Three Great Pasta Dishes and One Photo :) Baked Ziti, Roasted Garlic with White Cheddar and Wine Sauce and Three Cheese Stuffed Shells

About a year and a half ago, we had a special friend come to visit to share about her ministry to poverty stricken and underprivileged women and children.  She is a wonderful woman and I was so glad to host her presentation.  Although she was speaking on poverty, we feasted on delicious foods. Only in the U.S are we so abundantly blessed.  I had no idea how much it would bother me at the time to feel so blessed and see so many woman with so little. Mary's ministry helps feed woman and children but even more importantly it equips them to provide for themselves by helping them learn skills, get jobs, and even run businesses.

I had not planned to post any of these recipes just yet, but one of the women that came asked for the recipes. So... I thought I would just go ahead and post anyways.  I only have a picture of the last piece of Baked Ziti, I didn't even get a picture of it when it was nice and hot and bubbly from the oven but you know,... what we don't do for friends, right? So you will have to just humor me a little and imagine the most delicious looking pasta dishes.  Let's say they were crafted to perfection and styled on platters and dishes in a dreamy sort of way.  And in a sense they really were. They  were crafted with love and placed on the nicest dishes I could find.  I really did want it to be a nice relaxing let me bless you occasion.

These were all new recipes for me from trusty sources which have been long forgotten because I had just scribbled the recipes down on paper.  I feel bad I can't even give credit where credit is due.  And really credit is due...  These are all delicious recipes.  Don't get me wrong, I make a lot of dishes and not all, in fact many don't get that stamp of approval.  These recipes are keepers to be made over and over.

Baked Ziti

1 # cottage cheese
2 lg eggs, lightly beaten
1cup Parmesan cheese
Whisk these three together, set aside.
1# Ziti cooked 5-7 min then drained.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet, add 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion and 5 cloves of garlic(crushed).Saute a few minutes then add one 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes, 1 t. oregano, 1/4cup chopped fresh basil(or 1-2 T. dry basil) and 1 t. sugar. Simmer for about 10 minutes.  Add salt and pepper.

In a small saucepan, heat 1c. heavy cream and 3/4t. cornstarch until thick (simmer 3-4 minutes).  Now add the cottage cheese mixture, 1 1/2 c. tomato sauce and 6-8 oz. mozzarella. Stir to combine.  Add Pasta and toss to coat.

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with mozzarella and 1/4-1/2 cup Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 30 more minutes.  Cool 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil.


Three Cheese Stuffed Shells
8 oz. Jumbo Pasta Shells cooked half the amount of time rinsed under cold water.
30 oz. Ricotta
8oz. Parmesan cheese, grated, divided
1/2c. Romano
1 lg egg
12 leaves basil
2T. parsley minced
salt and pepper
2T. olive oil
1/2 whole chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 # hamburger
1/2c. red wine
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes

Heat olive oil. Add onions and garlic. Saute 1-2 minutes. Add meat and cook until done.  Add red wine and cook 1-2 more minutes.  Pour in the cans of tomatoes and stir.  Add sugar and salt.  Bring to boil, reduce, cover and simmer 30-45 minutes. You can add some crushed red pepper now if you like.

In a separate bowl combine ricotta, 1/2 the parmesan, romano, egg, s&p,basil, and parsley. Stir well.

Grease a baking dish and spread some sauce in the dish.  Fill shell with cheese mixture*. Place face down.  Top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh mozzarella.
Bake 350 for 25 minutes.

* To fill shell pour the cheese mixture into a ziplock bag and snip the corner and squeeze into shells.  A much cleaner and easier way to accomplish the task.

Pasta with Roasted Garlic, White Cheddar and Wine Sauce
8 oz. penne cooked.
11/2 t. butter
1/4c. roasted garlic paste* see instructions below.
11/2 T. flour
1/4c White Wine
1c. chicken broth
1c. shredded white cheddar cheese
1 head broccoli cut into florets and blanched until tender
1# boneless,skinless chicken breast, grilled or cooked on stove top( cut up).
s&p

Melt butter in pan. Add garlic paste then flour and cook until browned about 1-2 minutes. Stir in wine and broth. Cook 10 minutes until thickened.  Whisk in cheese, s&p. Now stir in cooked chicken, broccoli and pasta.

* To roast garlic place 2 heads that had the tops cut off to expose the cloves in foil. Seal foil and Bake 350 for 1 hour. cool and squeeze garlic out of peels and mash with a fork.  Well worth the extra work.

These are so delicious.  I need to make them again soon.