#3659 - Crispy Ravioli

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup 4C Italian bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 - 14oz. bag frozen cheese ravioli
warm marinara sauce

In one bowl add the eggs--beat with a fork. In a second bowl add the breadcrumbs. Grease cookie sheets with Pam. In a large pot of salted boiling water add the frozen ravioli--cook about 5 minutes or until softened. Drain ravioli but DO NOT RINSE. Let the ravioli cool just enough to handle. Dunk one ravioli into the beaten eggs, then into the bread crumbs, then place it on the greased cookie sheets. Repeat with all ravioli. Lightly spray the tops of the ravioli with Pam. Bake at 425 degrees 10-12 minutes (turning once during baking) until ravioli are crisp and golden brown. Cool slightly, then serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping. If you haven't made these before, bake just one ravioli to start to get the correct baking time for your oven.

#3281 - Italian Spaghetti Squash

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 spaghetti squash
olive oil
1 jar marinara sauce
salt and pepper to your taste
oregano, garlic powder, Italian seasonings (optional)

Wash the spaghetti squash, slice each of them in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Drizzle olive oil over all sides of the squash. Salt and pepper the cut sides of the squash with salt and pepper to your taste. Grease a jelly roll pan (baking sheet with a lip on all sides). Place the squash cut side down on the greased pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 30-45 minutes of until squash is tender. Remove from oven and cool until you can handle the warm squash. In a skillet add marinara sauce--heat on simmer while working with the squash. Use a fork or a spoon to scrape the squash strands from each piece of squash into a bowl, then discard the hulls. Repeat with all squash. Add squash strands to the marinara sauce--stir to mix. Turn heat to medium and cook/stir until mixture is hot. Taste--add oregano, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, etc. if you wish.

#2987 - Baked Italian Cheese Bites

(by Shirley McNevich)

2/3 cup to 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
6 sticks mozzarella string cheese sticks
1 or 2 beaten eggs
warm marinara sauce for dipping

Open up the mozzarella string cheese packets and cut each string cheese into 1" pieces. Place them in a cake pan (so they are not touching), cover the cake pan with foil and freeze them for a few hours. After a few hours, grease a cookie sheet with Pam. In a bowl add the eggs--beat. In a skillet over medium heat add the Italian bread crumbs--cook/stir until bread crumbs are browned. Remove from heat and transfer the bread crumbs into a second bowl. Remove ONE string cheese piece from the freezer (for a test). Using tongs, dip the cheese piece into the egg mixture to coat, then dip it into the bread crumbs to coat, then dip it back in the egg mixture and dip it once again in the bread crumbs to coat. Place it on the greased cookie sheet and spray the coated cheese piece lightly with Pam. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-6 minutes. Let it cool slightly, then taste to make sure the cheese is melted to your liking. If the cheese melts too much and loses its shape, bake subsequent ones for less time. Once you have the time down dip, coat and place the rest of the cheese pieces all on a cooled/greased cookie sheet. Coat all of the cheese pieces lightly with Pam. Bake at 350 degrees for the time you determined with the test piece. Serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping.