Delicious Dinners

Our friends have been so generous with meals.  We have been gifted with more than 21 weekdays of dinners!!  That's more than four weeks that we don't have to worry about shopping and cooking, which take so much energy.  It's so very kind of my friends--friends from old and new church, the neighborhood, Girl Scouts, and my old playgroup; knowing they're thinking of and helping us means so much.

And the food has been pretty good!  Sure, it's a lot of pasta, but we really like pasta and it's easy because it reheats well and can last for a couple of days.  I've taken batches of baked spaghetti or ziti to dozens of people myself (for the last 8 or 9 years, beginning when all my friends started having second children!)  And they're bringing dinner in disposable or non-returnable dishes which makes it so easy (otherwise, I'll inadvertently never return the right casserole dish.)  It's funny how many vegetables we're NOT getting.  A bag salad once or so, and a few roasted vegetables, but otherwise, we get a lot more bread and dessert.  I usually take a bag salad (plus bread and dessert, sometimes a bag of oranges or clementines), unless I make the pasta with the broccoli in it, but I'm starting to rethink that--I'm not sure people really eat bag salad.  I wonder what else I could take?  My roasted vegetables (green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, kale, butternut squash, or brussel sprouts) just don't travel or reheat well.  Hmmm, will give it some thought.  

So a HUGE thank you to all of my local cooking friends, especially Miss B who organized the meals through the meal-sharing website our group always uses.  

For my own meal sharing tips and recipes, see here. 


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I'll add meals as they come.  This week:  meatloaf, French lentil stew, a TBD slow cooker meal, and a lemon chicken bow tie pasta dish.

Miss BA's Turkey Meatballs

It’s my chicken meatball recipe & I think I put one piece of pork sausage in yours, (took it out of the casein).

It differs every time, but here is the basic recipe.

1 lb of chicken

½ cup of parmesan cheese

½ cup of bread crumbs

2 cloves of garlic

½ tsp. salt

2 tbsp. grape seed oil (or olive  oil)

2 tsp. oregano (I usually use Emeril’s Italian  dry mix)

1 egg

And a trick my father in-law taught me to keep the meatballs round, roll them lightly in flour before putting them in the hot oil.

Miss LS's Turkey and Fixin's

"As to the gravy, I use lots of herbs on the turkey itself, so the drippings make amazing gravy. Sometimes I use apple or lemon in the cavity, but I used celery this time. Also sage, rosemary, and paprika on the turkey skin. I can take no credit for the stuffing--it's the only one we could find without chicken stock, organic, too. The veggies were cooked together with butter and basil paste from the produce section. It comes in a tube and is expensive when not on sale, but a great time saver and the kids love it, so we stock up at sale time. The trick to them is all in the size of the cut on each one. Squash has to be pretty large to avoid the mush. We like them close to raw, so I tend to err on that side. I'm sure you'll be cooking again soon!"

Miss JD's Lasagna

 "For the sauce I just roast tomatoes, garlic, onion, with some seasonings...salt, pepper, basil, oregano,  for about 45 min at 375...then I just mash all together with a potato masher...I like it chunky but you can certainly puree if you like it creamier.  

The lasagna is just ricotta and mozzarella and I added spinach ....I always wing making lasagna...never comes out the same.  Sorry I don't have a "real" recipe."

Miss RZ's Butternut Squash Soup

coming soon

Miss PD's Ricotta Dumplings

For dumplings

1 pound whole-milk ricotta, drained

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving, if desired

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 eggs

Baking powder

1½ cup flour, sifted

Kosher salt

For sauce

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup pecans, roasted

1 cup diced pumpkin, roasted, or 1 cup frozen cubed butternut squash, defrosted

1 tablespoon thinly sliced sage leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer over medium heat.

Combine ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest, olive oil and eggs in a large bowl. Fold in a pinch of baking 

powder, flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt untnil just combined. Transfer mixture into a piping bag or large 

zip-top bag (with one corner cut off to make a quarter-sized opening). Pipe out 1 inch of dough and 

cut with a knife or kitchen shears directly over the water. Repeat until bag is empty. You also can 

roll it out by hand -- it makes for a prettier dumpling.

