Baked Ziti with Vegetables

Although I call this "baked ziti", Tinkyada (which makes the yummiest gluten-free brown rice pasta) has not yet come out with ziti. So I use their macaroni or penne pasta in this recipe. Still tastes great.



Serves 6-8
1 eggplant, peeled (if desired), diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 zucchini, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1 lb. Tinkyada brown rice pasta (penne or macaroni)
1 lb. ground beef
1 25.5 oz jar of organic pasta sauce
8 oz. whole milk ricotta*
1 tsp. salt & 1/4 pepper or more to taste
1/2 bunch fresh basil, chopped (optional)
8 oz. whole milk mozzarella, shredded*

1. Heat a large pot of water until boiling. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Meanwhile, saute eggplant, zucchini, onion, and garlic in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Remove vegetables from the pan to a plate when done.
4. Brown ground beef in same pan used for vegetables.
5. Combine pasta, sauted vegetables, browned beef, pasta sauce, riccotta, salt, pepper, and optional fresh basil in a 9x13 casserole dish. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the top.
6. Cook at 350 until bubbling, about 30 - 45 minutes. (Tip: Heat pasta sauce in a small sauce pan while you are cooking the other ingredients so that it is already hot when you combine all the ingredients. It will speed up the final cooking time.)

*A word about ingredients: Dairy products are best consumed raw. However, occasionally the super-sensitive Shipe household makes an exception and actually cooks some cheese and enjoys its ooey, gooey, melty deliciousness.

Chicken Scampi with Spinach

Adapted from 365 More Ways to Cook Chicken
Serves 4 - 6

Rachel and I cannot get enough of this recipe. She is allergic to dairy, but if you are not, I highly recommend generously topping your plate of pasta with grated Parmesan or Romano.

1 lb. fettuccini
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
salt & pepper to taste
4 tbls. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
3 tbls. chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried
1 tbls. shopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. crushed hot red pepper flakes
2 tbls. corn starch or flour
1 7-ounce package fresh spinach, washed
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until tender but still firm according to package directions. Drain in colander.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbls. olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt & pepper, and cook, stirring frequently until no pink remains. Remove from heat.
3. In a large sauce pan, heat 2 tbls. olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions. Cook, stirring often, until onions are soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and basil and cook for 1 minute. Add broth, wine, and hot pepper. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced by about one-fourth, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix the cornstarch or flour with a bit of cold water; add to the pot and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Add spinach to pot, cover, and let spinach wilt (about 3 minutes).
4. Add cooked chicken and pasta to the sauce pan and heat thoroughly. Toss with parsley; serve with Parmesan cheese.