Creamy Pasta Bake

Talk about needing comfort food in the middle of January when it's -40F windchill and snowy weather in the Midwest!  But this might just be the solution to the bitter cold: Creamy Pasta Bake.

Make this on the weekend, invite a few friends, and have enough for leftovers.

Really...throwing a meal together couldn't get any easier as you are getting home from campus. Boil pasta, mix sauces and bake in a dish. That's it!

Try this out, another great recipe from 'Baking With Blondie' blog!

Equipment:

5 quart sauce pan 

Mixing Bowl

PAM Spray

9" x 13" x 2" Pyrex dish

Collander / Strainer

Ingredients:

4 cups of small pasta (macaroni, penne, rotini)

1-2 tsp salt for boiling pasta

15 oz jar of 'Alfredo' sauce (I used Paul Newman's)

24 oz jar of Marinara sauce (I like RAO's Marinara)

2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

2-3 Tbls basil, chopped (or parsley)

Instructions:

1. Wash your hands.

2. Spray your pyrex dish.

3. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

4. Bring SALTED water to a boil in your saucepan and cook the pasta until "almost" done, or better known as 'al dente'. Do not cook completely since this will bake another 25 minutes in sauce.

5. In a large mixing, combine the marinara, alfredo, 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella, 1 cup parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.

6. Drain the pasta and add to the mixing bowl.

7. Pour the mixture into the prepared and sprayed pyrex dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

8. Sprinkle with parmesan, pepper, and basil / parsley.

9. Cover with a piece of PAM sprayed tin foil (only on inside-touching-cheese side of the foil)

10. Bake x 25 minutes, then remove foil and broil briefly until cheese golden brown.

Feed A Crowd Pasta Bake

Some meals are meant for a crowd. And there is nothing easier (or better) for a hungry college student (and his roomates) than a pasta bake.  Some time is involved in boiling water and grating cheese, but this is definitely not rocket science.

Easy to make. Plenty to share. Leftovers rare. Mix, bake, serve.

Cheese can be expensive, but anyone planning to eat at the table can chip in a few bucks--flavor totally worth it!
If you like pasta cheesy, add a little more cheese.
If you like more moisture, add a little more sauce at the end.
Yep, that's about it in a nutshell, or Pyrex.

If your are really 'forward thinking' put half of the mix (uncooked) in a Tupperware and freeze it...sealed with duck tape and your name on it! Just be sure it's thawed before baking!

Equipment

15"x10" Pyrex Rectangular baking dish
Or
2 12" x 8"
(Or any combination of Pyrex)
PAM Spray

5-qt sauce pan (for boiling pasta)

Water with 2 tsp of salt

Large, large mixing bowl

Ingredients

2 lb Penne, Rigatoni, Rotini, or other short tube pasta, partially cooked, drained, set aside.

1 to 1 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese
1 to 1 1/2 cups Fontina cheese
8 oz Ricotta, part-skim
4 oz Cream Cheese or (Mascarpone), softened
1/4 cup Half-and-half
1 1/2 (28oz cans) crushed tomatoes including the liquid / puree in can
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp parsley
2 tsp basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
Salt & Pepper

1/2 cup Mozzarella, shredded
1 jar of your favorite Marinara / Vodka sauce

Instructions

1. Wash your hands.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3. Partially cook 2 lbs of penne pasta in salted boiling water (approx 8 min), drain and set aside.

IT IS KEY THAT THE PASTA IS UNDERCOOKED BEFORE BAKING.
Otherwise, this will turn to a hot, soggy mess.

4. In a large mixing bowl, mix the cheeses and rest of ingredients (to salt & pepper)together. Combine well.

5. Add drained pasta to tomato/cheese mixture. ( It should be slightly soupy, key word 'slightly', NOT 'swimming, drowned, submerged')
6. Empty into the prepared Pyrex dish(es)
7. Sprinkle pasta with 1/2 - 3/4 cup of marinara sauce and 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella.
7. Cover with aluminum foil.

8. Bake covered @ 425 degrees for 15' Remove foil and bake another 10-15' until top is golden.
9. Cool for 10' before serving.
10. Add salad, garlic bread--you got a meal!

Easily made the night before to throw into the oven after classes the next day.www.zazzle.com/bandiliciousinc*