#3220 - Breaded Spaghetti

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 1lb. box raw spaghetti
1 large jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 cup 4C Italian breadcrumbs (more if needed)
grated Parmesan cheese
optional: any meat pieces you want to add to the sauce

If adding any extra meat to the sauce (sausage, etc.) cook/brown the meat, then drain before adding it to the sauce. In a pot add the spaghetti sauce and drained meat--cook/stir until mixed and hot, then turn heat back to simmer. Prepare spaghetti according to box directions but DO NOT DRAIN--leave it in the water. When spaghetti is done, remove it from the stove and place the pot on a pot holder on your counter. Spread all of the bread crumbs on a dinner plate. To make each serving plate, ladle a large scoop of spaghetti sauce on each serving plate and sprinkle Parmesan cheese all over the sauce. Use tongs to get some spaghetti (still wet and dripping), dunk the wet spaghetti all over the bread crumbs, then place the coated spaghetti on the plate of spaghetti sauce. Repeat with all serving plates.

#2102 - Spaghetti Chicken Parmesan

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup dry Italian bread crumbs
2 TBSP olive oil
2 cups of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
4 cups hot cooked/drained spaghetti (cooked/drained according to box directions)
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breasts. Dip each chicken breast in the beaten egg, then dip them in the bread crumbs to coat both sides. Put the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat--add chicken pieces to the skillet. Cook/brown chicken pieces until browned on both sides, then set aside. In a separate skillet add spaghetti sauce--turn heat to medium low and cook/stir until sauce is hot. Add chicken pieces to the sauce. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove lid, add cheese to chicken and cook until cheese melts. Place spaghetti on four plates, add a chicken piece and sauce on top of the spaghetti on each plate. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

#1313 - Pepperoni Pizza Noodles

(by Shirley McNevich)

2lb. ground chuck
1 onion (chopped)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 large jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 - 8oz. bag medium wide egg noodles
1 - 8oz. bag shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
1 tsp. oregano

In a skillet add ground chuck, chopped onions, chopped green peppers, chopped pepperoni, oregano, salt and pepper--stir and cook over medium heat until beef is browned. Add the spaghetti sauce--stir. Cook noodles separately according to bag directions--drain. Add drained noodles to the meat sauce--stir. Pour everything into a large greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes; remove from oven and sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the top. Return to oven and bake until cheese is melted.

#1311 - Rice and Cabbage Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 head cabbage (washed and shredded)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1lb. ground chuck
1 onion (diced)
1 - 32oz. jar good quality spaghetti sauce
2 cups cooked rice
1 - 8oz. bag shredded mozzarella cheese

In a Dutch oven over medium heat add canola oil and cabbage--stir and cook until cabbage is tender. In a separate pan over medium heat add ground chuck, salt, pepper and onions--stir and cook meat until browned. Add spaghetti sauce and cooked rice to the ground chuck--stir. Grease a 3qt. casserole dish. Put half of the meat sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish. Put half of the cabbage on top of the meat sauce. Add the rest of the meat sauce and half of the shredded mozzarella on top of the cabbage. Add the rest of the cabbage on top of the meat sauce. Sprinkle the other half of the shredded mozzarella cheese on the top of the cabbage. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until hot all the way through.

#1205 - Mozzarella Pork Chops

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix
1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/8 to 1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 egg
2 TBSP water
6 pork chops
1 1/2 cups good quality spaghetti sauce
1 cup (or more) shredded mozzarella cheese

In a bowl add soup mix, bread crumbs and black pepper--stir to mix. In a separate bowl add egg and water--beat with a fork. Dip each pork chop in the egg mixture then dip both sides of the same pork chop in the soup mixture. Repeat with all pork chops. Place pork chops flat in a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes--remove foil, flip pork chops onto other side, put foil back on and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, pour spaghetti sauce on top and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the tops of the pork chops. Return to oven UNcovered and bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and spaghetti sauce is hot.

#855 - Italian Hamburgers and Rice

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 frozen hamburger patties
1 medium chopped onion
1 green pepper (cut into strips)
1/2 red pepper (cut into strips)
1/2 yellow pepper (cut into strips)
1 - 26oz. jar of your favorite pasta or spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup water
2 cups Minute white rice (uncooked)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper

Spray Pam on the inside of a skillet. Add the chopped onions to the skillet. Salt and pepper each side of the hamburger patties and cook them in the skillet with the onions over medium heat until done to your liking. Make sure you brown both sides of the patties. Add the green, red and yellow pepper strips and cook until tender. Add the spaghetti sauce and water--bring to a boil. Add the uncooked rice, place a lid on the skillet, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until the rice is done and all ingredients are hot. Remove skillet from the burner, add the cheese to the top and put the lid back on until the cheese has melted.

#847 - Perfect Pizza Bagels

(by Shirley McNevich)

"everything" bagels or Thomas' Mini-Squares Everything Bagel Bread
pizza or spaghetti sauce
shredded mozzarella cheese
oregano or Italian seasonings

Set toaster oven to 400 degrees and place setting dial on "toast". Separate bagel(s) or bagel bread into halves, then place on a plate. Spoon pizza or spaghetti sauce on the top of each bagel then place each bagel on the rack of the toaster oven (right on the rack--NOT on the toaster oven pan). Watch them carefully and remove when edges of the bagels start to brown. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top of each bagel. Turn the toaster oven setting dial to "bake" but leave the temperature at 400 degrees. Cover the toaster oven pan with foil, place the bagels on top and slide toaster oven pan into the toaster oven. Bake until cheese is melted. By toasting them first, they won't come out soggy.

