sheet with foil or parchment paper for easier clean-up.

Variations:  
For Sloppy Joe Boats, prepare ground beef as you would for Sloppy Joes and top with shredded cheddar before baking.
For Pizza Boats, use marinara sauce, sausage, pepperoni, etc, and top with a shredded Italian cheese blend.
For Cheeseburger Boats, saute chopped onion with the ground beef and season with a little salt, pepper and some Worcestershire sauce.  Top each with slice of favorite "cheeseburger" cheese (American, Pepper-Jack, Cheddar, Swiss, etc.)  After baking, add ketchup and mustard if desired.


Hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

Yummy-Mummy Halloween Calzones

We made our own Yummy Mummy calzones and they were fun! Kids enjoyed them too! Not as pretty as the ones on the recipe video, but I thought they still turned out great! Try these next year and get the kids involved. For recipe click here....Rhodes Rolls Yummy Mummies

Way Cool Halloween Calzones

Easy Alfredo Sauce

So easy... I PROMISE!!!!!

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

2 cloves chopped garlic, more or less to taste.

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces

1 cup half and half

1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Begin to melt butter and add garlic. When butter is almost melted, add cream cheese. Cook over med-low heat, stirring frequently. When cream cheese and butter start to blend and get a little bubbly, add in half & half and parmesan. Continue stirring frequently over low-med heat. Cook till smooth and creamy. Add salt & pepper to taste.

*I cut up the leftover chicken from my Ranch Chicken Almandine (click here) and mixed everything together with my leftover Amish Noodles (drained).

My Favorite Breadtwists

Today we are making My Favorite Bread Twists. It all starts with these: a bag of frozen bread roll dough - unbaked - from my local grocer. I like to buy these bags when they are on sale 2/$5. I keep them on hand usually for Sundays. I can place the dough on the pans before church to let them rise, and by the time I get home, they are ready for baking. But - today, we are going to do something else with them. We are making Bread Twists. Now, you need to have THAWED dough for this. I set my bag in the fridge the night before to let thaw, but you should read the manufacturer's instructions first.

18 frozen dinner rolls, thawed, but still cold
¼ C butter, softened
¼ C miracle whip
1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tbsp parsley flakes

Roll each dough ball into 12”-14” rope, fold in half and twist together. Place onto 2 lightly greased cookie sheets. Mix remaining ingredients in small bowl. Brush mixture on top and sides of each twist. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 45 min-1 hour, or until doubled. Bake @ 375° 12-15 minutes. Be careful not to over-bake.

Italian Meatloaf

serves 4-6

1 lb ground beef
1 sleeve saltine crackers, crushed
1 packet dry Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 egg
1 C spaghetti sauce
1 C shredded cheese

Mix everything *except* sauce and cheese in mixing bowl. Pat into lightly greased 8x8 pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Pour sauce over meat and top with cheese. Return to oven another 10-15 minutes, till cheese is melted.

My kids love this with crusty garlic bread too!

*Can use Italian Bread Crumbs in place of saltines. Can also use Italian style diced tomatoes for extra flavor.