Skillet Lasagna

adapted from a Pampered Chef recipe

Ingredients:

1 jar marinara sauce
3 c. water
8 oz lasagna noodles
1 lb bulk Italian sausage or sausage links, casings removed
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 oz Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, divided
1 c. fresh whole milk ricotta cheese (about 8 oz)
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Additional grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Combine sauce and water in large skillet. Cover; bring to a boil. Meanwhile, break noodles crosswise into quarters. Stir noodles into sauce. Cover; reduce heat and simmer 16-18 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally. As noodles cook, place sausage into a different skillet; cook and stir over medium-high heat 6-8 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking into crumbles. Add pressed garlic; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir sausage into noodles and sauce.
Meanwhile, grate Parmesan cheese. Chop parsley using Santoku Knife; set aside 1 tbsp parsley for garnish. Combine cheeses, remaining parsley and black pepper in medium bowl. Scoop cheese mixture over noodles in dollups. Cover skillet and simmer gently 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and ricotta mixture is heated through.
To serve, sprinkle lasagna with reserved parsley and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Yield: 6 servings

Cook’s Tips: Wrapping lasagna noodles in a clean kitchen towel before breaking into quarters prevents them from scattering around your countertop.

The attractive ruffled edge of regular lasagna noodles add to this dish's visual appeal. No-boil noodles can be used instead of the regular lasagna noodles, if desired. Reduce cooking time of noodles to 10-12 minutes; proceed as recipe directs.

Fresh whole milk ricotta cheese is preferred in this recipe for its smooth texture. Look for fresh ricotta cheese at the deli. Drain off excess liquid before using.

Sausage and Pepper Baked Ziti

(makes 2 - one for now, one for the freezer)

Ingredients

1 pound(s) sweet and/or hot Italian sausage links, casings removed
4 clove(s) garlic, crushed with press
2 large red, green, and/or yellow peppers, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 (1-pound) jumbo onion, cut in half, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
1 pound(s) sliced white mushrooms
1 can(s) (28-ounce) whole tomatoes in puree
1 can(s) (15-ounce) tomato puree
1 teaspoon(s) salt
1 pound(s) ziti or penne pasta
1 package(s) (8-ounce) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup(s) freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions

In deep 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook sausage on medium 10 minutes or until browned, stirring and breaking it up with side of spoon. With slotted spoon, transfer sausage to medium bowl.
In drippings in skillet, cook garlic, peppers, onion, and mushrooms, covered, 10 minutes. Uncover and cook 8 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender and most of liquid has evaporated. Stir in tomatoes, tomato puree, and salt; heat to boiling on medium-high, stirring and breaking up tomatoes with side of spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook sauce 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, but cook 2 minutes less than recommended cooking time.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. Drain pasta. Return pasta and reserved cooking water to pot; stir in tomato sauce to coat pasta. Add mozzarella and reserved sausage; toss to combine. Divide mixture evenly between 2 shallow ungreased 2 1/2-quart ceramic baking dishes. Sprinkle with Romano cheese.
Bake one casserole 20 to 25 minutes or until top browns and sauce is bubbling. Let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare second casserole for freezing.

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To reheat after thawing 24 hours:

Conventional oven: Heat, loosely covered, at 350 degrees F 1 hour; uncover and heat 30 minutes longer.

Microwave oven: Heat, covered, on Low (30 percent) 35 minutes, then on High 15 minutes longer

Rachael Ray's Italian Sub Soup

SERVES 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 lb sweet Italian sausage
1/4 lb pepperoni, dixed
1/2 lb ham, diced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
28 ounces diced tomatoes
6 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup gemilli pasta
4 cups arugula

Place a soup pot on the stovetop and preheat to medium high. Add the olive oil and the sausage. Brown and crumble the sausage, drain off excess fat if necessary, then add the pepperoni and ham. Cook for two minutes.
Add the bell peppers and onions and cook for two minutes more. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the pasta and cook for 8 minutes.
Stir the arugula into the stoup just before you serve it up.

Easy Italian Stew

Prep. 5 min | Total: 25 min.

2 Tbsp. Italian Dressing
1lb bulk Italian sausage
2 cans (14 1/2oz each) fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth
1 pkg. (16oz) stir fry veggies (onions & sliced green, yellow and red peppers)
1 can (15oz) Cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
1 can (14 1/2oz) Italian style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked (I actually used 2 cups instead)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat dressing in large saucepan on medium heat. Add sausage, cook 8 to 10 minutes or until cooked through, stirring occasionally to break sausage into small pieces. Add broth, stir fry veggies, beans and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Stir in macaroni. Reduce heat to medium, simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally. Ladle into 8 serving bowls. Top evenly with shredded cheese. Serve with Ritz crackers or a loaf of Italian bread, if desired.

Makes 8 servings, 1 cup each