Cook dumplings for about 1 minute on each side. Drain and set aside.

In separate saute pan, heat butter and pecans over medium heat until butter starts to brown, about

 2 minutes. Add cooked dumplings, pumpkin (or butternut squash) and sage. Season with salt 

and pepper.

Serve with more pecans and parmesan.

Serves 4.

-- Adapted from Janine Booth and Jeff McInnis, Root & Bone, New York City 

Miss LL's Quinoa Stuffed Peppers 

In Freezer Bag:

3 large carrots, grated (about 1 ½ cups)

2 tbsp Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil

1 ½ tbsp Wildtree Cajun Seasoning Blend

1 tbs Wildtree Garlic Galore

1 package fresh spinach (or frozen), 10 oz

2 cans black beans, 15 oz, drained and rinsed

¾ cup quinoa, rinsed

1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz, drained

1 ½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

2 cups water

At cooking time:

4 large (or 6 small) bell peppers, any color, halved lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed

1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients in a gallon size freezer bag, “smush” to allow seasonings to distribute.  Place bag in freezer.

To prepare: Thaw in fridge.  Pour bag contents in large skillet, cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 20 – 25 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Preheat oven to 350. Stir in 1 cup cheese, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Fill each pepper with quinoa mixture, and place in a baking dish with ¼ cup water in the bottom of the dish. Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour. Uncover, sprinkle each pepper with remaining cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is brown and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes. 

Miss R's Meatloaf
She uses the pre-made meatloaf from the Big Y butchers!!!  And bakes it with sweet barbecue sauce.  Yum!

Miss Jen's Turkey Meatball Orzo Soup

• ground turkey
• egg
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 1/2 cups (about 8 ounces) orzo
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 4 cups loosely-packed spinach
• salt and black pepper

Combine ground turkey and egg.  Make into little meatballs by hand.

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 4 minutes, until soft. Add carrots, celery and garlic and saute for an additional 3 minutes. Add meatballs, chicken stock, orzo (pasta), thyme, oregano, rosemary and stir to combine. Bring soup to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.

Stir in the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until it is bright green and wilted. Season with salt and black pepper to taste (if needed). Serve warm.

adapted from Gimme Some Oven

Miss LC's Creamy Lemon Chicken Bow Tie Pasta

• 12 oz dried pasta
• 2 chicken breasts, sliced into small strips (uncooked or precooked)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 tsp dried Basil
• 1 lemon, juiced (or if you use bottled lemon juice, use whatever is equivalent to 1 lemon.  I originally recommended 1/2 cup, but different lemon juices may be more concentrated...)
• 1 cup of half n half or heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus a bit more to top the dish after cooking
• Salt and pepper
• additional adobo and sazon, for flavor
• 1 cup of reserved pasta cooking liquid
• 1 tsp of cornstarch (if needed)

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water.  When draining the pasta, reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking liquid.  Keep pasta warm. (To keep the pasta from sticking together after cooking, you can mix in about 1 tsp of olive oil.)
2. While the pasta is cooking, season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium high and add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, chicken, garlic to a saute pan with. Cook until chicken is golden and completely cooked. (If using precooked chicken, saute the garlic about 3 minutes before adding the chicken, then cook a minute or to longer until the chicken is thoroughly coated and hot.)
3. Add about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking liquid, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese and cream to the chicken mixture.  Cook over medium heat until the sauce has thickened.  If you want a little more cream sauce, add the rest of the reserved pasta cooking liquid.  (If you want your cream sauce thicker, add a tsp of corn starch to 2 tablespoons of water and mix into the sauce.  Continue cooking until desired thickness is achieved.)
4. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and turn heat off.  Mix everything together until pasta is thoroughly coated.  Top with dried basil, cracked fresh pepper and additional Parmesan cheese.

