Baked Ziti

This is a great dish to make ahead for company.  A little more labor intensive and expensive than simple ziti but worth it.  Can be frozen or just made a few days in advance.

1 pound ziti

2 minced garlic cloves

2 15 oz cans tomato sauce

8 oz can tomato sauce

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 tea. dried oregano

1 tea. salt and 1 tea. pepper

1/2 cup fresh basil chopped

1 tea. sugar

1 tea. cornstarch

1 cup heavy cem

1 pound cottage cheese

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese

8 oz mozzarella cheese cut into 1/4 inch pieces  1 1/2  cups)

1.  Cook pasta for about 9 minutes, drain and set aside

2. Place some oil and the garlic in a large pan and saute over  medium heat until fragrant.  Add all of the tomato sauce, chopped tomatoes, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes until thickened a bit.  Turn off heat and add 1/2 cup chopped basil.  Save the remaining basil for after cooking

3.  Pour heavy ceam into a second large saucepan.  while cream is cold, whisk in 1 tea. of cornstarch.  Simmer ove medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat and add 1 pound of cottage cheese, 2 beaten eggs, 1 cup of the tomato sauce mixture and half of the parmesan and cubed mozzeralla.  Stir until combined (this mixture will now be a light red/pinkish color)

4. Add the cooked pasta to the cream mixture.  Stir until all of the pasta is coated

5. pour into a greased 9x13 pan.  Pour remaining tomato mixture over the top and sprinkle the remaining cubed mozzarella and Parm. cheese on top of the pasta in the dish.  Top dish with remaining chopped basil.

6. Cover dish tightly with foil.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes with foil then 30 minutes without foil.  Let set in pan for about 10 minutes before serving.

 FRENCH DIP 

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches.  Requested by Conner

ingredients

Beef Chuck Roast, around 3 pounds

Hoagie Buns

Provolone Cheese

Soy Sauce reduced sodium is best

Coca-Cola - not diet, 1 cup

Beef Consumme 2 cans

Beef bouillon 1 Tablespoon

Dried Herbs and spices

1/4 cup dried minced onions

1 tea. garlic powder

1/2 tea. onion powder

1/2 tea. dried oregano

/2 tea. salt

1/4 tea. pepper

1/4 tea. dried thyme

1. Heat some olive oil in a skillet, then sear the beef on all sides

2. Add the seaed eef and pan drippings to a slow cooker

3 Add in the remaining ingredients

4. Cook on low for 4 hours then remove roast and thinly slice across the grain.

5. Place sliced meat back in slow cooker and continue to cook on low for 1-2 additional hours

6. Assemble sandwiches, then bake to melt the cheese

Put juice in tiny individual bowls for dipping

 Asian Steak Bites

Good Steak 1 1/2 lbs cut into 1 inch cubes

Tablespoon oil

1/2 cup pineapple juice

2 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 tea. Srirach sauce

1 1/2 tea. minced garlic

1. Combine all sauce ingredients in a gallon ziplock bag and allow to marinate 36-48 hours in fridge

2. When ready to cook, first separate the steak from the marinade, place the steak in a bowl and set aside

3. our the marinade in a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat until it simmers, continue cooking for 5 minutes and set aside.

4. Combine 1/2 cup cold water with 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch and mix until there are no more lumps, Whisk the slurry into the simmering sauce and continue cooking until it is slightly thickened.  Remove from heat and set aside

5. Preheat a griddle or pan over med. heat.  Lay down a bit of oil and cook the seak for 5-5 minutes max,  don't overcook it!

6. Remove from pan and serve over rice.  Drizzle the sauce over the top