Baked Ziti

What a great, easy weeknight dinner to save you from eating out and eating together at the table.  It's inexpensive and done in no time.  Add a garden salad and garlic bread and you've got a complete meal in under 30 minutes.

Baked Ziti
1 16-oz. package of Ziti (penne, rigatoni, etc.all work great!)
1 large jar of your favorite tomato pasta sauce
1 15-oz. container of part-skim ricotta cheese
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain well and put in large mixing bowl.  Add tomato sauce and ricotta cheese.  Stir well.  Put in 9x13 baking dish.  Cover with shredded mozzarella.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until warmed through and cheese  is melted.  I like to switch it to broil right at the end to brown the top just a little.

Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese

Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

Cooking oil spray

2 cups skim milk

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 egg

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 cups Shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

Spray the pot of the slow cooker.  In a mixing bowl whisk together milk, evaporated milk, soup, egg, salt and pepper. Pour milk mixture into the crockpot.  Add cheese and uncooked macaroni. Stir gently to mix.  

Turn slow cooker on low and cook about 3 hours, or until the custard is set and the macaroni is tender. 

Couscous Salad

We love this with grilled greek style pork tenderloin. 

1 package of couscous prepared according to package directions
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 small cucumber, deseeded, peeled and diced
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1/3 c. chopped fresh parsley (2 t. dried will work too)
2 t. minced garlic
zest of 1 lemon

Dressing
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Whisk all together.
These measurements are approx. as I don't use measurements to make mine   May need to adjust according to your tastes.

Cheesy Hamburger Macaroni

My goal this year is that if I am pinning recipes from Pinterest, then I better spend some time trying them!  I found this one and changed it slightly.   Great family recipe and makes plenty for leftovers!  I want to try one pinterest recipe a week.  We'll see if that happens - ha!


1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes with juice
1 small cans of tomato sauce
ground pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 t. dried oregano
2 t. dried parsley


1 lb. ground beef
1 onion
2 t. minced garlic

1 16-oz. package of elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

1 c. shredded cheddar
1c. shredded mozzerella

In sauce pan pour in tomatoes, tomato sauce and seasonings.  Heat until warm and blend with immersion blender under tomatoes are broken up.  Set aside.

In skillet add ground beef and onions, cook until there is no more pink.  Add in garlic.  Drain off any fat. 

Combine macaroni, tomato sauce and ground beef mixes and put into 9x13 baking dish.  Top with cheese and Bake for 25 minutes at 350. 

Lemon Thyme Chicken

Every now and then I come across a recipe I have made and kept, but never copied over to the blog or computer. I try to trash these sheets of paper b/c I have so many. I loved this dish and glad I came across the recipe again.

1 package of chicken tenders

3/4 c. mayo
2 T. fresh thyme
1 1/2 t. lemon zest
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/2 c. grated parmesan

Arrange chicken tenders in baking dish. Set aside. In a small mixing bowl, stir together mayo and remaining 6 ingredients. Spoon mayo mix over chicken tenders. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until chicken is done. Serve over Angel hair pasta (recipe follows)

Angel Hair Pasta with tomatoes

8 oz. Angel Hair Pasta, cooked according the package directions and drained.

1/2 c. butter
3 T. lemon juice
1 t. salt
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. black pepper
1 bunch of green onions, sliced
1T. chopped fresh parsely
1 c. chopped Roma Tomatoes.

Mix all.


Arrange tenders in baking dish

Macaroni and Cheese

We love homemade mac and cheese. It's definitely one of the girls favorites. This is absolutely fabulous!




3 eggs
8-oz. sour cream
4 T. of butter, melted + 2T. butter
1/2 t. salt
1 c. milk
12-oz. cheddar cheese, grated (should be about 3-4 cups)
1 16-oz. package of macaroni, cooked and drained


Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter a 9x13 baking dish.

In a large bowl, Beat eggs, add in sour cream, melted butter, salt and milk. Add in macaroni and 3/4 of cheese (just reserve enough to cover the top). Spread into prepared dish. Top with remaining cheese and dot with remaining butter.

Bake about 30-45 minutes.

Chicken and Spinach Lasagna

Not regular Lasagna - a spinach florentine type!


3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 10oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 c. shredded cheddar
1/2 c. grated parmesan
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 4 oz. jar of sliced mushrooms, drained
8 oz. light sour cream
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
9 Lasagna Noodles, cooked and drained
1 c. grated parmesan
2 T. butter
1 c. chopped pecans

Combine Chicken and next 10 ingredients. Mix well and set aside.

Layer 3 noodles in 9x13 pan. Top with half of the chicken mixture. Repeat and end with 3 lasagna noodles on top.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

In saute pan, melt butter. Add in pecans and cook until toasty and slightly browned.
Sprinkle over the Parmesan Cheese.

Cover with Foil

Bake in a 350* oven for 60 minutes.

Orzo Pasta Salad

A great summer dish!

