Thursday, March 22, 2012

Manicotti Italian Casserole ~ by Sarah

I found this on AllRecipes.com and it was a big hit with my family.  So delicious!  And easy, too!

*I have no idea why it is named this...it doesn't really resemble manicotti at all!


Ingredients:
1 pound rigatoni pasta
1 pound ground beef
1 pound Italian sausage (I used "Hot" and it wasn't too spicy at all)
1 (8 ounce) can mushrooms, drained OR 1 package fresh mushrooms, sauteed
2 (32 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 pounds shredded mozzarella cheese
thinly sliced pepperoni


Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Pour in rigatoni, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set pasta aside. Meanwhile, brown ground beef and Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. With a slotted spoon, remove beef and sausage to a large bowl. Stir mushrooms, spaghetti sauce, and cooked pasta into bowl and mix with meat.   Pour mixture into large baking dish.  Sprinkle cheese and pepperoni over the top. Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes.


Blueberry Muffins ~ By Sarah

I love blueberries muffins, but I find that the Betty Crocker ones from a box are hard to beat.  This recipe came from Mary Hunt of Everyday Cheapskate and they are excellent!

Ingredients:
1/2 c. soft butter or margarine
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
2 1/2 c. blueberries, drained (frozen, fresh, or canned)
2 c. flour
1/2 c. milk
1 T. sugar mixed with 1/4 t. ground nutmeg

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 12-muffin tin (or use metal cupcake liners--not paper).  In a medium-sized bowl, beat butter until creamy.  Add sugar and beat until the mixture is creamy and pale.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Beat in vanilla, baking powder, and salt.  Mash 1/2 blueberries with fork.  Fold into batter.  Stir in half the flour and then half the milk.  Add remaining flour and milk.  Fold in the remaining blueberries.  Scoop batter into muffin cups.  Sprinkle with nutmeg sugar.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.  Mine were done at 20 minutes, so check them often after about 15 minutes!