Monday, June 4, 2018

Baked Ziti /Rigatoni

Here's my pasta casserole recipe for those who want a great Italian meal for family and friends.  Great for parties as in Graduation or fun gatherings. 



You can be sure to find this at one if not all of our family get togethers.  We love pasta and most people do.  **This recipe stores well and can be made the night before for convenience.   You can bake the casserole the next day after you set it on your counter for abut 1/2 hour before baking. It will take longer if you take it right out of refrigerator.

Leftovers can be frozen (which I seldom do ) can be cut into squares, wrap tightly in foil and store in a freezer bag until you need a quick bite..  

My recipes is as follows:


l lb. rigatoni or ziti pasta cooked a'dente (cook less than package requires as not to overcook when baking)
1 -16 oz fresh mozzarella grated on larger holes on grater
1-15  oz. container whole milk Ricotta cheese
1/2  to 3/4 cup pecorino romano cheese finely grated

*Fresh pasta sauce (recipe posted under labels on right side of blog under sauces)
Jar sauce can be used

Cook pasta in salted water until a'dente (still is a little hard ) Taste test...you don't want it too soft.
When pasta is cooked, drain but  reserve about 1 cup of pasta water  in pot.

Add 1 ladle of pasta sauce to pot that has the water in it.  Add the whole container of ricotta cheese.

Stir so as to combine well.  Add drained pasta, more sauce and a little of the mozzarella and pecorino romano cheese to it and gently stir to combine.

In a large casserole dish place several ladles of pasta sauce. Pour pasta, ricotta mixture into casserole dish.  Top with more sauce, mozzarella and grated cheese.

Cover and bake 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes covered.  Remove cover and cook about 5 minutes more or until top cheese has melted.

Remove from oven allow to set ten minutes and serve.

Yummy!




Saturday, June 2, 2018

Fire Roasted tomatoes, zucchini and Orzo

 Summer's here and the weather is beautiful.  Finally a few days of sunshine and warm weather. 





I got up early today remembering I had wanted to make the below recipe some time ago.  I had bought several of the ingredients already but needed some fresh zucchini.

 Note: zucchini spoils easily so when you buy it plan on using it.

I like to use zucchini in recipes but because of diet restrictions as far as seeds go I always look for thin and long zucchini and usually with a spoon scrape out the center as best 

 I like zucchini crisp with a little crunch and this recipe ca
lled for frying it for a few minutes and setting it aside until all the other ingredients were to my liking.  

It didn't take very long to make this( about 45 minutes) from prep to finish so I was ready to eat it in time for lunch.

Enjoy!  It's a nice summer lunch....



3
tablespoons olive oil 
2
medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices 
1
medium onion, chopped 
2
cloves garlic, finely chopped 
8
oz uncooked orzo pasta (1 cup) 
1 1/2
cups  vegetable broth or chicken broth (from 32-oz container)
1
can (14.5 oz)  fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained 
1
can (19 oz)  chick peas, drained, rinsed 
2
teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2
teaspoon salt 
1/4
teaspoon pepper 
1
tablespoon lemon juice 
1/4
cup julienned fresh basil






Directions:
  • 1
    In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add zucchini; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is lightly browned. Transfer zucchini to plate.
  • 2
    Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the onion and garlic to skillet. Cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until softened. Add orzo; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until orzo is lightly toasted. Stir in broth, tomatoes, chick peas, lemon peel, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling; cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until most of liquid has absorbed and orzo is almost tender.


  • 3
  • Add zucchini and lemon juice to orzo mixture; stir to combine. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir in basil, 


  • Sunday, May 27, 2018

    Summer Fruit Torte:




    Hi!  Last evening I decided that the Bing cherries I had in my refrigerator I was either going to make a cherry pie or a cherry torte.  I chose the torte because it is so super easy and quite honestly I didn't want to full around making a two crust pie.

    If you like fruit this easy torte is something you will want to make.  This has to be one of the easiest recipes I have ever made.  If you are hesitant about making a crust this crust recipe is not only easy to do it turns out perfect every time and no worry about rolling. You can press it into shape with your hands. 
    Note:  I use some wax paper and spread it around with my fingers.
      It's so easy you will be super proud of yourself.  The crust in this torte is so tender and buttery..Yum!! and make note you can use peaches too! ** Pat fruit gently before adding to cream cheese mixture.  Original 7/9/13

    You don't have to add whipped cream but it adds a creamy restaurant like touch to most pie desserts.  Of course that's just me talking :)



    Baked to perfection Cool completely before slicing



    Cherry Pitter


    I have made this torte before with peaches and peaches and Bing cherries with success both times.  Today I am making them with pitted Bing cherries all by themself.   Note:  Don't forget to pit the cherries.  This is where a cherry pitter comes in handy.  I love mine.  I may not use it a lot but when it calls for pitted cherries I am thrilled I bought this years ago.  

    Happy Baking!

