Cheesy Ziti Florentine

In an effort to get the blog completely updated before the new year (and thanks to some vacation time) you should start seeing posts more frequently as I recap my fall cooking. Here is the first...a yummy take on baked ziti. This is a good baked ziti and a nice way to incorporate your vegetables for a one dish meal.

Cheesy Ziti Florentine

1 lb ground beef (we used ground turkey)
1 onion diced
2 cloves of garlic diced
1 jar of good marinara sauce (or homemade)
3/4 cup water
4 oz (1/2 small package) of frozen chopped spinach (defrosted)
1 lb of ziti pasta
1 8 oz container of ricotta cheese
1-2 cups of mozzarella
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese grated
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons of salt (more to taste)
1 teaspoon of pepper (more to taste)
1/2 cup of whatever red wine you have on hand (if you don't have any, simply omit--we did)
1 tablespoon of Mrs. Dash
1 teaspoon of dried oregano

Start by browning your ground beef in a large pan. Drain any excess grease, add onions and garlic. Saute until onions are tender. Meanwhile - boil your pasta, make sure you season the water with salt well. Undercook the pasta by about 1-2 minutes. Add the wine to the ground beef, onions and garlic- allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Add the marinara sauce and the water- I like mine to be a little saucy and not as thick. Add your defrosted spinach. Stir in your salt, pepper, Mrs. Dash (or any nice salt free seasoning blend you prefer), crushed red pepper and oregano. Season to taste at this point. Drain your ziti noodles and put back into the hot pan. Make sure the pan is off of the heat. Stir in ricotta cheese until well incorporated with the noodles. Combine your sauce and noodles in the large noodle pot. Stir well. Once in the pan, top with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake at 375 covered for 20 minutes. Uncover the dish, add the Parmesan cheese and allow cheese to brown ( 5-6 minutes).

Source: Everyday Gourmet

2nd Annual NC Nestie Tacky Sweater Party

For years I've enjoyed chatting with the fabulous married ladies that frequent The Nest and the NC girls are the best. They are funny, caring, and just all around wonderful. This year was the 2nd annual NC Nestie Tacky Sweater Party, hosted by the fabulous Beth Anne (who always has a beautifully decorated home for the party). The idea...everyone dons the tackiest Christmas sweater they can find, shows up with an appetizer or drink, and we have a great time chatting, eating and drinking. There is also a cookie exchange at the end of the night...each girl brings 6 bags of 6 cookies each and each girl goes home with 6 different bags of cookies. Yum! The food and cookies were delicious. I had some requests for my Chocolate Chip Cheeseball/Dip recipe that I took to the party (I serve as a dip), so I thought I would share that as well as the recipe for the cookies I took to the party. Thanks to my mom for loaning me the first Christmas sweater she ever bought to wear to the party...it was a good one! Merry Christmas!


Chocolate Chip Cheeseball/Dip

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
Graham cracker sticks

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add the sugars and beat just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. If serving as a dip, it will be ready at this point. If you wish to serve it as a cheeseball, remove from the refrigerator and place cream cheese mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap and shape into a ball. Refrigerate for at least an hour and then just before serving, roll the pall in pecans. Serve with the graham cracker sticks for dipping. Yield: 2 cups

Source: My friend, Kati

Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters

3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg (I use pre-ground)
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup peanut butter--chunky or smooth (but not natural)
1 cup sugar
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, or 1 1/2 cups store-bought chocolate chips or chunks

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, beating only until blended. Mix in the chips. If you have the time, cover and chill the dough for about 2 hours or for up to one day. (Chilling the dough will give you more evenly shaped cookies.) If the dough is not chilled, drop rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. If the dough is chilled, scoop up rounded tablespoons, roll the balls between your palms and place them 2 inches apart on the sheets. Press the chilled balls gently with the heel of your hand until they are about 1/2 inch thick. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 7 minutes (my oven is more in the 10 minute range for these). The cookies should be golden and just firm around the edges. Lift the cookies onto cooling racks with a wide metal spatula - they'll firm as they cool. Repeat with the remaining dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches (I don't really do this). Storing: Wrapped airtight or piled into a cookie jar, the cookies will keep at room temperature for about 4 days. Wrapped and frozen, they'll be good for 2 months. Makes approximately 60 cookies.

Source: Baking, From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan, page 73 found on Proceed with Caution

Party Pictures

All the girls, being silly

Beth Anne geting ready to try the first bite of Sarah's beautiful cake (it was delicious!)

Everyone is starting to grab the cookies they want to take home

The best shot I have of my sweater (that's me in the white)