What is Baked Ziti? Traditionally, Baked Ziti is an Italian casserole dish, cooked with tomato sauce and cheese. After searching my pantry, I discovered I did not have any Ziti, nor Penne pasta, both used interchangeably in this classic recipe. Because Ziti and Penne are tubular pasta, why couldn’t I use elbow macaroni, of which I had plenty of? This dish turned out to be a “use up what is in the fridge” dish, which us home cooks – LOVE! Legend notes upon being served a dish of macaroni, an early Italian sovereign exclaimed, “Macaroni!” Which means “how very dear.” This semolina and water-based pasta do not usually contain eggs…
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Homemade Tomato Sauce Without Sweating Over a Hot Stove
With the bounty of my home-grown tomatoes and Doug’s love for red pasta sauces; I have been searching for a tomato sauce, NOT requiring me to sweat over a hot stove all day long. So, imagine my elation when I discovered a recipe that I can use my home-grown tomatoes and the Crock-Pot! The Crock-Pot below can be programmed to start cooking while you are at work AND you can carry it to a dinner party! Crock-Pot SCCPVL610-S Programmable Cook and Carry Oval Slow Cooker, 6-Quart Because this was a new recipe and it would just be my husband and myself dining, I cut this recipe in half for this…
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Chicken Lemon Pasta with Summer Vegetables
Looking for a way to use up your summer harvest? For this Chicken and Lemon Pasta, you will spend more time prepping than cooking. Use store-bought rotisserie chicken to make it a weeknight meal. MAKES 4 SERVINGS TOTAL TIME 35 MINUTES Ideal Cooking Gadgets When Cooking Pasta COOK – pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. You can use any type of your favorite pasta. The recipe recommended campanelle, which I used, but I think a penne or bowtie would’ve been better. HEAT – butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add scallion whites…
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Simple Supper: One Pot Pasta with Spinach & Tomatoes
Easy pasta dinner with a few ingredients… My favorite go to meal when I have no idea what to make for dinner is PASTA. It is so easy to prepare and you only need a few ingredients to boost it up to an entree. Served with a slice of bread, this is a meal that was a crunch time touchdown that only took about 30 minutes from start to finish. Ingredients needed: 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil 1 cup of chopped onion 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes – do not drain them 1 1/2 cups chicken stock – I use Swanson, unsalted…
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Spaghetti with Carbonara Sauce
As one of my FAVORITE dishes ever, a good Spaghetti with Carbonara Sauce can be very difficult to make. I have tried at least a dozen different ways and although this particular recipe cannot be classified as EASY, it is not difficult – just takes patience and preparation. That being said, make sure you have all your hardware and ingredients prepared before you get started, for a smoother cooking experience. Because there is so few ingredients, it is especially critical to use good quality items. Their flavor will be amplified in this dish. INGREDIENTS: Kosher salt 1 pound dried spaghetti…