Serve and Enjoy!

adapted from Scattered Thoughts from a Crafty Mom

Miss KMc's Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

I'm so glad they liked it! It is a huge hit in my house too
Ingredients: a lb of chicken,3/4 lb of pasta, 1 tablespoon of oil, 2 tbsp of butter, garlic to taste (I don't use too much as my kids will get suspicious if they smell it), 1 chicken bouillon cube, chopped onions (again I only use a little- not even a quarter of onion),1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, 3/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, scallions and 2 bunches of broccoli crowns.
Heat the oil and butter with the garlic. Add the cut up chicken and cook on medium until browned.
Remove the chicken but leave the oil.
Add the onion and cook for about 3-5 minutes.
Add the crumbled up bouillon cube and water.
Bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
Stir in the cream, milk, finely chopped scallions and Parmesan. Simmer until heated through and thickened then add the chicken back to the sauce.
Cook the pasta- I add the broccoli in the last 5 minutes. Then drain and mix all together!
Enjoy!!

If Life Gives You Lemons, Make This

I'm taking a meal to a family tomorrow, which has had some health challenges this fall.  Along with my usual pasta dish, I experimented with another lemon-flavored dessert, after yesterday's traditional lemon bars.  The reaction is mixed:  Sis thought they were too lemony; Mama thought there was too much crust.  I like the concentrated lemon curd and agree about the crust.  I feel another variation coming on. Until then, here they are:


Lemon Curd Bars
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 tablespoons lemon curd

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line an 8-inch-square baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang. Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Work in the butter with your fingers to make a crumbly dough.

Refrigerate 2 tablespoons of the dough for topping. Press the remaining dough into the baking dish; freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.

Bake the crust, 15 minutes. Spread the lemon curd on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border; crumble the reserved dough on top. Return to the oven and bake until the edges are golden brown, 25 more minutes. Let cool 20 minutes, then lift out of the pan and cut into squares.

adapted from Food Network "Marmalade Shortbread Bars"

Soup's On Again

Amid all the craziness of the day--voting, organizing an impromptu Halloween, trying to get to Pilates (traffic made me so late that we had to cancel), a playdate, "booing" some friends, going to a wake for a friend's mother, and then trick-or-treating (plus the unplanned fall passing out flyers!)--I'm in charge of dinner for Sis and Bud's ill classmate's family.  I'm taking my newly adapted recipe (from this vegetarian one) Chicken and Vegetable Soup with Tortellini, bread, and homemade brownies.  We might stay for a bit, to chat with our classmate.  Just before we trick or treat.

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Chicken and Vegetable Soup with Tortellini

1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
8-12 cups chicken stock
1-10 oz package frozen spinach, defrosted
1+ cup frozen corn
1 can diced tomatoes
1-2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1-2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 large package cheese tortellini

Saute onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil; add garlic and saute til fragrant.  Add chicken stock and simmer until vegetables almost tender.  Add spinach, corn, tomatoes, chicken, and Italian seasoning.  If serving immediately, bring soup to high simmer or boil and add tortellini.  Otherwise, cook tortellini separately and heat with soup when ready to serve.

Mommy Hungry

What to Say . . .

I really liked this article on what to say to people who are sick (or injured, in my case; or even people in grief) and fully agree with all the do's and don'ts. I'd add:

• Check in as often as you can, in whatever ways you can. It helps the sick person feel connected and less invisible. It can get pretty lonely after the initial flush of concern and compassion is over.
• Please, please don't ever say anything along the lines of "Aren't you better yet?" or "Are you still sick?"
• Personally (and I'm not alone; here too), I don't like the use of fight and battle and war as metaphors for coping with illness, particularly cancer. If you "lose the fight," is it because you were a weak or poor fighter? If you die of breast cancer, were you not a "she-ro?" It's too violent, live or die, right or wrong, good or bad for me. But I know the concept works for many.
• You can't make the sick person better, but you can make them feel better. The former can leave you feeling pretty helpless and hopeless, but the latter is its own kind of cure.
• And don't forget the caregiver . . . .

Other suggestions are here and here and here via Twitter or even the funny "How to Kill a Sick Friend" here.

