Angela’s Cheesy Lasagna
Baked Ziti Florentine
Crack Chicken Spaghetti
Fettuccine Alfredo
Feta and Veggie and Pasta Salad
HVR Pasta Salad
Lasagna Rolls with Wilted Spinach
Macaroni and Cheese
Manicotti
Marinara Sauce
Teri's Pasta Salad

Pasta

Angela’s Cheesy Lasagna
You can always use canned spaghetti sauce instead of making your own (I won't tell anyone). And NO, I don't cook the lasagna noodles, that's why I keep the sauce a bit wet - the same consistency of canned spaghetti sauce. This will give a thick meaty sauce - unless you like a runny sauce. If you do, just add more water (and check the seasoning, it might water down the flavor.)

This is very cheesy, so feel free to cut back to what you like.

If you think your sauce lacks that umami taste - you know, when you say, "It needs SOMETHING" - add a cube of chicken bouillon.

1 medium onion, chopped and caramelized
2 tablespoons bacon grease, Italian dressing OR oil
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup of water (or more)
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 to 2 bay leaves
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Salt
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1 package lasagna noodles
1 32 oz. tub ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons garlic salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 8oz pkgs sliced mozzarella
1 cube chicken bouillon
2 cups shredded mozzarella

In large sauce pot over medium heat, sauté onion in bacon grease until tender and caramelized.

Add in tomato sauce and water; stir to deglaze the pan.

Reduce heat to low and add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, salt, bouillon, and browned ground beef to onion mixture. Stir to combine.

Simmer sauce on medium low heat until it reduces (an hour or so) and is a good thick consistency. Taste and re-season.

Preheat oven to 350º. Mix together ricotta cheese, garlic salt, eggs, and Parmesan cheese, and set aside.

In 9x13-inch large baking pan sprayed with non-stick spray. You are going to build 3 layers of lasagna goodness:

• Thin layer of meat sauce
• 4 pieces of lasagna, overlapped
• First 1/3 of ricotta cheese mixture
• 1/3 of sliced mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 of meat sauce
• 4 pieces of lasagna, overlapped
• Second 1/3 of ricotta cheese mixture
• 1/3 sliced of mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 of meat sauce
• 4 pieces of lasagna, overlapped
• Last 1/3 of ricotta cheese mixture
• 1/3 sliced of mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 of meat sauce
• 4 pieces of lasagna, overlapped
• Remaining 1/4 of meat sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Cover with foil and bake for around 25 minutes. Uncover and finish baking for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Ziti Florentine
If the sauce is too thick, add water. Try topping this with a couple of cups of mozzarella cheese - yum!

1 pound ziti pasta
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef, browned
1 small can tomato paste
1 small can tomato sauce
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (or more)
1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cube chicken bouillon
Ground black pepper
1 10oz box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 15oz carton ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (or more) grated Parmesan cheese

Cook ziti in large pot of boiling SALTED water according to package directions. Drain and leave in the colander.

Heat oil in same pot. Add onions and cook over medium-high heat until caramelized and translucent.

Stir in beef, tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, thyme, bouillon, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook 15 minutes for flavor to develop. Taste and re-season, if needed. Stir in spinach and cook 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 375º

Grease a 13x9-inch baking dish. Stir cooked ziti and ricotta cheese into spinach sauce until blended. Spoon into baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and bake 30 minutes, or until top is golden.

Crack Chicken Spaghetti
This serves 4 normal people, or 2 of my family members.

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray a 9x9" pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a saucepan, combine soup, Velveeta cheese and chicken broth. Cook on low until the cheese melts, stirring constantly. Stir in dry Ranch mix.

Add spaghetti noodles, chicken and bacon to soup mix; stir to combine. Pour this into prepared pan and top with shredded cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Fettuccine Alfredo
Don’t substitute fake garlic on this – trust me. This recipe only serves four so I usually double it. This recipe doesn’t take long at all to make so it’s best to go ahead and prepare your pasta beforehand.

2 cups half and half
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese
1/2 cup of fresh shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
5 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons corn starch mixed with 1 tablespoon water Salt and pepper to taste
Fettucine pasta (or whatever your favorite), cooked

In a large sauce pan melt the butter and then add the minced garlic. Sauté the garlic until light brown, add both the chicken stock and the half and half and simmer for several minutes. Next, add the cornstarch mixture slowly while stirring until the sauce begins to thicken slightly.

Add the cheeses and simmer 10 minutes or until cheeses melt and sauce is creamy; add salt and pepper. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Immediately pour over your favorite pasta.

Feta and Veggie and Pasta Salad
I came up with this recipe in February 2022 trying to duplicate a pasta salad at Publix. According to my family, this is better!

