Baked Ziti

Baked ziti is the Italian-American version of mac & cheese. The dish is filling, cheesy and so easy to make.

Growing up, baked ziti was a staple at every event — family reunions, birthday parties, any gathering, really. The meal is even immortalized in many episodes of HBO's The Sopranos.

This is also the dinner to bring to a potluck or to deliver some cheer to a favorite family. Add a bottle of wine and a green salad or dessert and you'll truly make someone feel loved.

Baked ziti is perfect for a friend with a newborn, the new neighbors down the street, or a fellow parent with kids who needs a night off from having to prep dinner (friends, you know who you are!) Since I live too far away from Erin to bring a freshly-cooked meal to her door, let's consider today's blog post my way of sending her some virtual home cooking in celebration of baby Elaine's arrival!

Keep in mind that baked ziti is designed to serve a crowd. Each 13 x 9-inch tray will satisfy a group or feed a family of four more than once. Baked ziti is also great for stocking your freezer.

This recipe is made for customizing. I like to add provolone cheese to mine. You can change the pasta shape, but do note: the tubular ziti traps the sauce and cheese inside the pasta, which makes it taste even better.

You can't really mess up this meal. Any sauce and cheese combination that you and your family love will taste delicious baked up with some ziti-shaped pasta.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Baked Ziti 

1 pound ziti pasta
2 to 4 cups of homemade tomato sauce or 1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce
2 to 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 pound (or less) ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded provolone, or 4 to 5 slices, cut into thin strips
1 or 2 teaspoons basil
1 or 2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Spray a deep lasagna pan or baking dish with cooking spray. The pan should be at least a 9x13x2-inch size. If your family is small, divide the recipe into two deep 8 x 8 pans. Cook one and freeze the other.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Place pasta in large bowl.

Add 16 ounces tomato sauce and all other ingredients except the Parmesan cheese and a 1/2 cup to 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Feel free to add more or less tomato sauce and cheese to suit your taste.

Mix well so that everything is combined.

Tip: My mom and my brother just mix everything up right in the baking pan, but whenever I do that I end up accidentally shooting a few spoonfuls onto the floor. So I use a bowl.

Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking pan. If you like, top with more tomato sauce (I skip this step.) Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. You can throw in some provolone here, too.

For freezing: Wrap baking dish in foil and freeze for another day. When you are ready to cook the baked ziti, follow the instructions below after it has thawed in the fridge.

Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes to an hour or until the ziti is browned on the edges and bubbly. If the cheese on top starts to brown, cover it with foil for the rest of the cooking time.

Remove from oven and let cool for 10 or 15 minutes. Serve with a side of extra tomato sauce and your favorite wine.

At my house, my husband and sons fight over who gets the crunchy corner pieces, like this one.

Sugar Cookies

I love sugar cookies. Not the labor-intensive ones that you roll out, cut out and ice and that look pretty but are kinda dry and bland. Correction: I love my sugar cookies. Loaded with butter. Falling apart in your mouth.

I mostly make these cookies at Christmas, decorating them with red and green sugar. But sometimes when I need a quick dessert and don't want to run to the store for special ingredients, these cookies are the answer. I always have all of the ingredients on hand.

I recently whipped up my sugar cookies for an impromptu grill-out dinner party Chez George. I doubled the recipe so I'd have enough to take to a dinner party where we were the guests.

By the way, these cookies freeze nicely, too. FYI in case you are like me and you like to get a lot of baking done for the holidays or teacher gifts.

XOXO,
Amy

Sugar Cookies
Yields 5 dozen

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Colored sugar sprinkles

Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla.

In separate bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients, except the sugar sprinkles. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar-egg mixture and combine.

Place the cookie dough in freezer for an hour or fridge for a couple hours or overnight.

After the cookie dough  has hardened a little, remove from fridge or freezer and shape into tablespoon-sized balls. Place balls on ungreased cookie sheets. Pour colored sugars onto individual plates. Take a glass and rub butter on the bottom or tap it onto the cookie dough to get it greasy enough to transfer the sugar sprinkles to the cookie balls. Dip the glass into a plate of colored sugar and then tap down gently on a cookie ball, flattening it just a little. Repeat. Use a different glass for each colored sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for about eight minutes. The cookies should not turn brown and you want to barely see any brown at the bottom.

The cookies will seem soft when you remove them from the oven--and they are kinda fragile, so be careful. Transfer cookies to wire racks. Eat a few immediately--worth it!

Corn Souffle Casserole

Sometimes you need fancy food. With a flamboyant display of sauce on the plate and a confetti of fresh herbs. Really impressive stuff like Sole Meuniere or Beef Tenderloin.

