Baked Pizza Ziti

We love everything pizza, but sometimes you need to serve something besides regular pizza for dinner. This Baked Pizza Ziti is a family favorite and also makes a great freezer meal. This recipe can make a 9 x 13 pan or if you have a smaller family like mine you can make 2 8 x 8, and throw one in the freezer.

Ingredients:

Heat pan to medium heat and cook the ground beef, pepper and onion together. Cook the meat until almost done- hardly any pink. Then add garlic. Cook until completely cooked, add salt and pepper to taste. Drain the grease.

 Cook pasta and then mix sauce and pasta together. Put about 1/2 in a 9 x 13 pan or about 1/4 if splitting the recipe.

Sprinkle about 1/2 (or 1/4 of the cheese) over the pasta.

Add the pepperoni.

Then add the meat mixture.

Spoon the ricotta cheese over the meat mixture.

 Add the rest of the pasta, the meat and more pepperoni.

 Cover the dish with mozzarella cheese. (Try to make sure no noddles are sticking out, otherwise they may get dried out in the oven.

 Since my family doesn't need a full 9 x 13 pan, I make 2 8 x 8 s and put one of them in the freezer and eat one the night I make it.

Cook for about 35-40 minutes if doing a 9 x 13 pan, or about 20-30 minutes if doing the 8 x 8 pan. Cook until all of the cheese is melted and turning slightly golden.





Baked Pizza Ziti
Recipe by Prescriptions for a Happy Home

Ingredients:
26- 28 oz of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 lb of ground beef
1 green pepper
1 onion
1 15 oz container of ricotta cheese
1 package of pepperoni
1 16 oz package of ziti or other tubular pasta
16 oz of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp of garlic

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta until al dente.

Heat pan to medium heat and cook the ground beef, pepper and onion together. Cook the meat until almost done- hardly any pink. Then add garlic. Cook until completely cooked, add salt and pepper to taste. Drain the grease.

Mix sauce and pasta.

Lightly grease a 9 x 13 pan (or 2 8 x 8 pans).

Pour 1/2 of the pasta into the 9 x 13 pan. Then about half of the mozzarella cheese. Evenly spread the pepperoni over the pasta and cheese. Sprinkle the meat mixture on top. Spoon ricotta cheese on top of the meat. Put the remainder pasta mixture on top. Sprinkle the rest of the meat. Then spread the pepperoni on top of the meat. Cover the entire pan with mozzarella cheese.

Cook for about 35-40 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. (If cooking the 8 x 8 pan cook 20-30 minutes)

Serves about 8.

*When you are ready to cook the freezer meal, put in fridge about 24 hours before serving. Cook at 350 for 30-40 minutes - until cheese is melted and no longer frozen.

Enjoy!

Pizza Pasta Bake

This dish is delicious.  My family loves it! This is one of my go-to meals for when I need to take a meal to someone.  Especially if they have kids!  What kid doesn't love pizza or pasta?

I love that this meal works as a freezer meal, too.
One recipe is enough to feed my family of 4 for a night (with leftovers for Jeff for lunch) and enough to freeze a second pan.  It's easy to double if you have more mouths to feed and still want to get a freezer meal out if it.

With school starting again, make this easy dish to have on hand. It's always nice to have a freezer meal ready to go when your week gets busy!





To make this dish you will need; sausage, pepperoni, olives, spiral pasta, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese.  If you like it spicy, you can add some crushed red pepper flakes.  Adding fresh basil on top after it bakes is also really good. You can add more or less "pizza toppings" if you'd like. Sausage, pepperoni and olive is my family's favorite combination in this dish, but it's fun to change it up every now and then.  Ham, green peppers, mushrooms, bacon, etc.  Have fun coming up with your family's favorite version!

While the pasta is cooking, add the cooked sausage, pepperoni, olives, pasta, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce and pepper flakes, if desired, to a large mixing bowl.  Mix well.

Add the cooked pasta and stir gently.

You can bake this in a 9x13 baking dish or 2 8x8 baking dishes.  If I'm making this for my family I like to use 2 8x8 baking dishes so I can bake one right away and then freeze one for later.  If you just want to do a freezer meal in a 9x13 you can do that, too. Divide it up however works best for you! 

Spray a 9x13 baking dish or 2 8x8 baking dishes with cooking spray. If using the 9x13 baking dish, spread half the pasta mixture into the pan and top with 1 cup of cheese.  If using 8x8 baking dishes, spread a fourth of the mixture into each pan and top with 1/2 cup of cheese on top of each. 