1 0.7 oz pkg Good Seasons™ Italian salad dressing mix
1/4 cup vinegar
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 pound (8 oz.) Rotini or bowtie pasta
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped green onions
3/4 to 1 cup fresh spinach, OPTIONAL
6 oz. crumbled feta cheese
Salt, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions (with salted water).

Mix together vinegar, water, oil, and dressing mix.

Toss pasta, dressing, cheese, and vegetables together. Taste and add salt if needed. Store in airtight container in fridge.

Ranch Pasta Salad
I threw this recipe together one evening in 2003 when I couldn’t find anything to feed the kids – it was a hit!

1 package Hidden Valley Ranch™ dressing mix
1 cup milk
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (12-oz.) package Rotini pasta, cooked according to package directions
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Mix together dressing mix, milk, and mayo, and then pour over pasta. Stir in cheese and refrigerate.

Serve when it is chilled through - about 3-4 hours. Tell kids that this is worm salad and they'll eat it.

Lasagna Rolls with Wilted Spinach
This is a pretentious way to serve commercially prepared spaghetti sauce.

1 tablespoon oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 bunches fresh spinach
2 carrots, grated
2 cups ricotta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound lasagna noodles, cooked
2 cups spaghetti sauce, heated
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, heat oil and sauté garlic. Add spinach and grated carrots. In a bowl, combine spinach mixture with ricotta cheese and season with salt and pepper. Lay lasagna noodles flat and spread cheese mixture over noodles. Roll up the noodle. On a large serving dish or plate, ladle spaghetti sauce. Place rolled up noodles on sauce so that the spiral pattern is on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Macaroni and Cheese
This is amazing! Make sure you cook the sauce until it thickens just enough to coat the back of a spoon. Try other kinds of cheeses like Colby jack, gouda, smoked cheddar, pepper jack, or any mixture in between. If you're doubling the recipe, cook in a 9x13-inch pan.

To help you calculate cheese, 1/4 pound (4 ounces) of block cheese equals 1 cup of shredded cheese.

1/2 pound uncooked elbow macaroni, about 1 1/2 cups
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or more)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika, optional
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cups half and half
2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese (or 8 ounces or 1/2 pound of cheese)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or 8 ounces or 1/2 pound of cheese)

Preheat the oven to 325F and lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish.

Cook the macaroni to al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Blend in the flour, garlic powder, paprika (if desired), salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.

Slowly add the milk and half and half, stirring constantly, and cook over medium-low heat for a few minutes until the mixture is JUST BARELY thickened. Remove from heat and add in 1 cup shredded cheese, stirring until melted.

Add the cooked macaroni noodles to cheese sauce and stir to coat. Pour half of the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish and then sprinkle 1 cup of cheese on top. Add remaining pasta and sprinkle with remaining 2 cups of cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve to your best mac and cheese buddies.

Manicotti
This serves 4 to 6 people. Try my homemade marinara sauce instead of prepared spaghetti sauce.

2 pounds ricotta cheese
1/2 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
3 oz. grated Romano (or Parmesan) cheese
2 tablespoons or so chopped parsley
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (I prefer mashed garlic, myself)
1 pound manicotti shells
Prepared spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 350º. In a large bowl, mix ricotta, Romano, parsley, eggs, salt, pepper, and garlic; set aside. Cook manicotti shells in 5 quarts boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes; pasta must be on the firm side. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Using spoon or a pastry bag, fill manicotti shells with cheese mixture. Pour part of spaghetti sauce in a baking dish. Arrange filled manicotti shells in pan and pour remaining sauce over all. Cover and bake for 35 minutes.

Remove and sprinkle additional Romano and mozzarella cheeses. Return to oven until cheese is melted.

Marinara Sauce
This is the perfect sauce for spaghetti, pizza, eggplant parm, or any other pasta! This yields about 4 to 6 servings.

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
2½ tablespoons onion flakes
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 15oz can tomato sauce
½ teaspoon dried oregano (or more)
¾ teaspoon dried thyme (or more)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (or more)
Salt to taste

Add ground beef and spices to skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes. Next, stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as you see fit. Serve with pasta.

Teri's Pasta Salad
This is my friend, Teri Robinson's recipe, and she says, "We eat this with Italian bread." I bet this would be better with fresh veggies. Substitute your favorites: green peas (yuck), snow peas, bell pepper, fresh spinach, water chestnuts, etc.

Tri-colored rotellini pasta
1 bag of frozen California blend veggies (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots)
1 4oz can of your favorite sliced olives (optional)
1 bottle of Italian salad dressing
Parmesan cheese
Ham steak (deli-sliced ham works too, if ham steak isn't available); turkey also works.

Boil pasta, pour it over the frozen veggies in a colander---presto! The veggies are thawed. Transfer to a big bowl, mix in the olives, Italian dressing and the meat, then sprinkle with Parmesan.

Come back for more SouthernAngel's Good Eatin'!