And sometimes you need stick-to-your ribs, warm-your-soul stuff. Well, folks, Corn Souffle Casserole is middle America comfort food at its finest. It is dang good, and I'm always looking for an excuse to add it to the menu.

So leave your fancy pants in the closet. Today we're eating casserole.

Let's get cooking!
Erin

Corn Souffle Casserole
Adapted from my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law

1 (8.5 ounce) box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn
2 beaten eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2 quart baking dish (a 9" x 9" or 8" x 8" baking dish would work great) and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together corn bread mix, whole kernel corn, creamed corn, eggs, sour cream, and 1/2 cup cheese. Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over top and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and casserole is set in the middle.

Grilled Cabbage with Thai Dressing

If you need a speedy way to spice up your menu, this grilled cabbage will do the trick.

I don't usually cook cabbage, but my husband and oldest son love it. When I get in a rut, they remind me that I haven't made cabbage in awhile.

In fact, I had not whipped up this side dish in more than a year. Thank goodness for those Facebook flashbacks to remind us of what we were doing so many months ago. This little gem popped up on my feed. Thank goodness. 

Everyone in our house gobbled this up, and my boys even had seconds —which hardly ever happens with a vegetable. We enjoyed the cabbage with a roasted chicken. It makes the perfect lunch all by itself the next day.

The folks over at The Kitchn get all the credit here, and their notes about grilling the cabbage ahead of time are perfect. These cabbage steaks hold up beautifully in the fridge. Just warm them up in the microwave and you are good to go.

I recommend doubling the dressing, because it tastes so good you'll want some leftover for the next time you have salad. 

Mangia! Mangia!

Andrea

Grilled Cabbage with Thai Dressing

Inspired by this recipe from The Kitchn.

For the dressing:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (bottled is OK, too)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/3 cup fresh cilantro (Leaves and thin stems. Remove thicker, tougher stems)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Give it a taste. You might want add a bit more lime juice or fish sauce, depending on your taste. The dressing will have an orangey-green hue.

For the cabbage:

1 head green cabbage

Vegetable oil

Preheat your gas grill to medium-high. If you are using a charcoal grill, you'll want low flames. You can also use a grill pan and cook up the cabbage on the stovetop.

Slice cabbage into wedges that are about 1 inch thick. You should get at least eight and you might end up with more, depending on how large the cabbage is. Brush both sides of each cabbage slice with oil.

Grill cabbage for about 6 minutes or until the edges are charred. Flip over and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, again grilling until the outer leaves acquire some black char. 

Remove from grill, top with dressing, garnish with slices of lime and serve warm.

To warm up leftover cabbage (or if you did your grilling in advance,) place cabbage slices on a microwave safe plate, cover with plastic wrap or wax paper and heat for about 45 seconds a slice.

Chicken Piccata

This recipe is a keeper, folks. Chicken Piccata looks fancy enough for your classiest company, but it's simple enough for your busiest weeknight. You can get this meal on the table in 20 minutes flat. Maybe even faster if your butcher is kind enough to cut the chicken for you.

Simple chicken breasts are seared until a flavorful crust forms. Then build a rich sauce in the same skillet (only one pan to wash!) with lemon juice and briny capers. Serve it up with creamy mashed potatoes, quinoa pilaf, or buttered egg noodles, and you have a dynamite dinner on your hands.

Let's get cooking!
Erin

Chicken Piccata
Serves: 4
Adapted from Jo Cooks

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
About 1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken broth or white wine
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Cut chicken breasts in half through the center so you have four thin cutlets. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish and season flour with salt and pepper as well. Dredge chicken in the flour and pat off excess.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil. Once the butter has melted, add chicken. Cook until chicken is browned, about 4-5 minutes per side. Set chicken aside and cover to keep warm.

Add lemon juice, broth or wine, and capers to the empty skillet, scraping the bottom of the skillet to incorporate any browned bits into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a boil and return chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes, until sauce has thickened slightly.

Remove chicken to a plate and whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Return chicken to the skillet, spooning the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

How to Pack a Week's Worth of School Lunches...In One Day

My kids take packed lunches from home to school nearly every day. I could count on one hand the times they bought lunch at school last year. Lucy and Penny would love to buy lunch at school more, but Mom and Dad want them to eat healthier food than what is offered in the cafeteria.

While my daughters take their lunches daily, I pack lunches weekly. In other words, every Sunday I make 10 lunches and stack them in the fridge (Monday and Tuesday in the upstairs main fridge; Wednesday-Friday in the downstairs bonus fridge). It is always such an accomplishment to see a week's worth of lunches labeled with name and day of the week (Lucy George, M; Lucy George, T, Lucy George, W...) and ready to go. 

People ask how I do it.

It's so easy.

You will see.

One question I get a lot: Don't the sandwiches get soggy or dry?

