Baked Ziti with Sausage and Artichokes

It's fancy enough for company, yet simple enough to be a potluck favorite any night of the week.

1 pound uncooked ziti
1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
2 cans (14 ounces each) quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 jar (25 to 28 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, undrained
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cups (1 pound) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain, rinse with cold water, drain again, and set aside in a large bowl. In a large skillet, sauté the sausage over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until no pink remains, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain the liquid from the cooked sausage and add it to the ziti along with the artichoke hearts, spaghetti sauce, crushed tomatoes, garlic powder, pepper, and 3 cups of the mozzarella cheese; mix well. Pour into a 9" X 13" baking dish that has been coated with nonstick vegetable spray and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese over the top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until heated through.

6 to 8 servings

Seafood Lasagna

Mr. Food always said that lasagna does not have to be made with ground beef or even spinach. So why not enjoy your pasta shells overflowing with shrimp and crab for that fresh-from-the-seas flavor?

1 pound uncooked medium-sized pasta shells
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes
12 ounces medium-sized shrimp, cooked, peeled, and deveined
1 package (10 ounces) imitation crabmeat, flaked

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the shells according to the package directions; drain and set aside in a large bowl. In a large saucepan. melt the butter over medium heat and slowly add the flour, stirring until the flour is well blended. Add the milk gradually and stir until blended. Add the salt and pepper and stir the sauce constantly until thickened. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Pour the cheese sauce and remaining ingredients over the shells; mix well. Pour into a 9" X 13" baking dish that has been coated with nonstick vegetable spray and bake for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

8 to 10 servings

Zucchini Carrot Casserole

Given to Cooking Up a Blog by Roseanne Cheney

2 lbs. Zucchini
1 cup shredded carrots
1 can cream chicken soup
1/4 c shopped onion
1 cup sour cream
1 package - Stove Top stuffing
1/2 cup margarine

Put zucchini and onions into saucepan with 1 cup water. Boil 5 minutes, drain. Toss stuffing bread crumbs with seasoning with the melted margarine. Put 1/2 crumbs into 12 x 9 pan. Mix soup and sour cream together and toss with zucchini and carrots. Pour over crumbs and cover with the rest of crumbs.

Bake 350º - 25-30 minutes.

Malted Milk Ball Ice-Cream Dessert

Preparation Time : 8 minutes Chill: 3 hours

3 1/3 cups malted milk balls (10 1/2 ounces)
1 container (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
12 frozen rectangular ice-cream sandwiches
1 cup hot fudge sauce, warmed, if desired

Place malted milk balls in resealable plastic food-storage bag. Tap with rolling pin or meat mallet until coarsely crushed. Reserve 1/3 cup.

Mix remaining crushed malted milk balls and the whipped topping.

Arrange ice-cream sandwiches in bottom of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, cutting sandwiches if necessary to cover bottom of pan. Spread whipped topping mixture over ice-cream sandwiches. Sprinkle with reserved crushed malted milk balls. Cover and freeze 2 to 3 hours or until firm.

For servings, cut into 4 rows by 3 rows. Top with fudge sauce. 12 servings.

Success Hint: Frozen malted balls crush more easily than crushed when at room temperature.

Special Touch: Substitute Neapolitan or chocolate ice-cream sandwiches for regular vanilla ice-cream sandwiches.

Punch Bowl Cake

Elizabethtown - view from Blueberry Hill

Joan, Michael and I spent a few days visiting Brian and Heather in Essex County. Today we went shopping at the annual town-wide garage sale. At a downtown church Joan and Heather each purchased a punch bowl. Now both the girls will be able to make this fabulous dessert with the right presentation.

Punch Bowl Cake

The whipped topping surmounts the delightful mess!


