Pasta Pie! Mamma Mia!

My kids are pasta fanatics.  Lasagna, spaghetti, manacotti....doesn't matter. Cover it with  sauce and meat and they're good to go.

So, I decided to break away from the ho-hum simple spaghetti and try Martha Stewart's Pasta Pie....modified to fit my busy schedule! This will take about 1/2 hour from start to finish. 

You'll need
1 lb Rigatoni Pasta,
1 jar Pasta Sauce
1 lb ground beef, Browned and drained of fat.  Make sure there are no big clumps
2 cups mozzerella

This works best with a springform pan.  A 1 lb bag of rigatoni fit perfectly in my 9" pan.

Boiled pasta till done, drain then rinse in cold water.


I sprayed my pan with cooking spray, just to ensure that the pasta doesn't stick.   Assemble Rigatoni in your pan, standing up so you can see down the holes. 

Add pasta sauce to browned ground beef. And mix well.  Spoon this sauce over the pasta, making sure the meat sauce gets into the holes.  I just poked it in the holes using my finger (washed finger, of course!).

Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  Add 1-1 1/2 cup of mozzerella on top and place back in oven for about 10-15 minutes. If you're using a springform pan,  run a knife around the edges to loosen before unmolding.  Cut into wedges and serve with remaining sauce and cheese.

Amazing, huh? The kids oohed and awwed! And I patted myself on the back! Another job well done :)

First day of school Chicken Noodle Casserole

Ah, the summer is winding down and there is a chill in the air. Wait a minute....is that the bus I hear? The kids are home! I can't wait to hear about their first day of school!!

I opted for a first day afterschool meal of Chicken Noodle Casserole. The kiddos favorite meal. This quick and easy dish will be done before the kids tell you about Mrs. Whatsername and who wore what. But sadly still won't give you enough time to finish the 100 pages you have to fill out for school.


Chicken Noodle Casserole

16 oz egg noodles
4-6 boneless chicken breast
1 cup sour cream
1 large can Cream of Mushroom
1 large can Cream of Chicken
1 sleeve Ritz Crackers
1/4 cup butter


Boil chicken in water until no longer pink. Remove from water and add egg noodles to the chicken water. Boil about 8-10 minutes till tender. Drain. Cut cooked chicken into chunks...whatever size you prefer.

Preheat oven to 350.

Add sour cream, soups and cut chicken to noodles. Blend all together and place into a casserole dish.

In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add crumbled crackers to butter. Put this cracker mix on top of Noodles. Bake for 30 minutes.