#411 - Veal Parmigian

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 breaded veal patties
4 slices mozzarella cheese
1 small jar spaghetti sauce

Heat 3-4 TBSP canola and fry the frozen veal patties 2-3 minutes on each side until brown. Spray a baking dish with Pam, arrange the patties in the dish, cover everything with spaghetti sauce, then bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, add a slice of cheese to the top of each veal patty. Return to oven and bake at 375 degrees for another 10 minutes until the cheese is melted.

#385 - Italian Chicken

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 Reynolds oven bag (plastic--large)
1 - 14oz. jar spaghetti sauce
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 medium chopped green pepper
1 - 8oz. package your favorite pasta shape, cooked and drained

Use a 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan. Spray Pam on the inside of the cooking bag. Place the bag in the baking pan--add the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of the bag. Add chicken and green pepper to the bag. Turn the bag back and forth until chicken is coated with sauce. Arrange chicken evenly in the bag. Close the bag with included twister. Cut at least six slots in the top of the bag to vent. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is tender. Cook the pasta according to package directions while chicken is baking. Serve the chicken mixture over the pasta and add fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

#353 - Pepperoni Appetizers

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
1/2 cup pizza or spaghetti sauce
2 packages refrigerated biscuit dough (should be 10 biscuits in each pack)
1 TBSP milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a bowl, combine mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and pizza/spaghetti sauce--set aside. Open the biscuit packages and separate the biscuits. Sprinkle flour on the counter, then flatten each biscuit to a 3" circle. Place one rounded TBSP of the sauce/pepperoni mixture in the middle of each dough circle. Spray the edges with Pam, fold over and pinch to seal. Repeat with all dough. Place them seam side down on greased baking sheets. Brush each of them lightly with milk using a pastry brush, then sprinkle them with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

#325 - Macaroni and Cheese Lasagna

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 7 1/4oz. package Kraft macaroni and cheese dinner (prepared with "light" directions on box)
1 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce
1/2 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon half of the prepared macaroni and cheese into lightly greased 8 inch square baking dish. Top with half of the spaghetti sauce, half of the meat and half of the shredded cheese. Repeat with second half of each ingredient. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake 20 minutes or until heated.

#318 - Easy Lasagna

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 lb. ground beef
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 - 15oz. container part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 - 26oz. jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup water
12 lasagna noodles, UNCOOKED

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat. Mix 1 1/4 cups of the mozzarella cheese, the ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the parsley and egg until well blended--set aside. Drain meat and return to skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Pour water into empty sauce jar; cover and shake well. Add water to skillet and stir until well blended. Spread 1 cup of the meat sauce onto bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish and top with layers of 3 lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup of the meat sauce. Repeat layers. Top with remaining 3 noodles and the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Cover tightly with greased foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil after 45 minutes, then continue baking 15 minutes more or until center is heated. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting for easier serving.

#295 - Chicken Parmesan

(by Shirley McNevich)

4 boneless chicken breasts
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 box seasoned bread crumbs
8 slices mozzarella cheese (extra for topping)
1 - 26oz. jar spaghetti sauce
Parmesan cheese

Put chicken breasts one at a time on a cutting board and beat with a meat tenderizer until they are 1/2 inch thick. In a bowl, beat together the egg and milk. Pour seasoned bread crumbs into a bowl. Dip the chicken breasts in milk and egg mixture and then in bread crumbs until covered. In a skillet with a little olive oil over medium-high heat, brown chicken on both sides until golden brown. Arrange chicken pieces in a greased glass baking dish. Put two slices of mozzarella cheese on each chicken breast. Pour the jar of spaghetti sauce over chicken breasts to cover. Sprinkle with Parmesan and add extra slices mozzarella cheese to the top, then bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbling hot. Serve with garlic bread.

#294 - Stuffed Shells

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 large box jumbo pasta shells
2 lbs. ricotta cheese
1/2 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. parsley
1 - 26oz. jar spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare pasta shells according to package directions (add a little olive oil in the water so the shells don't stick together)--set cooked shells on aluminum foil to cool. Beat eggs, ricotta, Mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and parsley in a bowl using a spoon. Grease a large glass baking dish. Scoop cheese mixture into a Ziploc bag, squeeze air out of bag and close--cut a small hole in one of the bottom corners of the bag. Squeeze the bag and fill the shells with the cheese mixture. Layer sauce and pasta shells in the baking dish. Add extra mozzarella and Parmesan cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until bubbling hot. Serve with garlic bread.

#293 - Manicotti

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 12oz. package manicotti
1 - 15oz. ricotta cheese
16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1 - 10oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 - 26oz. jar spaghetti sauce

Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish and set aside. Cook manicotti according to package directions--add a little olive oil when cooking them so they won't stick together; drain and set aside on aluminum foil. In large bowl mix the ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, egg, prepared spinach, salt and pepper. Scoop cheese mixture into a Ziploc bag, squeeze out the air and close bag. Cut a small hole in one of the bottom corners of the bag, then squeeze the bag so cheese mixture comes out--squeeze cheese mixture into each of the manicottis. Pour a little sauce in the bottom of the baking dish, arrange the prepared manicottis in the dish, then pour the rest of the spaghetti sauce over shells and top with remaining mozzarella cheese. If you have extra Parmesan cheese, sprinkle on top also. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until bubbling hot. Serve with garlic bread.