    M.J. Vitelli 



    Crust:

    ½ cup butter
    1/3 cup sugar
    1 cup all purpose flour
    2/3 cup chopped pecans optional (I eliminated the pecans)
    ½ tsp vanilla extract

    Filling:

    1 (8 oz.) Package cream cheese softened
    1 egg
    ¼ tsp. Almond extract
    ¼ cup sugar
    ½ tsp. Vanilla extract
     2 cups fresh pitted Bing cherries (if using a combination of fruit make sure it's total fruit is 2 cups)

    Preheat oven to 450 degrees
    To make crust,  mix 1/2 cup softened butter, 1/3 cup sugar, flour, pecans and ½ tsp. vanilla extract in  a bowl..I used my electric mixer. After mixed well, press into the bottom of a 10 inch pie plate.( I used a Quiche pan) I liked it because it was deeper and less chance of crust browning to much.
    Bake the crust in  preheated 450 degree oven for 5 minutes..Remove and allow to cool.
    Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese, egg, almond extract, ¼ cup sugar, and ½ tsp. vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.. Gently fold in cherries into cream cheese mixture. Spread the filling over the cooled crust.. Return to oven,  bake at 450 degrees for  10 minutes.. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and continue to bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

    If you like peaches!  Here's what the peach torte looks like.  It is so simple to make.  It is a must try!


    Sunday, May 20, 2018

    Raspberry bread pudding


    On Saturday we had a social at our clubhouse and it's always a pot luck meal for the evening or a brunch casserole for the morning. Lots of food and great conversation makes for a very nice event.

    I knew about this social for some time so when I was grocery shopping I picked up some fresh raspberries and thought I'd make a brunch favorite which is bread pudding.  Adding raspberries will make it wonderful.










    4 cups dried bread cubes ( I used crusty Italian)and broke up bread in pieces and allowed to dry overnight. 
    1/2 to 1 cup sugar( depends on how sweet you want it to be.) 
    4 eggs
    2 cups whole milk
    2 tablespoons butter softened
    2 tsp. pure vanilla


     Whisk milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla. Add melted butter.


    Note:  To blend together better, I put all ingredients except bread and raspberries in blender and  blended on low speed.  


    Slightly grease a baking dish with butter. (I used a square 9x9 baking dish)but you can use 13 x9 inch baking dish easily.


    Place half of dried bread cubes in buttered 9x13” dish,  place raspberries over bread trying to spread them evenly and then add the remainder of dried bread to the top. Push down of bread slightly.

    Slowly pour liquid ingredients over bread cubes and allow to set for 10 minutes so bread can soak up some of the milk.  Push down on bread to make sure all liquid covers bread.

     Sprinkle a little cinnamon on top.. Bake 350 degrees  until set, about 40 to 45 minutes..  Check after 30 minutes with knife in center..  If it comes out clean it is ready if not place in oven for remainder of time.

    Note:  Depending on oven temperatures and size of pan time varies.

    Serve warm.

      Dust with powdered sugar or serve with maple syrup. Oh so yummy!





    Friday, May 18, 2018

    Tandy Cake


    A great cake for a party or graduation.  Serves a lot of people.  Enjoy!

    Comfort food big time!

    I remember long ago when Tastycake cupcake company came out with the now famous Tandy cake cupcake.  We all loved those cupcakes and still do after many many years.  White cake with lots of peanut butter on top and then coated with milk chocolate.  OH how we loved and still love that cupcake!! I remember warming them slightly in the microwave so the chocolate would start to melt.  Do you have any of those memories?  I think if you have never tried a recipe like this today or this week would be a great time to make some food memories.

    Today I decided to make the sheet cake version of that cupcake.  It's been a favorite from long ago and I thought you may like to make this for the family.  Warning!!!!! It is addicting!  Yum!



    1 large cookie sheet (greased lightly)



    1 cup milk
    4 T margarine or butter(I like butter)
    Warm milk, margarine and set aside to cool

    Blend well in mixer:
     4 eggs
    2 cups sugar (I cut back to 1 1/2 cups)
    1 tsp. vanilla
    1/2 tsp. salt or a little less

    Add 2 cups flour, 2 T baking powder  to above while adding milk mixture slowly to blend.  Beat until soft.   Mixture will be runny.

    Pour into greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or more depending on your oven.  Use the toothpick in center test.

    Note:  Cool 10 minutes before placing softened peanut butter on cake.


    Last layer "Chocolate"!


    While cake is baking place approx. 12 oz. creamy peanut butter in a measuring cup and place in microwave to soften, approx 30 seconds.

    Stir peanut butter until it looks soft enough to spread.  Spread on slightly cooled cake and refrigerate until set.  Remove from refrigerator and top with melted chocolate*. 

    *Place(2) two 8 oz. Large broken in pieces Hershey Bars in microwave and melt stirring occasionally to soften enough to spread on top of peanut butter.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Allow to set out of refrigerator a few minutes before slicing.  Cut in pieces.

    Note:  Chocolate candy topping hardens so allowing cake to set for several minutes is a good idea.  I actually enjoyed the cake before I refrigerated it.  Just sayin :) 



    5/5/15