Silly Sketti



5  cups water

2 jars (14 to 16 oz. ea.) meatless spaghetti sauce

1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, crushed

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

4 cups (12 oz.) dried fusilli, corkscrew, or wagon wheel pasta

24  purchased frozen meatballs

4 slices (4 oz.) mozzarella cheese

24 slices stuffed green or pitted ripe olives, chilled



1. Preheat oven to 350º F.



2. Put the water, spaghetti sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a

saucepan. Stir together with wooden spoon until mixed. Put saucepan on burner.

Turn burner to high heat. Cook, uncovered, until the mixture boils, stirring

now and then with wooden spoon. Add pasta to saucepan; stir with wooden spoon.

Turn burner to medium-low heat. Put lid on saucepan and cook mixture about 20

minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring once or twice with wooden spoon.



3. Meanwhile, put meatballs in a baking pan. Put the baking pan in oven. Bake

for 12 to 15 minutes or until meatballs are hot. Turn off oven. Use hot pads

to remove pan from oven.



4. While meatballs are baking, use a cookie cutter to cut 24 one-inch rounds

from the cheese slices.



5. To serve, divide cooked pasta mixture among serving plates. Top pasta on

each plate with 2 meatballs. To make eyes, put a cheese round on top of each

meatball and put an olive slice on top of each cheese round.



Makes 12 servings.

Fun Spaghetti and Meatballs Easy as ABC



1 lb spaghetti

2 lbs ground turkey breast

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

6 cups spaghetti sauce

Alphabet cookie cutters



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.



Cook the spaghetti according to box directions. Mix the next 5 ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Spread meat mixture evenly onto the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes.



Remove pan from oven and let it cool a little before you handle the cooked meat. Cut out letter-shaped meatballs with you alphabet cookie cutters.



To serve, put the spaghetti on a plate with some sauce and the meatball shapes and enjoy the compliments!

Silly Sketti

5  cups water  
2 jars (14 to 16 oz. ea.) meatless spaghetti sauce  
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, crushed 
1/2 tsp. salt   
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper    
4 cups (12 oz.) dried fusilli, corkscrew, or wagon wheel pasta 
24  purchased frozen meatballs  
4 slices (4 oz.) mozzarella cheese  
24 slices stuffed green or pitted ripe olives, chilled 

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
   
2. Put the water, spaghetti sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a
saucepan. Stir together with wooden spoon until mixed. Put saucepan on burner.
Turn burner to high heat. Cook, uncovered, until the mixture boils, stirring
now and then with wooden spoon. Add pasta to saucepan; stir with wooden spoon.
Turn burner to medium-low heat. Put lid on saucepan and cook mixture about 20
minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring once or twice with wooden spoon.
   
3. Meanwhile, put meatballs in a baking pan. Put the baking pan in oven. Bake
for 12 to 15 minutes or until meatballs are hot. Turn off oven. Use hot pads
to remove pan from oven.    

4. While meatballs are baking, use a cookie cutter to cut 24 one-inch rounds
from the cheese slices.
   
5. To serve, divide cooked pasta mixture among serving plates. Top pasta on
each plate with 2 meatballs. To make eyes, put a cheese round on top of each
meatball and put an olive slice on top of each cheese round.

Makes 12 servings. 

Easiest Pasta & Cheese With Vegetables

This recipe, from "The Baby Bistro Cookbook" author Joohee Muromcew, is a
great way to get small children to eat vegetables, and the easiest way to
make homemade macaroni and cheese -- no grating, melting or stirring a
sauce.

2 cups hot cooked pasta, such as elbow macaroni
1/2 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2-1 cup cooked peas or finely chopped cooked broccoli
Diced ham, optional

While the pasta is still hot, mix in the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. Add
the vegetables and ham, if using.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups. Serves five 1/2-cup child-size servings.

 

Peanut Butter Pudding Dessert

Chili Mac



1 lb. macaroni

1 lb. ground beef

3 TB vegetable oil

1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes, undrained

1 quart (4 cups) tomato juice

2 cups chopped onions

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp. salt

1 TB chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

1 can (20 oz.) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained



Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.



In a Dutch oven or large skillet, brown beef in oil, stirring frequently.



Add undrained tomatoes, tomato juice, onions, garlic, salt and remaining

seasonings.



Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in kidney beans.



Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf.



Gradually add cooked pasta to the chili. Serve in bowls.