Baked Ziti

INGREDIENTS:

Cheese mixture:
2 lbs. Ricotta Cheese (lowfat)
3 eggs
1/4 cups Shredded Romano cheese (or Parmesan, if you prefer)
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
Pinch of sugar
2 tsp. parsley

Meat mixture:
2 lbs. ground lean beef
1 large onion, chopped
Large jar of Ragu with extra chunky tomatoes, garlic and onions

2 lbs. Penne Pasta
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese



DIRECTIONS:
Parboil penne and drain.
Combine all ingredients for cheese mixture and set aside.
Brown beef. Drain extra fat. Add onions and stir until cooked through. Pour sauce over meat and stir.
In extra large bowl combine pasta and cheese mixture stirring just enough to combine evenly. Put half of pasta in greased lasagna pan (you can divide the pasta into two 13 x 9 pans too). Pour 1/2 of meat sauce over pasta. Sprinkle half of shredded mozzarella cheese over sauce. Repeat. Cover loosely with sprayed foil to prevent sticking. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue cooking for 15 minutes or until nicely browned.

Allow to set for 15 minutes before serving. Yield: 16 servings

Posted by Debi

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter

This is definitely a treat for dinner. It was a bit involved and took time, but it is totally worth it!!! This week I am making meals that are a bit more involved and fancy for my Husband to celebrate Thanksgiving. He absolutely loves food and misses his families cooking around the Holiday's. Hopefully I can bring a bit of home to him. Gnocchi is an Italian dish that I usually only like when his Grandfather makes it. Although, this recipe was pretty good. Not as good as his, but still very delicious.

For the Gnocchi:
2 pounds sweet potatoes
2/3 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/3 cup for the work surface

For the Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
20 fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
For the Gnocchi: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Pierce the sweet potato with a fork. Bake the sweet potatoes until tender and fully cooked, between 40 to 55 minutes depending on size. Cool slightly. Cut in half and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Mash the sweet potatoes and transfer to a large measuring cup to make sure the sweet potatoes measure about 2 cups. Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes back to the large bowl. Add the ricotta cheese, salt, cinnamon, and pepper and blend until well mixed. Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Lightly flour a work surface and place the dough in a ball on the work surface. Divide the dough into 6 equal balls. Roll out each ball into a 1-inch wide rope. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces. Roll the gnocchi over the tines of a fork. Transfer the formed gnocchi to a large baking sheet. Continue with the remaining gnocchi.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the gnocchi in 3 batches and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the gnocchi using a slotted spoon onto a baking sheet. Tent with foil to keep warm and continue with the remaining gnocchi.

For the Brown Butter sauce: While the gnocchi are cooking melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted add the sage leaves. Continue to cook, swirling the butter occasionally, until the foam subsides and the milk solids begin to brown. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cinnamon, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Careful, the mixture will bubble up. Gently stir the mixture. When the bubbles subside, toss the cooked gnocchi in the brown butter. Transfer the gnocchi to a serving dish and serve immediately.

I didn't cook all the Gnocchi since I  knew it was filling and we wouldn't eat all of it.  I cooked half of the batch and froze the rest.  They should last in the freezer for a couple months.  I put them on a cook sheet and froze them and then after they were individually frozen I put them into a ziplock bag.  This way they won't stick and you can take out a few and cook up a quick meal.

Recipe by: Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network.

Posted by: Tracy Lytle

Ricotta Fritters

Wow!  These were so delicious and very quick to make.  I always wonder what to do with leftover ricotta cheese from when we make pizza.  Most of the time all I can think of are very rich dinners, manicotti, lasagna or something with pasta.  Over the next couple posts I will share with you unique recipes that include ricotta cheese.  Today's is a dessert or a snack if you want something sweet!  =)

Serves: about 12 to 18 fritters

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Difficulty: easy, but involved

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1 egg

1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 t. cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 T. baking powder

1/2 C. sugar (for rolling)

Corn or Canola Oil (for frying)

Combine all ingredients - except sugar and oil - until well mixed.  

Heat oil in deep frying pan, fill pan about half full with oil.  I used corn oil, but canola oil would work fine too.  Oil is hot enough when a wooden spoon in inserted and bubbles form around spoon.  Meanwhile preheat oven to 400 degrees.  I used our small convection oven.  

Make dough balls no bigger than 1 Tablespoon.  Drop dough in hot oil and immediately start flipping  back and forth.  Keep it moving for even cooking.   Cook until lightly browned. Remove from oil and roll in sugar.  Place on paper towel to remove excess oil.

Once all fritters are browned place on cookie sheet and put in oven for 10 minutes.  Flip after 5 minutes.  Cook until inside is fluffy like a doughnut or it starts to crack on top.  In my small oven it only took 10 minutes - adjust baking time according to your oven.

Oh whoops!!  My own rules...this is Tracy.  =)