Baked Three Cheese Spaghetti

Baked Three Cheese Spaghetti

I made this scrumptious meal for brunch last Sunday using my new bakeware from Temp-Tations which I am truly in love with! I can prep, bake, serve, store and reheat all in one dish. After a long day at work, the idea of freezer to oven to table makes me smile. It also means more time with freinds and family during get-togethers instead of being tied to the stove while everyone else gets to socialize. The need to wash all those pots, pans, and bowls after dinner is eliminated and they're made to stack up when stored leaving more space in my cabinets. 

• Beautiful and Stylish
• 5 color choices
• Stoneware that won't crack or chip
• metal utensil safe
• Naturally non-stick
• Easy clean-up
• hot food stay hot, cold food stays cold
• 30 day money back guarantee

I chose my set in the Butter Cream so it would blend with my favorite colorful dishes.  I also ordered a set of 4 mini covered casseroles in cranberry. Aren't they just delish?

I received free shipping and Tara's Cookbook containing 120 easy to make family recipes. It's filled with colorful pictures, shopping lists, and tips. This is one of her recipes found on page 128-129. Easy? Yes! Tasty? Yes!

Ingredients:

• 16 oz thin spaghetti
• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 small green pepper chopped
• 1 - 24 oz jar marinara sauce
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 cups mozarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 tsp italian seasoning

Preparation Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil spaghetti for 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a rectangular 4-quart baking dish.

2. In a medium bowl add ricotta cheese, milk, melted butter, and salt.  Thoroughly mix and pour over spaghetti.  (Her recipe says to mix with the spaghetti thereby bypassing the bowl).

3. In large non-stick skillet over medium high heat, saute the olive oil, onion, and green pepper until peppers are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

4. Add marinara sauce and parmesan cheese to the skillet and stir intil combined. Pour over spaghetti mixture in baking dish.

5. Top with mozarella cheese and then sprinkle with italian seasoning. ( I didn't have any so I sprinkled parsley, oregano, and rosemary).

6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove foil and bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until cheese begins to brown and sauce is bubbly. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

In step 3 You can first brown 1 lb ground beef before adding the onion and green pepper.

This was so good, everyone wanted more.  It's tastes somewhere between fried spaghetti and lasagna.

I forgot to take a picture of the table when we sat down to eat but I can say the baking dish sitting in the wire holder looked quite elegant with my colorful Italian dishes. In fact one of my friends bookmarked the website in her phone saying she planned to order a set in blue. Want more Temp-tations to choose from? Check out this site for every piece you could possibly want in a variety of patterns. I'm already making my wish list for birthdays, Mother's Day, Christmas...

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Ezy Cheezy

 

Ezy Cheezy

Are you craving something to munch on? Want something good for everyone including the dog? Want something easy? How about just two ingredients? If you said yes then this is what you were looking for.

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 4 tsp plain flour

Preparation Instructions

1.  Pour cheese into a medium size bowl. Add flour and mix together to coat the cheese.  I like using baking flour but any flour will work just fine.

2.  Now is the time to throw in any seasonings.  I like a pinch of sea salt and some cayenne pepper for a little kick.  (Make sure any seasoning or herb you choose is dog friendly if sharing)

3.  Grab a small handfull and place on a lined cookie sheet.  Flatten slightly and make sure there are no loose pieces.  

4.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes or until crispy on the edges.

5.  Remove cookie sheet from oven and let cool slightly before removing cheese.  

My favorite is definitely the parmesan while Kirby prefers the Colby Jack. Let me know which one is your favorite.

Baked Lasagna

Baked Lasagna

I've had this recipe for a gazillion years so I can't say where it came from. The internet wasn't big back then so it must have been in a cookbook or magazine. What I do know is it is so scrumptious I've never had to reinvent it or even try a newer version. So from my recipe box to you here is the easiest, tastiest, cheesiest lasagna ever!

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 - 24 oz jars pasta or spaghetti sauce*
• 32 oz ricotta cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 box lasagna noodles, uncooked

Preparation Instructions

1. Cook the ground beef in a skillet. Drain the grease.

 2. Place meat in a medium size bowl. Add the pasta sauce and mix well.

3. In another medium sized bowl, or using your mixer, thoroughly combine the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the mozarella cheese, 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, and the eggs.

4. In a 13x9 baking pan spread 1 cup of the meat sauce, a layer of the lasagna noodles, another cup of the meat sauce, and 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture.

5. Repeat each layer finally topping with 2 cups of the meat sauce. Well, I forgot to keep taking pictures but you get the idea.

6. Cover with tin foil and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

7. Remove the tin foil and sprinkle the remaining mozarella and parmesan cheeses over the top.

8. Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes.

9. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

The noodles will bake al dente which means they will have a chewy texture.  For softer noodles refrigerate, preferably overnight, but at least for two hours before baking to allow the noodles to absorb some moisture before baking.

Add a small salad and crusty Italian bread for a divine meal. If you want to share with fido make sure the ingredients in the pasta sauce are dog friendly. Here's a great dog friendly recipe to make your own simple tomato sauce, just omit the black pepper or replace with cayenne pepper. 

This dish freezes very well. Slice individual portion sizes to freeze or if you plan to freeze the whole thing for later then line the baking dish with foil before baking for easy removal from the pan once it is frozen.

* I used Kroger Roasted Red Pepper with Garlic pasta sauce.