Baked Ziti

1 box ziti pasta, cooked
32 oz. jar marinara sauce
1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
1 12-oz pkg chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
15 oz. ricotta cheese
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1 egg, beaten
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the cooked beef with the marinara, ricotta, spinachmozzarella, parm, egg, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Carefully mix in the cooked ziti noodles. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle more cheese over the top. Bake covered for 45-60 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown on top.

*One word: YUM. This is a great dish to make when you need to do some spring cleaning in your kitchen. You can pretty much put anything you want in the ziti, as long as you have the sauce, pasta and cheeses. If you don't like your ziti with ground beef, leave it out or substitute it with something else: ground turkey, sausage, whatever you like. This is a great dish that is heartwarming, as well as belly-filling!

He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD. Proverbs 18:22

Auntie Ann's Kugel

16 oz. cottage cheese (small curd)
8 oz. medium egg noodles
12 oz. golden raisins
4 eggs, slightly beaten
16 oz. sour cream
1/2 lb butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook noodles according to package directions, drain and place in a large bowl. Stir in cottage cheese and raisins. In another bowl, stir together remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour 1/2 egg mixture into noodle mixture and combine. Pour into 2 1/2-3 qt. casserole dish. Pour remaining egg mixture over top - if casserole is too full, use a larger casserole dish or center will not cook.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

*One of my all time favorite holiday dishes. This dish shows up at just about every holiday meal we have as a family. It's sweet and creamy and is a great addition to anything you're making this Thanksgiving. True, it is a little tricky to make, but once you get it down, you will not be sorry! Plus, it looks really impressive!

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. Psalm 119:18

Chicken Pot Pie

1 9-inch pie crust
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock, warm
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, until bubbly. Whisk in the warm chicken stock, and bring to a boil, stirring often. Whisk in the milk and season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat.
Combine the shredded chicken, vegetables, sauce and cheese. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Pour the mixture into an 8x8 inch glass baking dish. Cover with the pie crust and cut vents in the crust to allow steam to escape. Brush with the beaten egg. Bake for about 30 minutes at 375, or until crust is golden brown, and mixture is bubbly.

*I sometimes surprise myself with how good something comes out. I have always made chicken pot pie the "easy" way, with cream of chicken soup and Bisquik biscuits on top. But man oh man, is this recipe easy. You can even make it ahead of time, assemble everything and just bake it when you're ready. The sauce is incredible - so much flavor and depth, you will love it. And the greatest part is that it's made from scratch! I even made my own pie crust for this one, and it was just phenomenal. There are those recipes that just warm your heart, soul, and belly - and this is one of them.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Shepherd's Pie

1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 pkg brown gravy mix
1 small can tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1 10 oz pkg frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups mashed potatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Brown the beef in a large pan. Drain and put back in the pan. Into the beef, add the gravy mix, tomato sauce, water and vegetables. Bring to a boil. Pour into a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Top with prepared mashed potatoes. Sprinkle cheese all over the top.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Serve immediately with applesauce and biscuits.

*This is another one of my favorite childhood recipes. My favorite part was the cheesy crust on top of the mashed potatoes. It's just such a heart-warming dish and it fills the house with a wonderful aroma. It really takes me back every time I make it. And I usually make a lot, so that we have lots of leftovers!

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14

Tuna Noodle Casserole

(The cold kind)
1/2 box of macaroni noodles, or any other similar pasta
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 cans of tuna, drained
1 cup mayo
Salt & pepper, to taste

Cook the pasta according to directions on the box, about 8 minutes in boiling water. Drain and spread out on a lightly greased sheet pan to cool.
Meanwhile, mix together the tuna, mayo, celery, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside while the pasta is still cooling.
Once the pasta has cooled completely, mix it in with the tuna mixture.
Serve immediately, or store in fridge until ready to serve.

*This is a recipe that I remember most from my childhood. My mom would make it on lazy days when she either didn't really feel like cooking, or as a side dish to burgers and hot dogs. It's such an easy dish to make and it's actually kind of fun to make it. The important step is letting the noodles cool down completely before mixing them in with the tuna and mayo. Otherwise, the mayo just melts away and the pasta won't be creamy and delicious. Also, use just a little more mayo than you think because some of it will get absorbed into the pasta. (Yes, you can use less mayo if you're watching your diet, but it just won't be as creamy). Enjoy this fun summer dish!!

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6