Baked Ziti

1 lb ziti noodles
1 onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef or turkey
2 26 oz jars pasta sauce
6 oz provolone
1 1/2 cups sour cream
6 oz mozzarella cheese (about 3/4 cup)
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

1. Brown beef; drain. Add onion and sauce to beef, simmer 15 min.
2. Cook ziti noodles 8 min; drain. Grease 9x13 pan.
3. Layer 1/2 ziti, all provolone, all sour cream, 1/2 sauce, 1/2 ziti, all mozzarella cheese, rest of sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan on top.
4. Bake at 350 for 35-45 min.

You can substitute penne or any tubular noodle that is similar to ziti. Also buy the slices of provolone and just lay them over the noodles and it works great! You can slice or shred the mozzarella, but I like mine shredded best.

I got this recipe from a co-worker years ago.

Cabbage Rolls

12 Cabbage leaves
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup uncooked instant rice
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 (4 oz) can mushroom pieces and stems, undrained
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp water

Side note from the recipe- Cabbage leaves will separate easily if you first remove the core from the head of cabbage and let the cabbage stand in cold water for 10 min. - I didn't try this but next time I will!

1. Cover the cabbage leaves with boiling water. Cover and let stand about 10 minutes or until leaves are limp. Remove leaves; drain.
2. Heat oven to 350.
3. Mix beef (RAW), rice, 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, the salt, pepper, onion, garlic and mushrooms.
4. Place about 1/3 cup beef mixture at stem end of each leaf. Roll leaf around beef mixture, tucking in sides. Place cabbage rolls, seam sides down, in ungreased square baking dish 8x8x2. ( I had to put mine in a 9x13 I don't know how they fit it in an 8x8)
5. Mix remaining tomato sauce, the sugar and lemon juice; pour over cabbage rolls.
6. Cover and bake about 45 minutes or until beef mixture is no longer pink in center.
7. Remove cabbage rolls to platter. Pour liquid from baking dish into 1 quart saucepan. Mix cornstarch and water; stir into liquid. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Pour sauce over cabbage rolls.

The recipe looks a lot more labor intensive than it is. I try to keep cooking simple at our house. And with a little planning this one is pretty easy! We did think it was a bit bland and next time might try and add more onions and garlic or maybe even some sausage to spice it up a bit. And I will cut the mushrooms up a bit before adding them also. Also I used 16 oz of Tomato sauce since I had 2 8 oz cans and I just divided them evenly where it calls for the tomato sauce! I will be making this again!

The recipe came from Betty Crockers Cookbook- Bridal Edition.

Savory Breakfast Muffins

1 lb sausage
2 C Bisquick
1 C Cornmeal
2 eggs
1 3/4 C milk
1/4 C green or red bell peppers, chopped
1/2 C finely minced onion
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese

Line muffin tins with paper liners (I sprayed mine), fry, crumble and drain sausage.  Preheat oven to 375*.  Mix togehter bisquick, cornmeal, eggs, garlif and milk.  Add drained sausage, peppers and onions and cheese. STir well.  Ladle the filling into the prepared muffin tins.  Bake for 11-15 minutes. ALlow to cool completely.

Store in freezer in a large airtight container. Remove, thaw for a few minutes and then microwave on high for 90 seconds.

** I doubled this recipe and we really enjoyed it.  Great for a quick breakfast.  Next time I won't do peppers and will do sausage and ham!  Recipe found HERE.

Chicken Manicotti

2 TBL garlic powder
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 boxes manicotti
4 to 5 C bulk spaghetti sauce (alfredo)
1 pound jimmy dean sausage, cooked and drained
4 C shredded mozzarella cheese
1 C water, divided

Rub garlic powder over chicken; cut chicken into 1-inch strips. Stuff chicken into manicotti. Spread 1 C spaghetti sauce in each of three greased 8-inch square foil pans.

Divide stuffed manicotti equally between three pans. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over top. Be sure to cover all noodles or they will dry when cooked. Sprinkle with sausage and top with cheese.

Drizzle 1/3 C water around the edge of each dish. Cover and bake 1 pan of manicotti at 375* for 65 to 70 minutes or until chicken juices run clear and pasta is tender.

Cover, label and freeze remaining casseroles for up to 3 months.  To serve, thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours, then bake at 375* for 65 to 708 minutes.  To bake frozen, cover with foil and bake at 350* for 2 1/2 hours.  Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

*** I thaw mine straight from the freezer in the morning and good it like normal at night and it turns out yummy!!!

Baked Egg Rolls

1 head of cabbage, cut up
1 can bean sprouts, drained
1/2 C water chestnuts
1/2 C frozen peas
2 C grated carrots
2 C finely diced cooked chicken
4 TEAS cornstarch
1 TBL water
1 TBL light soy sauce
1 TEAS vegetable oil
1 TEAS brown sugar
1 pinch cayenne pepper
16 egg roll wrappers

Coat a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray; add the first 6 ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.  Add chicken; heat through.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, water, soy sauce, oil, brown sugar and cayenne pepper until smooth; stir into chicken mixture. Bring to a boil (simmer). Cook and stir for 2 minutes; remove from heat.  Spoon 1/4 C of chicken mixture on the bottom third of one egg roll wrapper; fold sides towards center and roll tightly. Place seam side down on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Spray tops of egg rolls with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 425* for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Creamy Frozen Key Lime Pie

1 - 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 - 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 - cup evaporated milk
1/2 - cup freshly squeezed key lime juice
or regular lime juice (key limes are the best)
1 - prepared graham cracker, shortbread or vanilla wafer crust

In a medium size mixing bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the condensed and evaporated milk. Beat until smooth. On medium speed, add lime juice and beat for one minute. Pour mixture into prepared pie crust and freeze at least 2 hours. Let stand at room temperature 10 - 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with whipped cream, key lime slices or mint. Store leftover pie in freezer.

Found the recipe at Mommy's Kitchen

I had some extra limes from my bountiful basket and decided to make this pie.  It was so yummy, even worth me cutting my finger while cutting the limes :)!!!