Recipe for Today

Start with Dutch Baby Pancakes for breakfast.

Make Baked Ziti (with penne!) at lunch, for someone else, who just had a baby.

Make Faux Chocolate Lava Cake for Babysitter's birthday. This will be everyone's lunch.

Make Meatloaf of some type or another for dinner, plus Roasted Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts (just like my Roasted Broccoli).

Also make Sis's ABC Soup with grilled cheese for dinner at the last minute because she is so excited to help.

DON'T repeat tomorrow.

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Baked Ziti (with penne!)

1 box whole wheat penne

1-10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach
1-27 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
1 egg
appx. 8 oz. container ricotta cheese
2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup (2 oz) grate parmesan cheese, divided
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (1 tablespoon dried) or other Italian seasonings

Cook pasta according to package directions, along with frozen spinach (in the same pot!); drain. Preheat oven to 35O°F. Spray bottom of 15 x 10 x 2 inch glass baking dish with no stick cooking spray. In large bowl, beat eggs; stir in ricotta, 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella, 1/3 cup of parmesan, and seasonings. Pour hot pasta/spinach mixture into egg-cheese mixture and stir.

Spread 1/2 jar of sauce on bottom of baking dish. Spread pasta mixture into baking dish. Top with second half of sauce and remaining cheese.

Bake, covered with foil sprayed with cooking spray, until bubbly, about 45 minutes. Uncover and continue until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Note: I imagine you could also add browned ground beef to the spaghetti sauce, too.

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Faux Chocolate Lava Cake

**First, make frosting below according to directions and refrigerate. Then make cake below using mini-bundt pans. To serve, place a scoop of frosting in the hollow of the mini-bundt cakes and microwave for approximately 1 minute until frosting softens (but does not melt completely). Serve immediately--but be careful, it's hot!

Mommy Hungry

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

* . 2 cups sugar
* . 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* . 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
* . 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* . 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
* . 1 teaspoon salt
* . 2 eggs
* . 1 cup milk
* . 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* . 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* . 1 cup boiling water
* . "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING(recipe follows)


Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.


"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Hershey's Cocoa box

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My Basic Meatloaf

1 lb ground meat (turkey)

1 egg

1/2-1 cup of some filler--oatmeal, cracker crumbs, breadcrumbs, rice (even a drained can of chicken rice soup!)

ketchup, barbecue sauce for topping

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine ground meat, egg, and filler. Season to taste. Top with sauce. Bake for 1 hour for meatloaf/bread pan or 30 minutes for muffin tin.

Mommy Hungry via Gommie Hungry

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Sis's ABC Soup

1 onion, chopped

olive oil

1-2 teaspoons minced garlic

10-15 baby carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 1/2 cups frozen corn

1 Yukon gold potato, cubed

2 chicken breasts, cubed

1box chicken stock (plus extra water)

ABC pasta (we used 1/2 bag)

Saute onion and celery in olive oil. Add garlic. When fragrant, add carrots, corn, potatoes, chicken, and stock. Cook until tender. Add pasta, with extra water if needed, and cook until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Sis Hungry