But I would add some do's and don'ts for the patient as well:

• Most people do the best they can. Many aren't very comfortable around sick people and aren't sure what to say and do. They also have busy lives and lose track of time. It doesn't mean they don't care. If you are able, meet them halfway and reach out to them instead of wallowing in isolation.
• Have specific requests if they say (though they are advised not to), "just let me know if there is anything I can do." It does get easier to ask after the first time.
• I liked one commenter's suggestion to establish a point person who can provide information and answer questions, especially for people with extended or complicated illnesses like cancer. It doesn't have to be something formal like carecalendar.org (though that is great for meals; see my post on organizing meals here); just a person who knows. That way, people shy of invading your space or interrupting at an inopportune time can find out what's going on and learn better what they can do.
• And don't forget your caregiver . . . .

More suggestions for being a sick friend here.

While we'll all need these at some point, may you not need them now.

Food From Friends

Some of the wonderful meals that have sustained us these last two months . . . .

Minestrone Soup

from Miss J

• 3 cups veggie broth- (I like the flavor of Trader Joe's organic broth)
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 lbs of 2 kinds of beans- I use the navy bean and red beans (soaked prior to cooking)
  
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 cups cooked ditalini pasta
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 2 cups coarsely chopped spinach
• 4 tablespoons parm cheese (optional for topping)

In a slow cooker combine broth, tomatoes, beans, carrots, celery, onion, thyme, sage, bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. (I cook on low for more like 8-9 hours)

About an hour before the soup is done cooking, add ditalini, zucchini and spinach. Cover and cook for at least an hour. Remove bay leaves and season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.


Enjoy!!

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Broccoli Quiche

from Miss R

I think it was 2 cups brocolli, 1 onion, 1 crushed clove of garlic....cook this first in 2 TBS of butter to soften than put mix into pie crust, spread 2 cups of Mozzerella cheese on top, then pour liquid mix over it (1 1/2 cup of milk, 4 eggs, salt and pepper). Bake about 45 mins at 350

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Apple Crumb Cake

from Miss R

coming soon . . .

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Lasagna

from Miss S

No real recipe here, but in addition to the usual noodles, sauce, riccotta, and mozzarella, she adds cannellini beans and sauteed red and green bell peppers.

from Miss D

Her lasagna uses tofu instead of ricotta and layers slices of cooked eggplant along with the noodles, plus other sauteed vegetables.

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Mr. M's Vegetarian Chili in the Slow Cooker

2 15oz cans of Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained (your batch was a can of Great Northern and a can of Navy beans)
1 cup of frozen corn
1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 6oz can of tomato paste
1 4oz can of green chiles, undrained
1 carrot, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs chili powder
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1 cup water

Combine all the ingredients in the crockpot, stir in the water, cook on low 5 1/2 - 6 hours.

Enjoy!

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Mr. C's Butternut Squash Soup

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped ( or 1t. ground dry sage)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 cups fat-free chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 1/2 lbs butternut squash ( peeled, seeded, cubed)

parmesan cheese ( Garnish)

Add oil, garlic and onion to large stockpot over medium heat.

Saute for 3-4 minutes.

Add sage, salt, pepper, broth and squash.

Bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes (or until squash has a tender consistency).

Use stick blender to lightly puree, leaving some chunks, or puree half of the soup in a food processor or blender and return to pot.

Garnish with parmesan cheese and more fresh sage (if desired).

from Food.com

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Bean and corn salad - This is something I prepare on my own without a recipe:

1 bag of good quality frozen corn, or the equivalent of fresh corn cut off of the cob

3 cans of organic black beans

fresh cilantro

lime

olive oil

wine vinegar

balsamic vinegar

garlic salt

purple onion

black pepper

1. Cook corn only to the point of defrosting, say 2 minutes instead of 5 for a microwaveable bag.

2. Rinse all 3 cans of beans.

3. Chop about 1/8-1/4 of a cup of purple onion. Comine all 3 in a large bowl.

4. Add wine and balsamic vinegars.

5. Add double the amount of olive oil (as compared to the vinegars). Estimate these amounts based upon your tastes.

6. Add chopped flesh cilantro, garlic salt, and black pepper, here again according to your tastes.

7. Add the juice of 1/2 lime. Mix and chill.

Miss J and Mr. D

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Blueberry Crisp

5 cups blueberries

In a bowl, combine blueberries with 4 T. of sugar and 3 T. all-purpose flour.

