Lasagna Cups

I used this recipe but added Italian sausage that I browned between the sauce and ricotta layers. 375 for 25 minutes at high altitude.

http://www.catchingfireflies.com/blog/2012/06/mighty-tasty-mini-lasagnas/

Meatza

http://www.justinowings.com/meatza-meatza/

Anyway, it’s the meatball recipe that really knocks the meatza crust out of the park, so without further ado, here are the ingredients:

I use a 12×17 rectangular pan
Get a decent sized mixing bowl to mix the meat
Start pre-heating the oven to 450
For ease of mixing into the beef, I go ahead and get all my seasonings out and into a little bowl (this will make more sense in a second):
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese**
3 tsp salt
1 tsp caraway seeds (this is the magic ingredient in my opinion)
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp coarse ground pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
2 lbs. ground beef (80/20 is fine)
Seasonings mixed, put the beef into the mixing bowl, crack into it two eggs and mix beef and eggs first. This is because the runny egg can cause the seasonings to clump together and it just makes mixing a lot messier and less uniform if you don’t mix beef and egg first prior to adding the seasonings. Thus, the need for to pre-mix the seasonings — your hands are all covered in beef at this point, so you just have to pour in the seasonings!
Add seasonings and Parmesan cheese and mix well! (Note: you can also do the Parmesan after the egg/beef pre-seasonings if you want)
Take the mass of mixed beef and slam it onto your pan. BAM!
Flatten it out: you should be able to just about cover a 12×17 pan with the beef
Oven pre-heated, throw it in there for 10 minutes!
At this point, I immediately start pre-cooking certain ingredients that need a little extra attention; in my case, it’s sliced mushrooms and diced green pepper sauteeing in a cast iron skillet with some pasture butter.

Ten minutes up, take the crust out of the oven. Set the oven to Broil (it will take a few minutes to heat to this point).

You’ll now notice the crust has shrunk considerably and there’s a good bit of rendered fat in the pan. Pour the fat out of the pan. Optional step: take a paper towel and wipe up any extraneous beef “stuff” that is exterior to the crust. This is simply because it’s not part of the crust and if you leave it, it could cake to the pan and make clean-up more of a hassle.

Now, you just add your toppings. For me, I added Newman’s Sockerooni spaghetti sauce as a base, then a layer of pepperoni, then a base layer of mozarella cheese. From there, I add sliced green olives, feta cheese, the mushrooms and green peppers, more pepperoni, and top it all off with more cheese.

Broiler heated up, I throw it all back in the oven until the cheese is done. It cooks very fast at this point! Like five minutes is almost too long in our case, so make sure you keep a close eye on your meatza!

Take it out, let it sit for a minute or two, and slice and serve. I find this slices into six solid size pieces — I can eat a half a pizza under the right conditions, but one slice of meatza and I am good to go.

Lasagna Soup

Lasagna Soup

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

for the soup:
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
• 3 c. chopped onions
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 c. chicken stock
• 8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta
• 1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
for the cheesy yum:
• 8 oz. ricotta
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• pinch of freshly ground pepper
additional cheesy yum:
• 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy and absorb all the soup broth. You may even want to consider cooking the noodles separately, and then adding some to individual bowls before ladling the soup over them. This would be an especially smart move if you are anticipating any leftovers. Right before serving, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Light Tomato Cream Sauce

1 lb Italian Sausage
1/4 cup diced onions
2 cloves of minced garlic
3/4 cup tomatoes diced
1/2 cup table cream
Basil
Pasta

Brown Italian Sausage in pan
Add onions and minced garlic to pan and sauté until softened
Add tomatoes (fresh or drained canned) and optional spinach to pan and sauté
Then add 1/2 cup table cream to pan along with some Parmesan cheese, simmer until thickened about 10 minutes, add either fresh or dried basil
Serve over pasta

Sausage and Spinach Alfredo

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
4 cups reserved Three Cheese Macaroni
2 tablespoons heavy cream
5 ounces baby spinach (about 5 cups), washed
Shredded Parmesan, for serving

Directions
In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium. Add red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add sausages and red-pepper flakes and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 8 minutes. Add reserved macaroni and cheese to skillet, gently stirring to combine. Stir in heavy cream and spinach, and cook until spinach begins to wilt, 4 minutes. To serve, sprinkle with Parmesan.

I prefer with Spicy Italian Sausage

Eggplant Parmesan - Cooking Light

Ingredients
Eggplant:
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
2 cups whole-wheat panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 (1-pound) eggplants, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
Cooking spray
Filling:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (16-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Remaining ingredients:
1 (24-ounce) jar premium pasta sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup (3 ounces) finely grated fontina cheese

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. To make eggplant, combine 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon water in a shallow dish. Combine panko and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano in a second shallow dish. Dip eggplant in egg mixture; dredge in panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere and shaking off excess. Place eggplant 1 inch apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until golden, turning once and rotating baking sheets after 15 minutes.

3. To make filling, combine basil and next 6 ingredients (through egg).

4. To assemble, spoon 1/2 cup pasta sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer half of eggplant slices over pasta sauce. Sprinkle eggplant with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Top with about 3/4 cup pasta sauce; spread half of ricotta mixture over sauce, and top with a third of mozzarella and 1/4 cup fontina. Repeat layers once, ending with about 1 cup pasta sauce. Cover tightly with aluminum foil coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes.

5. Remove foil; top with remaining third of mozzarella and 1/4 cup fontina. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese melts; cool 10 minutes.

