6 Comments so far

1. willa on September 2, 2009 2:41 am

   my family loves when i make this. even if you don’t like eggplant, you’d be surprised. i made it for my inlaws and FIL DESPISES eggplant, so i just didn’t tell him it was in there. he had three serving, and made sure there was enough leftovers for lunch. it’s kind of like a cross between eggplant parmigiano, lasagna, and baked ziti. serve with salad, crusty bread, and a nice red wine. apps, just do an antipasti platter. (meats, cheeses, olives, veggies, tapanades, hummus, crackers, breads, fruit)
   Rustic Antipasto http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/…
   Antipasti Platter http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/…
   Eggplant, Sausage, and Ziti Casserole
   (i bake the eggplant instead of frying. much less greasy)
   1 large eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch thick rounds
   1/2 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
   Salt
   Freshly ground black pepper
   1 cup chopped yellow onion
   1 pound Italian sausage, removed from casings
   2 tablespoons tomato paste
   1 (28-ounce) can whole Italian tomatoes, crushed, and their juices
   1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
   1/2 cup pitted black olives, coarsely chopped
   1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
   1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
   4 tablespoons butter
   4 tablespoons flour
   2 cups whole milk
   1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
   1/2 cup grated Parmesan
   8 ounces ziti, cooked according to package directions and drained
   1 cup grated mozzarella
   Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish and set aside.
   In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/4 cup of the oil. Add the eggplant in batches, seasoning on both sides with salt and pepper, and cook until golden, adding more oil as needed. Transfer to a plate as they cook, and set aside.
   Heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot but not smoking, add the onion and sausage, and cook, stirring, until the sausage is browned and the onion is soft, about 6 minutes.
   Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, their juices, the Italian seasoning, black olives, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the crushed red pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer, uncovered, until the flavors marry and the sauce slightly thickens, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the basil and adjust seasoning, to taste.
   Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and forms a light roux, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and, whisking frequently, cook until the sauce is thickened and smooth, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with the nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste.
   Arrange half of the eggplant slices on the bottom of the casserole, overlapping as necessary. Top with half of the cooked pasta, then half of the sausage-tomato sauce. Place another layer of eggplant slices on top of the sauce, then layers of pasta and sausage-tomato sauce. Pour on the white sauce, then top with the grated mozzarella and Parmesan.
   Bake for 1 hour, or until puffed and golden brown on top.

2. Nana on September 2, 2009 2:44 am

   You can check this food site for ideas, as well as download a free chicken cookbook which I ‘m sure you will plenty of options

3. Robert B on September 2, 2009 3:32 am

   go to my website http://www.lazymansguide.com. If You see something you like I’ll give you the recipes!

4. weapon_3 on September 2, 2009 4:25 am

   Start with a nice antipasto salad:
   Lettuce
   tomato
   olives
   Salami
   Ham
   Sliced Cheese
   Garlic bread
   Take a loaf of italian bread a cut it legnth-wise. Spread with butter, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper
   Bake in oven at 375 for 10-12 minutes until crisp, then top with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake 5 minutes longer.
   Main Course – Baked Ziti
   2 lbs ziti
   2 lbs Ricotta Cheese
   2 eggs
   1/2 cup grated romano-pecorino cheese
   1 large jar of tomato sauce
   1 lb shredded mozzarella cheese (12 oz for ziti, 4 oz for garlic bread)
   1. Cook ziti according to box directions and drain when done
   2. In a large bowl mix together the ricotta cheese, 6 oz of the shredded mozzarella, 1/2 cup of grated, 2 eggs and half of the sauce.
   3. Add drained ziti to the cheese mixture. Stir together.
   4. Pour into a 9×13 inch baking pan and bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. Then add the remaining shredded mozzarella to the top and bake 10 minutes longer.
   Desert:
   Make a chocolate cake. Just follow the box directions
   Enjoy………

5. Salome on September 2, 2009 5:21 am

   Have you try to find recipe from foodnetwork.com? It is quite good.

6. Andy H on September 2, 2009 5:49 am

   Make some home-made Mac and Cheese, exept give it a richer cheese. Also you could make Risotto. it’s cheap, as long as you know how to make it.
   For desserts, you can buy at Costco cannoli, an italian dessert.