Baked Ziti with Sausage

Recipe Found HERE

We've also made this dish with ground beef, for a more mild (kid friendly) taste and it works wonderfully!*

1 lb ziti noodles
1.5 lbs ground Hot Italian sausage (I use 1 lb, can substitute with ground beef if desired)*
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano Reggiano) cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving
8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to the package directions for very al dente, about 7 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the oven so you want to under cook it just a bit.) Drain and add the pasta back to the pot. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425°F and set the oven rack in the middle position.

Heat a large sauté pan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don't have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Add the heavy cream, 1/3 cup of the Pecorino Romano, cooked sausage, and basil to the pan; stir until evenly combined. Carefully pour the contents of the sauté pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella and half of the remaining Pecorino Romano. Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Pecorino Romano. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil and serve.

Make Ahead: This dish can be assembled and refrigerated, covered, up to 2 days in advance. Since the dish will be cold, the baking time will need to be increased. To bake, cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in a 425°F oven for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is lightly browned and the pasta is hot throughout.

Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The dish can be frozen unbaked. When you’re ready to cook it, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then proceed with the Make Ahead instructions above.

Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp

This makes 3-4 servings, double the recipe to feed more or have leftovers. Two large chicken breasts is enough for the original or doubling. 

Recipe Found HERE

Curry Coconut Sauce
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic minced
1 small onion chopped
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cumin ground
1/2 teaspoon coriander ground
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon  pepper 
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
14 fl oz coconut milk (1 can)
1-2 medium carrots julienned
1 zucchini julienned
1/2 cup peas, frozen

Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter creamy
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce, reduced sodium
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

milk

Chicken and Shrimp
1-2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
10 medium shrimp shelled

salt

pepper
cornstarch
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Coconut Rice (plain rice is also fine) 

Combine in rice cooker

2 cups water 

1 can unsweetened coconut milk (13.5 oz) 

2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar 

1 teaspoon salt 

2 cups white or jasmine rice 

Garnish (optional)

1/2 cup flaked coconut toasted

1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
2 green onions, chopped 
sesame seeds

Chicken and Shrimp
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet. Season chicken pieces and shrimp generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the cornstarch over chicken and shrimp and toss, making sure each piece is fully coated in cornstarch. Add the coated chicken to the skillet and cook for a couple minutes per side, until slightly golden. Remove chicken from skillet and add shrimp. Cook shrimp for a couple minutes until slightly pink and remove from skillet. Set aside. May place on a oven proof plate and keep warm in oven until ready to serve. 

Peanut Sauce
To make the peanut sauce add all ingredients in a small sauce pan and heat over low just until the mixture begins to bubble; cover and remove pan from heat. Add milk to thin sauce to desired consistency.

Coconut Curry
In a medium sauce pan heat the olive oil, sesame oil and crushed red pepper flakes over medium heat. Add chopped onion, cook just until onion is translucent 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and saute, stirring constantly for 1 minute.

Add spices and water and stir well. Bring to a boil, then add coconut milk and bring the mixture back up to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add julienned carrots and zucchini, then peas. Cook for another 10 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Plating: Add about 1 cup of rice to each of the 4 plates. Add chicken and shrimp, dividing them equal among the 4 plates. Spoon the coconut curry over chicken and shrimp. Drizzle peanut sauce over the rice. Top with crushed peanuts, sesame seeds if desired, green onions and some of the flaked coconut.