Orzo Pasta Salad
adapted from Taste of the South - Summer 2007

16 oz. orzo pasta, cooked and drained

16oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 zucchini, cut into julienne strips
1 yellow squash, cut into julienne strips
2 carrots, cut into julienne strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into julienne strips
1/2 red onion, cut into julienne strips
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
olive oil

Toss veggies in seasonings and olive oil. Place on baking sheet and roast 10 minutes at 350*. After 10 minutes, stir veggies around and cook about 8 more minutes. Cool and then mix with pasta. Pour in dressing and toss to combine.

Dressing:
1/2 c. olive oil
1 t. dried parsley
1 t. dried basil
1 t. dried oregano
1 T. minced garlic
2 T. apple cider vinegar
zest from 1 small lemon
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
Whisk to combine.

Fettuccine Alfredo

Serve with salad and bread...and wine!

Fettuccine Alfredo

8oz. Fettucine pasta, cooked and drained.

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. whipping cream
3/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 t. salt
dash of pepper

Fresh Parsley

Melt butter and cream in 2qt. saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until butter is melted. Add cheese, salt and pepper. Pour over pasta. Sprinkle with fresh parsley

Southwestern Chili-Mac Salad

A revamped cheeseburger macaroni for summer! I was a little hesitant while making it and tasting the dressing, but we loved it.


Southwestern Chili-Mac Salad from Every Day with Rachel Ray

1/3 c. fresh lime juice
1/4 c. coarsely chopped cilantro
7 T. Olive Oil
salt and pepper
4 ears of corn
2 c. Elbow macaroni
1 red onion, half finely chopped, half thinly sliced
1 1/2 t. chili powder
1 pound lean ground beef
1 can of black beans, rinsed
1 can of petite diced tomatoes, drained
shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack

In a medium bowl, combine the lime juice and cilantro; whisk in 6 T. of olive oil. Season wiht salt and pepper.

In a large pot of boiling water, cook the corn for 3 minutes or until tender; transfer to a cutting board. Return water to a boil and add the pasta and cook according to directions; drain and transfer to a large bowl. Cut the corn off the cob and add to pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 T of olive oil over med high heat. Add half of the chopped onion and chili powder and cook until onion begins to soften. Add the ground beef and cook stirring frequently,until lightly browned. Add the beef mixture to the pasta. Add the beans, tomatoes, sliced onion and vinaigrette and toss to dress. Top with cheese

Pasta Salad

I love it in the summer time and will share several variations over the next couple of months!

8oz Penne, cooked
2 peeled, seeded and chopped Roma Tomatoes
1 peeled, seeded and chopped Cucumber
1/2 purple onion, finely diced
1 6oz can whole black olives

1 bottle of Italian dressing

1 large spoonful of mayo (optional)

1 8oz block of mozzerella cheese, cubed (optional)

Mix all. Save a little Italian for later as the pasta can absorb a lot of the dressing. I use the mayo to thicken the dressing, but probably wouldn't if it was going to be sitting out. I like it better without the cheese, Alan likes it better with so I mix it up for us.

This is really good with grilled chicken.

Lasagna Ruffles

I had some leftover lasagna noodles that I wanted to use up, but I needed a recipe that didn't require baking or improvised baking so I decided I would do these.


I had 8 noodles left so I boiled them for 10 minutes. While they were cooking I mixed together
1 16 0z Part Skim Ricotta and 1 bag of Mozzerella cheese with 1/2 t. garlic powder and 1 t. parsley

When the noodles are done, drain.

Get a jar of your favorite pasta sauce (I used Classico Florentine with spinach and parmesan) and pour into the bottom of a baking dish.

Take one noodle at a time and lay out flat. Spread a generous amount of the cheese mixture on the noodle and roll up. Place in baking dish and top with parmesan cheese. I put mine in ruffle sides up, but it doesn't really matter.


Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until cheese is heated throughout.

Smoked Turkey Tetrazzini

Every year Alan gets a turkey from work, but we eat at my mom's so we save his. Since his favorite hobby is BBQ/smoking meat lately he did the turkey this way for us to have. After several turkey sandwiches, I must do something else with the meat because I'm tired of them!
Here is a yummy recipe from Southern Living that we enjoy.

1 12oz. package of Fettuccine, cooked and drained
1/4 c. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 T. flour
1 t. salt
1 t. fresh ground pepper (check out Penzey's )
3 c. milk
3 c. chopped smoked Turkey
1 jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 c. white wine
1 c. shredded parmesan cheese
1 c. sliced almonds
3 T. chopped fresh parsley ( I used about 1 1/2 T. of dried)

Melt butter in large skillet. Add onion and saute until tender. Gradually stir in flour and next 2 ingredients until smooth. Add milk and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in Turkey, mushrooms and wine.

Layer in 9x13 dish, 1/2 the pasta, 1/2 Turkey mix, and 1/2 c. parmesan cheese. Repeat with pasta and turkey mix.

Combine remaining 1/2 c. parmesan cheese, almonds and parsley. Sprinkle over the casserole.

Bake at 400 degrees 20-25 minutes.