Place in a 2-quart square baking dish prepared with non-stick cooking spray (or place in a 9 X 13 pan and double the topping recipe).

For the topping, combine 2-4 T. granulated sugar

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup butter - Cut butter into the mixture until it resembles course crumbs.

Stir in 1/4 cup nuts or coconut (I used coconut.)

Sprinkle topping over fruit filling.

Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes. If desired, serve warm with vanilla ice cream

Miss J and Mr. D

The Church Lady Cake

Sis loved this cake at church this spring, made by one of my co-teachers. It is full of chocolatey goodness. And so we are making it today to take to a friend whose husband had an Achilles' tendon repair and is laid up for several weeks, re-learning how to walk. No worries, we're making two small loaves so Sis can have one, too!

(The only worry is that cake mix, purist that I am. But even I am not going to make a from-scratch mix to use in this recipe!)

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Miss J.W.'s Church Chocolate Cake

Devils Food Cake mix

8oz sour cream

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup coffee or liquor

2 tablespoons grated orange peel

1 teaspoon cinnamon

12 oz chocolate chips

Mix all that together and pour in a greased and floured pan. I usually flour it with unsweetened cocoa powder, that way the flour doesn't leave a white mess on the fininshed cake. Bake at 350 for around an hour.

If you are so inclined, when the cake comes out of the oven, pour on the following.

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup orange juice or orange liquor

1/4 cup water.

Heat this together until the sugar melts and pour in over the cake while it is still in the baking pan.

Happy baking! J.W.

Meals for Friends

It's a big meal-delivery day for me tomorrow, with meals going to two separate church friends in need. And because both of them have recently had my stuffed shells (which is my go-to for meals for friends), I'm making Fiesta Rice instead. Though, I'm not sure how closely I'll be following this recipe, since I don't have sausage or beef broth. And while a red and green pepper would have been fun for the season, I think I'm going with yellow and red. It's a great recipe because it makes a ton--one batch will feed both families.

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Fiesta Rice

2 lbs spicy Italian sausage, casings removed (we used 1 lb ground turkey and 1 lb sweet Italian turkey sausage)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin (used taco seasoning)

4 onions, chopped

4 green bell peppers, chopped (skipped this part)

3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (skipped)

4 cups beef broth

2 packages (about 6 oz each) long grain and wild rice mix (used Zatarains, which is seasoned)

Brown sausage in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring to break up. Add garlic and cumin; cook 30 seconds. Add onions, bell peppers, and jalapenos. Cook and stir about 10 minutes or until onions are tender. Place mixture in slow cooker.

Stir in beef broth and rice.

Cover; cook on LOW 4-6 hours or on HIGH 2-3 hours.

The Slow Cooker Bible

Organizing Meals

I have a new favorite website: foodtidings.com It helps organize meals for people in need. Having been the recipient of meals twice, I know how important the food is: it is a sheer relief not to have to worry about shopping, cooking, or cleaning; it is comforting to know that people are thinking of you; it's actually fun to try new and different dishes. For about a year and a half, I've organized meals for my playgroup members and I'm starting to organize meals for my church. While email has made it pretty easy, this website streamlines the whole process by noting allergies, likes/dislike, delivery location and good times, even setting particular dates. People are invited to sign up, note what they are cooking, and the date is saved--no double-booking or repeated foods or extra email! You can even include the recipient so she or he can keep track of meal deliveries. Just as I've been writing this post, three people have signed up for my current meal request and the recipient has checked the invitation and had me amend likes/dislikes. I LOVE this website.

