Baked Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and Fennel

Recipe from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 pound hot Italian sausage links
• 1 (16 ounce) package rigatoni pasta
• 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
• 1 bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until almost tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Fry the sausages in a large skillet over medium heat, turning frequently until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove from the skillet, cool slightly and slice into rounds. Add the garlic, fennel and onion to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, then add the roasted red peppers, basil, sliced sausage and pasta sauce. Heat through over low heat until warmed.
3. Combine the pasta with the sauce and vegetables in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread the mozzarella, Parmesan and Asiago cheeses over the top. Garnish with a few fennel leaves left from the bulb. Cover with aluminum foil.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, then remove the aluminum foil. Set the oven to broil, and cook for another 5 minutes or until cheese is browned.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 499 | Total Fat: 19.4g | Cholesterol: 52mg

I've made this two times. I love the taste the Fennel gives to the dish. I've only used it with mild Italian sausage, because I have a two year old, and think the hot Italian sausage would be too hot for him.

Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan

This Chicken Parmesan recipe is super easy, and super delicious

Ingredients
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.)
1 pkt. SHAKE 'N BAKE Chicken Coating Mix
2 cups spaghetti sauce
1-1/2 cups KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves


HEAT oven to 400°F.

COAT chicken with coating mix as directed on package; place in 13x9-inch pan. Cover pan with tin foil and spray with cooking spray for an easy clean up!

BAKE 20 min. or until chicken is done (165°F).

TOP with remaining ingredients; bake 5 min. or until mozzarella is melted.

**Recipe from HixonHouse blog as from Kraft food**

~*Coming next- Tator Tot Casserole (Thanks Laura)*~

Egg Rolls

I have decided on occasion to share of few of my favorite recipes. The first in the series is for some tasty egg rolls.

Occasionally you may see a recipe I received from one of you. I will always post where the recipe comes from. I will also give heads up to the next recipe coming. If it is a recipe I got from you, and you don't want me to post it for any reason please let me know and I won't proceed with the post.

I LOVE egg rolls, and have to say these didn't disappoint. I actually like them better with rice noodles rather than Somen noodles or angle hair pasta. I think regular cabbage, and black pepper would work just fine.

Also since I don't usually want to make 20 egg rolls at one time I will mix up the filling and then put it in the fridge and just put them together and fry them as I feel like them. The filling is good for 2-3 days after it has been mixed up. You can also plan to make them when you are having people over (I'm waiting for the invite).

EGG ROLLS
Makes approximately 20 - SERVES 10



FILLING

* 1 Pound ground turkey or ground pork
* ¼ Cup soy sauce
* 1 Tablespoons oyster sauce*
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 1 Tablespoon oil
* 1 bundle of Somen Noodles* or 1 serving size of angel hair pasta
* 2 cups shredded Chinese cabbage
* 1 cup shredded carrots
* 1 egg yolk (save egg white for "glue mixture" - see below)
* 1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
* 1/2 tea. grounded dry ginger or 1 tea. fresh grated ginger
* 1/2 tea. sugar
* 1 tea. salt
* 1/2 tea. white pepper
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil


WRAPPERS

* 1 egg white mixed with 1 Tablespoon water
* 1 package egg roll skins, *
* Oil for frying
* Sweet & Sour sauce


Cook noodles according to directions. Drain, then rinse in cool water. While still in strainer, cut with a sharp knife into about 1 inch pieces. (Like cutting spaghetti for a child). Combine raw pork or turkey, soy sauce, oyster sauce and garlic. Brown the meat in oil. In a large bowl mix all the filling ingredients. Place approx. ¼ Cup of the mixture on the corner of 1 egg roll skin. Roll up following the directions on the egg roll package. Use the egg white on the edge of the egg roll skin to seal. Deep fry until golden brown. Serve with sweet and sour sauce or soy sauce.

*Oyster sauce and Somen Noodles and egg roll wrappers are found in the oriental cooking section of most grocery stores.

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

* 2/3 Cup packed Brown Sugar
* 2/3 Cup Pineapple Juice
* 2 Tablespoon ketchup
* 2 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
* 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
* 2 ½ Tablespoon cornstarch
* ¼ cup cold water


In a saucepan combine brown sugar, pineapple juice, ketchup, vinegar, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil. In a small bowl combine cornstarch and water. Stir to combine and dissolve lumps. Add to boiling sauce to thicken. Serve with egg rolls.
** for a sweet change add 2 Tablespoons Apricot Jam.

(Recipe from Fox13now.com) Egg Rolls - KSTU

Next recipe to come will be: Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan (Thanks Alison)