Nope. My kids don't require condiments. And one trick I found is to layer the cheese on both sides of the bread and place the "wetter" deli meat in between the cheese. I asked my kids if their sandwiches are ever dry and they said "no." I credit this to the containers I use. (Go to Amazon and type in EasyLunchBoxes.com.)

I am also strategic about when my kids get sandwiches -- typically just on Monday and Tuesday, so the sandwiches are relatively "fresh." The girls would get bored with a sandwich every day, anyway. Later in the week, my kids will get items that hold up better for longer in the fridge. Examples: chickpea salad, tomato-quinoa salad, and meat and cheese and crackers.

How do you store 10 lunches?

Again, it's all about the containers I use. My EasyLunchBoxes stack neatly on top of each other in the fridge. It also helps that we have an overflow fridge.

Some might wonder if my kids are getting a bunch of packaged junk.

I strive to include no more than two packaged goods per lunch. Ideally, it's one or none. And I read labels. High fructose corn syrup is not my friend. There is always at least one fresh fruit or vegetable, but often two. My favorites to pack: blueberries, strawberries, grapes, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots and red pepper slices.

Sometimes friends say "Well, it's easy enough to throw together lunch in the morning." Sure it is, if I want to skip the gym to pack lunches, which I do not. Plus, some mornings are crazier than normal if Jeff or I happen to be away on a business trip. I'll take my Sunday morning assembly line of Bento-style lunch boxes and get the job done. That's how I roll.

Below are 11 examples of recent lunches -- packed for Lucy and Penny for the short Labor Day week and this past week. Just to give you some inspiration going into the weekend. Why don't you give it a try? Get your shopping done today or Saturday and spend an hour packing a week's worth of lunches on Sunday.

Let me know how it goes and what you pack in your kids' lunches. I'm looking for inspiration, too!

XOXO,
Amy

How to Pack a Week's Worth of School Lunches...In One Day

Penny: Half of a PBJ sandwich on wheat, GoGo organic applesauce, tomato-quinoa salad and grapes. (Note: I will add avocado and make tomato-avocado quinoa salad only for the next-day's lunch; otherwise, the avocado goes bad.)

Lucy: Half of a PBJ sandwich on wheat, GoGo organic applesauce, grapes, sliced red peppers and Laughing Cow cheese.

Lucy/Penny: Turkey and Swiss cheese hot dog bun "sub", pretzel crisps, cherry tomatoes, Babybel cheese and grapes.

Penny: Turkey and cheddar tortilla wrap, chocolate cat cookies from Trader Joe's and cucumber (from our Tower Garden) with blue cheese dressing. (Note: The lids to these containers keep contents from spilling into other compartments, so while the dressing might get all over its own compartment it won't spill into others.)

Lucy/Penny: Turkey and cheddar hot dog bun "sub", chocolate cat cookies from Trader Joe's, grapes, sliced red peppers and cherry tomatoes.

Penny: Pita crackers from Trader Joe's, sliced red peppers, Laughing Cow cheese, grapes and tomato-quinoa salad.

Penny: Organic, unsweetened applesauce, pita crackers from Trader Joe's, cherry tomatoes, Laughing Cow cheese and Mom's chickpea salad.

Lucy: Salami and provolone pack from Trader Joe's, sliced red peppers, cherry tomatoes, grapes and pita crackers from Trader Joe's.

Lucy/Penny: Baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, Babybel cheese, organic and unsweetened applesauce, pimiento cheese and multi-grain crackers.

Lucy/Penny: Baby carrots, LARA bar, Babybel cheese, cherry tomatoes and Craisins.

Lucy/Penny: Hummus, cherry tomatoes, cheese stick, baby carrots and multi-grain crackers.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

My mom used to make this cake when I was a kid and my brother and sister and I could not stop eating it. Super moist and chocolate-y, this is now a favorite snack or dessert at my house, too.

The chocolate hides all the zucchini inside, so it's a nice way to get the kids to eat extra vegetables. (And just like the Blueberry Zucchini Bread, you won't taste the squash.) The cloves add something a little unexpected to the taste.

I like to use a 9 x 13 pan and cut it into brownie-sized pieces. But you can easily use a bundt pan or muffin tins with this batter. Just adjust the baking time accordingly.

If there are any leftovers, this cake freezes perfectly.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Inspired by my Mom

2 cups all purpose flour (or 1 cup all purpose and 1 cup whole wheat flour)
1 cup white sugar or Splenda
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 eggs
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13x2 inch pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Add the eggs and oil and mix until everything is well combined.

Add zucchini, stirring well. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into pan. Sprinkle top with mini chocolate chips.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack before cutting. Garnish with raspberries or strawberries.

As you can see in the photo above, this cake remains very moist.