1 Duncan Hines yellow cake mix

2 small instant vanilla puddings

1 package shredded coconut

20-ounce can cherry pie filling

20-ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained

Chopped nuts

20-ounce can fruit cocktail, undrained

1 large size whipped topping

Make the cake according to the directions given on the box. Make the instant pudding according to the directions on the box. Crumble half of the cake into the bottom of a large punch bowl. Press cake down smooth. Place half of the pudding on top of crumbled cake.

Smooth on half of each of the remaining ingredients, repeat and add the cherry pie filling last.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Heather & Brian arrived around 5 PM from their journey to Wisconsin. Brad & Kim and Michael & Emily joined them and us for dinner. Joan purchased A-D Corky's Racks of Pork Ribs from QVC as a special entree. Joan also added barbecued chicken, macaroni and cheese casserole and brownie trifle to the menu. Tom came for desert.

Here is the tried and true recipe that Joan makes for the kids usually when I am away on assignment.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

PREP TIME: 12 MINUTES

BAKE TIME: 25 MINUTES

2 Tbsp Argo® corn starch

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dry mustard (optional)

1/4 tsp pepper

2 1/2 cups milk

2 Tbsp margarine or butter

2 cups (8 oz) shredded American or Cheddar
cheese, divided

8 oz MUELLER'S elbows (about 1 3/4 cups),
cooked 7 minutes and drained

1. In medium saucepan combine first 4 ingredients; stir in milk. Add margarine; stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil 1 minute. Remove from heat.

2. Stir in 1 3/4 cups cheese until melted. Add elbows. Four into greased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with reserved cheese.

3. Bake uncovered in 375°F oven 25 minutes or until slightly browned.


MAKES 4 to 6 SERVINGS

BAKED HAM 'N' CHEESE MACARONI: In step 2, stir in 1 cup diced ham with elbows.

Trifle tres!

While wrapping Mark and Karen's bridal shower gifts, Joan slipped in this group of Kraft trifle recipes along with these three and this trio.

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Quick Tropical Cheesecake Trifle

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 15 min
Makes: 14 servings, 2/3 cup each

1 pkg. (10.75 oz.) frozen pound cake, thawed, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 tub (24.2 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Ready-To-Eat Cheesecake Filling
2 cups cut-up fresh pineapple (1 inch pieces)
2 bananas, sliced
2 kiwi, peeled, chopped
1/4 cup seedless strawberry jam, warmed
1/4 cup BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut, toasted

LAYER half of the cake cubes in bottom of large straight-sided serving bowl.
Top with half of the cheesecake filling and fruit. Repeat layers.

DRIZZLE with jam; sprinkle with coconut.

SERVE immediately. Or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Store any leftovers in refrigerator.

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Easy Chocolate Trifle

Prep Time: 50 min.
Total Time: 50 min.
Makes: 18 servings, 2/3 cup each

1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix
1 qt. (4 cups) cold milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
4 pkg. (1.4 oz. each) chocolate-covered English toffee bars, crushed

PREPARE cake batter and bake in 13x9-inch baking pan as directed on package. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

ADD milk to dry pudding mix in medium bowl. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended.

LAYER half each of the cake cubes, pudding, whipped topping and crushed chocolate bars in large glass trifle bowl. Repeat all layers. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Spring Fruit Trifle

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 45 min
Makes: 15 servings, 2/3 cup each

36 NILLA Wafers
2 Tbsp. orange-flavored liqueur or orange juice
3 cups seasonal fresh fruit, such as sliced peeled kiwi, blueberries and/or sliced strawberries
3 cups cold milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 pkg. (6 squares) BAKER'S Premium White Baking Chocolate, melted, cooled slightly
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

BREAK wafers coarsely into 2-1/2-qt. clear glass serving bowl. Sprinkle with liqueur; top with layers of fruit.

POUR milk into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended.
Refrigerate until pudding starts to thicken. Add chocolate; stir with wire whisk until well blended.
Gently stir in half of the whipped topping. Spoon over fruit; top with the remaining whipped topping.

REFRIGERATE at least 30 min. or up to 24 hours before serving. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator.