(c)marye audet 2008

O.k. I admit it.  This is nothing more than macaroni and cheese.  I promised the kids macaroni and cheese and there was no way I could change mid stream…

Or was there?

I love artichokes any way that they are made and I have from the very first time I had them.  That was way back when Marc and I were first married and living just off Presidio in Monterey California.  Let me tell you, it might be a fantastic place to honeymoon but it is EVEN BETTER place to spend the first four months of marriage!

This is your basic macaroni and cheese with mozzarella and a good Parmesan substituted for the cheese you would normally use.  And, of course, the addition of artichokes.  I think that this would be fantastic with a spinach and walnut ravioli in place of the macaroni.

This is an awesome vegetarian dish, perfect for a lunch or light dinner.

This is my entry to this weeks’ Presto Pasta Night, hosted by C, of Foodie Tots.  For more information about Presto Pasta check out the  Presto Pasta Website.

Artichoke & Parmesan Pasta

• 1 lb pasta, cooked
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella
• 1/2 cup Parmesan
• 1 large can artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup milk or half and half
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute the onion in a little olive oil until transparent.
2. MIx the onion and the cooked pasta in a buttered 13×9 inch casserole dish
3. Add the artichokes and combine well
4. Pour the milk over the pasta mixture and stir it in.
5. Add the cheese, salt and pepper
6. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes

This serves about 8 people at my house but it is probably more like 12-16 servings.  It freezes well so make a batch and divide it up for a couple of meals.

image:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Lasagne is, I think, Marc’s very favorite dinner. When I make it I make a HUGE pan of it..actually the pan is not a 13×9 as it may look but a 26x 18…This recipe is for a 13x 9 since I don’t know many people that have to cook lasagne in the portions that I do.
I use homemade whole wheat pasta for the lasagne noodles, and I have made my own sauce, ricotta, and mozzerella in the past,w ith awesome results… Use what you like. When I was low carbing I used thinly sliced eggplant for the noodles and that works well too! The meat for this lasagne can be italian sausage or ground beef. I recently started grinding the beef myself because I dislike the quality of ground meat available in the store. If you use all ground beef then do get a ground chuck so it has more flavor.
To me, lasagne is best assembled a day ahead and cooked before serving. It feezes well for up to 3 months.

1 lbs homemade pasta or 1 box of lasagne noodles
1 lbs of ricotta
2 eggs
1/4 c fresh basil chopped
1 lb of mozzarella shredded (or part mozzerella/ part provelone)
3 cups favorite pasta sauce
1 1/2 lbs ground beef or mix ground beef and italian sausage
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 green pepper chopped
1/4 c italian seasoning

Mix ricotta, eggs and basil leaves together well

Brown meat, garlic, onion, and pepper in skillet..Be sure to salt and pepper ground beef as it is cooking…if you are using italian sausage there is no need to do that. Drain fat, mix in italian seasoning, and set aside.
Cook lasagne noodles in boiling, salted water with a tbs of olive oil added. Cook until a la dente…overcooking will make it mushy. Drain and hang noodles over the side of the pot to keep seperate while assembling lasagne.
Pour a layer of sauce in the bottom of a 13x 9 pan. Lay approximately 3 lasagne noodles over the sauce, side by side, to cover the bottom. Put meat and onion mixture over noodles and spread with about 1/3 of the mozzarella.Pour about 1/3 sauce over and then make a layer of noodles. Spread with ricotta mixture, sprinkle with 1/3 mozzerella, and pour 1/3 sauce over. Lay the last noodles over top, spread with the last 1/3 of sauce and sprinkle with the last 1/3 mozzerella.
Cover and refridgerate over night or freeze at this point.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Let set for 20 minutes before cutting.

you can layer spinach with the ricotta layer, or any number of variations.

Post from: Baking Delights