Skillet Ziti

I have a new Colorado friend and her name is Deb.  I found her on my friend Stacey's blog when she was blogging about being a neat freak.  Deb's comment made me fall in love with her because she is a lot like me.

She posted this recipe a few weeks ago and I've been very excited to try it because it seemed easy but better than just pasta and sauce.

My entire family loved this dish and it's something I could easily make for my extended family too.  Throw a salad and some garlic bread on the plate with it and it's an almost gourmet meal!

Skillet Ziti
adapted from America's Test Kitchen and Deb at Not Inadequate


1 tablespoon oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 28-ounce can water
12 ounces dried tube pasta
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk (or cream)
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese

This recipe needs to be cooked in an oven-proof skillet that is at least 11″ in diameter.

Preheat oven to 425°

To a cold skillet, add oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook on medium about one minute, until fragrant. Then add tomatoes, 1 can of water, pasta, and salt. Turn heat up to high and bring to a simmer. 

Cover and reduce heat and continue to cook at a simmer.

Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is done. When the pasta is done, stir in milk and parmesan cheese. Top with mozzarella cheese. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake for 10 – 15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and brown.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Until last year...I shunned all things pumpkin.  Except for pie.  I really like pumpkin pie.  I turned up my nose at pumpkin bread/cookies/muffin/cupcakes and Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

I didn't know what I was missing!

I accidentally bought some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for my kids and my pumpkin ban was over!

Pumpkin now means tasting fall to me!  I love it!

UPDATE: I sent these muffins to my husband's office yesterday.  I really want them to like him...so I decided if they thought his wife was a kick ass cook that would help. Turns out...the bosses wife also sent in Pumpkin Muffins.  What are the chances?  Mine disappeared...and there were still many of her's left at the end of the business.  I think I won.

Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins
A Connie Weiss original recipe!

1 2/3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup melted butter
1 1/4 cup plain pumpkin (not pie filling)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder and soda.

In another bowl, mix together butter, pumpkin, eggs and vanilla.  Add this mixture to the flour mixture and then fold in the chocolate chips.

Spoon into a lined muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Store covered for a few days....but they won't last that long.

Oktoberfest in a Pot

This dish is really good served over egg noodles. For the kids, I just gave them egg noodles with butter, and cut up a couple pieces of Brat. I didn't think I'd enjoy the sauerkraut.

One Pot Okoberfest
adapted from Whole Foods

1 tablespoon butter
1 (12-ounce) package The Original Brat Hans Original Bratwurst, cut into 2-inch chunks
11/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 teaspoons dried dill, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 pound fresh button mushrooms, quartered
4 tablespoons light sour cream
3 tablespoons German mustard*
1 (32-ounce) jar sauerkraut*, rinsed and drained


Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth, 1 teaspoon dill, pepper and onion and cook until onions are softened and golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add mushrooms and cook until they’ve released their juices, about 5 minutes more. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 1 cup broth, sour cream and mustard. Add to pot, along with sauerkraut; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until fragrant and thickened, about 10 minutes more. Sprinkle with remaining dill and serve.

Red Beans and Rice

It's been awhile since I cooked something that I absolutely loved and couldn't wait to make again. I've been trying to come up with recipes that are inexpensive to make and that will stretch into several meals. This is my new favorite!

All of the ingredients came to $11.01 and that comes $3.67 per meal. You have no idea how excited that makes me! I wish I had a picture...but we were so excited to eat that I didn't get to take one. Next time...

Red Beans and Rice
adapted from Tyler Florence

1 pound dried small red beans, picked over and rinsed.
2 smoked ham hocks
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 bay leaves
4 garlic cloves, chopped
Red Pepper Sauce
2 Andouille sausages, cut into 1 inch chunks
4 cups cooked white rice

Place the dried beans in a large pot and cover with water. Soak the beans overnight.

Drain the beans and return them to the pot along with the ham hocks, adding just enough water to cover (about 2 qts). Add the onion, celery, green pepper, cayenne, thyme, bay leaves, garlic and several shakes of red pepper sauce. Stir to combine and then simmer, uncovered for about 2 and a half hours. Add about a cup of water towards the end.

Mash about a cup of the beans to make the broth thicker. Toss in the sausages and cook for another 30 minutes to heat them through. Adjust the seasoning (more cayenne) if needed. Serve the red beans in a bowl with white rice, corn bread and a beer.