However, the website doesn't offer tips for people who provide meals. I've seen several pages from both moms' clubs and the LDS's Relief Society noting best practices for delivering meals to others, even best recipes. Here are mine:

• Deliver meals in disposable containers. Do not send dishes you want back.
• Label everything with the name of the dish and reheating instructions (you might even note if leftovers freeze).
• Store-bought meals and even take-out/delivery are just fine.
• I try to include a note or card, depending on the reason for the meal.
• Be prepared to drop off the meal without a visit; pack everything in a bag or box.
• If you are invited in for a visit, keep it brief.
• Remember to deliver the meal in time for an early dinner or with enough time to reheat the dish (I usually suggest 3-5 pm as a drop-off window for our group, so that each deliverer doesn't have to make an arrangement with the recipient. And they always know where to drop it off if no one answers the door).

As for recipes, I usually make stuffed shells with spinach, which will feed several adults, reheats quickly, and freezes beautifully; it's also quick to make and popular with children, even if it's kind of predictable and boring. I also include a bag salad and some kind of dessert (usually cookies, often Oreos. Who doesn't like Oreos?). I like to email them the recipe, too, mainly because I'm a recipe junkie and like to share.
Lastly, it is particularly kind if you let the meal recipient know that they need not write a thank-you note. That is the second-best gift you can give.
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Stuffed Shells

1 package manicotti
2-27 oz. jars spaghetti sauce
2 eggs
1-15 oz. container ricotta cheese
4 cups (16 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup (4 oz) grate parmesan cheese, divided
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (1 tablespoon dried)

Cook manicotti according to package directions; 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, 3 cups of the mozzarella, ¾ cup of parmesan, and parsley.

Spread 1 jar of sauce on bottom of baking dish. Fill each cooked manicotti with ricotta mixture. Arrange filled manicotti in baking dish. Top with second jar of sauce and remaining cheese.

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

Note: one-10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, water squeezed out, may be added to the ricotta mixture. I imagine you could also add browned ground beef to the spaghetti sauce, too.

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UPDATE:  Since this post in November 2008, I've explored other meals to bring to people in need.  They're all variations on baked pasta, with ease of cooking and reheating key.

Easy Ravioli Bake

9 oz refrigerated low fat cheese ravioli

24 oz marinara sauce

2-10 oz packages frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed ry

1 cup shredded mozzarella

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375F. Cook the ravioli according to package directions, omitting oil and salt if desired.

Spray at 2 quart baking dish with nonstick spray. Spread half the marinara sauce in the dish. Add half of the ravioli, then top with half of the spinach and half of the mozzarella. Repeat layering once. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese is melted and slightly golden, 6-8 minutes longer.

Comfort Classics (7 pts a serving, which is 1/4 of the casserole)

Alternate:  Easier Ravioli Bake

Here it goes:

1. Boil one package of refrigerated ravioli with two packages of frozen spinach until ravioli are tender (see their package for instructions). Drain well in colander.

2. In baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, layer marinara sauce (half of 1 jar), half of ravioli/spinach mixture, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat once.

3. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes covered, then uncover and bake until cheese melts.

Easier!

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.

Spaghetti Pie

4 cups cooked spaghetti (about 1/2 pound uncooked)--I'm using whole wheat

1-10 oz package frozen chopped broccoli, thaed and squeezed dry

1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 1/2 cups marinara sauce, warmed in the microwave

chopped parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 350F and coat 9" springform pan (I'm using a foil pie plate) with nonstick spray.  Stir the spaghetti, broccoli, cheeses, egg, and Italian seasonings together in large bowl. Scrape in pan and level the top.  Bake 30 minutes or until golden. Cool about 5 minutes and then remove sides of springform pan. Cut into 6 wedges. Serve with marinara and parsley.

Weight Watchers Eat! Play! Move!

Alternate:  Fettucine Pie
Substitute 1/2 lb cooked fettuccine for spaghetti, add 5 oz of green peas, and chopped ham or bacon.  Season generously because this won't be served with a marinara.  Bake as usual.