Calories: 318
Fat: 15.1g
Saturated fat: 8.2g
Monounsaturated fat: 2.7g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.6g
Protein: 19.3g
Carbohydrate: 26.8g
Fiber: 4.8g
Cholesterol: 99mg
Iron: 1.6mg
Sodium: 655mg
Calcium: 365mg

Mel's Alfredo

24oz dry pasta
1 Cup Butter
¾ Pint Heavy Cream (2 Cups)
¾ Cup Grated Romano Cheese
½ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper
1 dash Garlic Salt

1 – Melt butter into cream over low heat
2 – Add Salt and Pepper and Garlic Salt
3 – Stir in Cheese over medium heat until melted (should thicken sauce)
4 – Add to pasta serve immediately

Dad's Frittata Recipe

1. Drink alcoholic beverages while preparing items.
2. Cook sausage and arrange in baking pan.
3. Drink alcoholic beverages while cooking.
4. Heat ricotta cheese in same pan that you cooked the sausage. You need to keep on eye on this not to burn the cheese.
5. Place heated ricotta on sausage and season with salt and pepper.
6. Beat eggs with some milk and salt and pepper in blender.
7. Pour egg mixture over sausage.
8. Bake in oven at 375 degrees until mostly firm.
9. Drink alcoholic beverages while baking.
10. Let the frittata sit for 5 minutes before cutting.

Baked Ziti

Ingredients:
1 lb ziti pasta, cooked al dente
1 lb Italian sausage, cooked and chopped
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 tablespoons parsley
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 (28 ounce) jar pasta sauce, divided

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cook ziti according to package directions; drain; set aside.
3. Mix ricotta, egg, parsley, 1-1/2 cups of the mozarella cheese, and parmesan cheese in a large bowl.
4. Mix cooked sausage and pasta in with ricotta mixture.
5. Mix in 3/4 jar of sauce.
6. Transfer mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish.
7. Top with the rest of the sauce and mozarella cheese.
8. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
9. To freeze: Cover dish with foil and freeze. When frozen you can pop it out of the container and put in a freezer bag if desired.
10. To heat: Thaw. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more.

I used extra pasta sauce

Italian Bread Creamy Pesto Pepperoni Pizza

Ingredients:

2 large Italian bread, unsliced
3 cups ricotta cheese
1/3 cup prepared pesto sauce (use more or less if desired to taste, store-bought or homemade)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (use more to taste if desired)
salt and pepper
1 cup sliced black olives (very well drained pat dry with a paper towel, can use more)
2 (4 ounce) packages pepperoni, sliced (use more if desired)
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or to taste)
1 cup pineapple tidbits

Directions:
1. Place one oven rack in upper-third of the oven, and the second oven rack on the lower third.
2. Heat oven to 450°F.
3. Half each loaf lengthwise, then crosswise to make 8 pizza crusts.
4. In a bowl combine ricotta, pesto, Parmesan, salt and pepper.
5. Spread on the bread crusts.
6. Sprinkle the olives and pineapple on top of the ricotta.
7. Top with pepperoni slices.
8. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
9. Place 4 pizzas on one baking sheet and the other 4 on another baking sheet.
10. Place on sheet on one rack and the other on the other rack.
11. Bake for about 10-12 minutes (the cheese should be well melted).
12. Cool for about 5 minutes.

Tortellini Ai Formaggi With Prosciutto and Peas

Ingredients:
12 ounces cheese tortellini
1/4 cup water, reserved from cooking pasta
2 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 lb prosciutto, sliced into thin strips
1 cup heavy cream
1 pinch nutmeg, freshly grated
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
3/4 cup frozen baby peas, thawed
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Cook tortellini according to package directions.
2. Melt butter in skillet and cook garlic for 1 minute.
3. Add Prosciutto and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer.
5. Add nutmeg and simmer until cream is thickened and reduced by half.
6. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan and peas.
7. Stir in reserved cooking liquid and tortellini and toss to coat.
8. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
9. Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Pasta Milano - A Favorite

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomato, chopped
1 cup chicken broth, divided
1 cup heavy cream
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite size pieces)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons basil
8 ounces bowtie pasta, cooked and drained

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat.
2. Add the minced garlic and cook for about a minute.
3. Add tomatoes and 3/4 cup of chicken broth.
4. Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, for about 10 minutes.
6. Add cream and bring to a boil again, stirring frequently.
7. Simmer over medium heat until sauce is thick.
8. Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of chicken.
9. Heat the olive oil in a skillet, then add chicken and saute until chicken is no longer pink inside.
10. (About 4 minutes each side should do it.) Remove chicken from skillet, drain fat from skillet.
11. In the same skillet, stir 1/4 cup chicken broth with the pan juices, and bring to a boil; reduce slightly and add to the cream sauce; stir in basil.
12. Serve chicken atop the pasta, coat with the cream sauce.

Bayou Pasta With Chicken ( Copycat Chili's Cajun Chicken Pasta )

Ingredients:
12 ounces penne
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1 1/2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 firm-ripe roma tomatoes, cored and diced


Directions:
1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook penne according to package directions.
2. Melt butter over medium heat. Add flour; stir for 1 minute. Add half-and-half; stir until thickened, 6 minutes. Remove from heat; add parmesan, salt and pepper. Cover.
3. Pound chicken to 1/2-inch thickness. Rub Cajun seasoning and cayenne evenly over chicken. Warm oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning once, until no longer pink in center, 6-8 minutes. Slice chicken.
4. In a bowl, toss pasta with sauce. Top with chicken and tomatoes and serve.

Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
http://www.food.com/recipe/bayou-pasta-with-chicken-copycat-chilis-cajun-chicken-pasta-264362