Baked Ziti

In my opinion, this is comfort food at its best. Serve with a side of garlic bread and you have the perfect winter night supper.  You can use ground beef or sausage in this recipe, both are equally good.  I usually just use whichever I have on hand.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 (16 oz) package ziti
1 pound ground beef or sausage
2 (24 oz) jars marinara sauce
1 tbsp fresh basil
12 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook pasta according to package directions minus one minute. 

Brown meat in a large skillet over medium-high heat adding onions and garlic when meat is mostly browned.  Cook until onions are soft. Drain, and set aside

In a separate saucepan, heat marinara sauce until hot.  Add basil and Italian seasoning and stir until mixed in.  Combine ricotta with salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese.

Spread the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan with a little of the sauce.  Layer half the ziti, half the meat, half the ricotta, and half the sauce.  Cover with half the mozzarella.  Repeat layer.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Bow Tie Pasta with Sausage

This is one of the first meals I learned to make.  Actually, the recipe is from the first cookbook I ever owned.  The hubby requests this dish more then any other, I could probably make it blindfolded (Hmm, I'm gonna have to try that).  Its really tasty and easy to make which makes it perfect for a week night.  Its especially good with Maglios sausage, if you can find it.

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz Bow Tie pasta

1 pound Italian rope sausage

2 large sweet red peppers, seeded and sliced into 2 inch strips

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, cut sausage into 1 inch pieces.  In a large skillet over medium high heat cook sausage and red peppers until sausage no longer pink, about 10 minutes.  Drain well.  Stir broth and pepper into skillet.  Bring to boiling and cook, uncovered about another 5 minutes.  Drain pasta and return to pot.  Pour sausage mixture over pasta, add basil and toss gently to coat.

Fettuccine with Creamy Tomato Italian Sausage Sauce

This recipe is sooo good!  I found it on http://www.simplyrecipes.com/ which is my absolute favorite place to look for new recipes.  The sauce is very creamy and flavorful and the half pound of  spicy sausage gives the dish just the right amount of heat. This one will definitely go in the recipe box to be repeated many many times!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 2 large garlic gloves, chopped
• 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1/2 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 Tbsp dried sage
• 3/4 pound fettuccine
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add shallots and garlic and saute until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.  Add sausage and saute until no longer pink, breaking sausage up.  Add cream and simmer about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes with juices.  Add sage.  Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions or until just tender.  Drain pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

Return pasta to same pot, add sauce.  Toss to coat.  Add reserved liquid if mixture is dry.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve.