Baked Ziti

Kids rating: 5 stars

My rating: 4 stars

1 pound ricotta cheese

2 large eggs , lightly beaten

1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided 

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 pound ziti or rigatoni (penne, spiral- any one-bite pasta will work)

1 (32 oz.) jar marinara sauce (Rao's is the best)

½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish

black pepper

¾ teaspoon cornstarch

1 1/4 cup heavy cream, divided

8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into ¼-inch pieces (I buy the little balls and cut them each in half)

1 lb Italian sausage, cooked and broken into pieces

Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and add pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, about 7 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander (do not wash pot).

Add 1 cup cream heavy cream to pot and whisk in cornstarch over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce, basil, sausage, and ¾ cup mozzarella, then stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer pasta mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking dish and spread remaining marinara sauce, mixed with 1/4 cup cream, evenly over pasta. Sprinkle remaining ¾ cup mozzarella and remaining ½ cup Parmesan over top. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove foil and increase heat to broil. Broil for 5 minutes until golden and bubbly. Cool for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

Crusty Loaf

Kids' rating: 5 stars

my rating: 5 stars

This is the easiest deliciousness you'll ever make. You stir some stuff together. Wait a million years. Flip it over a couple times. Wait a hundred years. Bake. Done. 

Note: read the recipe all the way through before starting. While simple, the whole process takes 18-24 hours. Make sure you save yourself that amount to time.

3 c all purpose or bread flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
cornmeal or wheat bran as needed


1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water and stir until well blended; dough will be sticky and shaggy. Cover dough with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature.

2. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest  about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, gently shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. Place dough on flour dusted towel, and cover with another floured towel. Let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450. Put a 6 to 8 quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, pyrex or ceramic- I use my dutch oven) in the oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from the oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over in pot, seam side up (it may look like a mess, but it's okay). Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack. **I have never baked mine this long. I don't know if it's my pot or if I just like things... less-cooked? I usually do 25 minutes, then take the lid off for the last 5. I would start there and see how yours looks. Like I said, maybe it's my pot (I'm pretty sure it's not the oven, cause I've had this problem going on 3 ovens).

btw. You must refer to this as a "crusty loaf." Greg says.

Sweet Bajio Rice

Kids rating: 5 stars
My rating: 5 stars

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ white onion, chopped
• about ¼ of a bunch of cilantro, chopped
• ⅔ cup white rice
• 1½ cups chicken broth*
• ¼ cup white sugar

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine chicken broth and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves.
2. Put oil and onions into a sauce pan, and cook until the onions are cooked through.
3. Add cilantro and saute for a minute or two more.
4. Add uncooked rice until it starts to brown.
5. Stir chicken broth/sugar into sauce pan.
6. Bring to a boil.
7. Cover and let cook on a low temperature until rice is done (about 25 minutes.)

If making in the Instant Pot, use 1 cup rice (rinsed) and 1 1/4 cups chicken broth. Set to manual, low pressure, for 7 minutes and let natural release for 10 minutes.

Chili

My rating: 5 stars

Kids rating: 5 stars

I've been on the hunt for a good chili recipe for a loooong time. Obviously, to each their own and all that, but this chili hits the spot for our family. Drew's review: It's so good, I can eat it with my eyes closed! Which is the greatest compliment Drew can give, because he's quite picky and usually has to pick around bites that he doesn't like. That kid. 

We are not bean lovers, and the recipe calls for 3 cans of beans. I only put in 1. It was a little on the runny side because of that. Maybe next time, I'll try 2 cans, or maybe I'll reduce the broth. Either way, it's the flavor that really makes this chili. I mean, there's chocolate in there, for goodness sakes.

Cocoa Bean Chili

yield 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 2.5 cups beef broth or stock
• 3 15-ounce cans small white beans, rinsed & drained

Toppings:

• Cheddar cheese
• Sour cream

Instructions

Heat oil in heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add coriander and cumin; stir 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high. Add turkey; breaking up with back of spoon, brown until no longer pink. Stir in chili powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt. Add tomatoes and stir in tomato sauce and beef stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add beans to chili and simmer until flavors blend, about 10 minutes longer. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium-low heat before continuing.)

Ladle chili into bowls. Serve with toppings.