Spread the other half of pasta over the cheese.  (if using the 8x8 pans, divide the remaining pasta between the two pans)

Top with remaining one cup of cheese.

If you are making a freezer meal, cover the pan with heavy duty foil (I generally double wrap freezer meals) and keep in your freezer for up to 3 months.  If you making this to eat now, bake it uncovered at 350 for 25-35 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is melted.  

Serve with fresh basil and enjoy!

Pizza Pasta Bake
Recipe by: Prescriptions for a Happy Home 

Ingredients: 

1 pkg. (16-20oz) Sausage, cooked and crumbled*
1 pkg.(8oz) Pepperoni*, cut in quarters
1/2 can olives, sliced
1pkg. (16 oz) spiral pasta, cooked and drained*
1 (28oz) jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 jar (14-15oz.) pizza sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese 
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, optional
fresh basil for garnishing, optional (but I highly recommend it!)

*Turkey sausage, turkey pepperoni, and whole wheat pasta work great in this, too! 

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brown the sausage. While the pasta is cooking add the sausage, pepperoni, olives, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce and pepper flakes, if desired, to a large mixing bowl.  Stir well.  Add the cooked pasta and mix gently. Spray a 9x13 pan or two 8x8 pans with cooking spray. 
If using the 9x13 pan: put half of the pasta mixture in the pan and sprinkle 1 cup of cheese and cover with remaining pasta and then top with remaining cheese. 
If using the 8x8 pans: put 1/4 of the pasta mixture to each pan and top with 1/2 cup cheese each, and then add another 1/4 of pasta on top of cheese.  Top each dish with another 1/2 cup of cheese.  
Bake at 350, uncovered, for 25-35 minutes or until heated through. Remove from the oven and serve with fresh basil, if desired. 

Freezer instructions:  Prepare the dish the same as you would if you were baking.  Instead of baking it, cover the pizza pasta with foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, remove from the freezer 24 hours before using so it has time to thaw.  Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until heated through.  Cook time will vary depending on how well thawed it is.


Enjoy!

Cheesy Potatoes and Cheesy Potatoes with Ham Freezer Meal

These cheesy potatoes are perfect to go with your Easter dinner.  You can throw this dish together in less than 10 minutes which is really nice.  You can even make them the night before you plan to use them and all you have to do is put the pan in the oven the next day. 

I've also made these potatoes into a freezer meal.  I add diced ham so it's more filling and works as a main dish.  It's the perfect freezer meal and has flavors that everyone loves.  I love to have a freezer meal on hand for when life gets crazy and this is one that my entire family enjoys.  

Since Easter is just around the corner you can double this recipe and make one pan for Easter dinner and then save the other pan for a freezer meal. Just refrigerate the extra casserole until after your dinner and add some of your leftover diced ham, mix it up and pop it in the freezer.  A side dish for your Easter dinner and a freezer meal for later.  Awesome!         

To make these Cheesy Potatoes you will need: frozen shredded hash browns, one can each of cream of chicken soup and cream of celery soup, sour cream, shredded cheese, celery, an onion, garlic powder, Old Bay seasoning (we love this on potatoes, but you can leave it out if you aren't a fan of it), salt and pepper.  

This recipe is really simple. Combine the soups, sour cream, cheese and spices.  Mix well and then add the onions, celery and potatoes. 
Spread it into a greased 9x13 baking dish.  If you use a glass pan the edges and bottom of the potatoes will get a little crispy.  My husband loves the crispy potatoes, but use a different type of pan if you don't want the edges crispy.  I sprinkle a little extra cheese and some paprika on top for color.















Bake at 400 for about 35-45 minutes or until bubbly. 


















Cheesy Potatoes
Recipe by : Prescriptions for a Happy Home

Ingredients:
1 30oz. bag of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
1 10oz. can of cream of chicken soup
1 10oz. can of cream of celery soup
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese, divided (I like to use cheddar jack cheese blend, but use whatever you like)
2-3 ribs of celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
paprika, for sprinkling on top, optional

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Combine the soups, sour cream, 1 1/2 cups cheese and spices in a large mixing bowl.  Mix well.  Add potatoes, celery and onions.  Mix until combined.   Spread into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.* Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and paprika.   Cover with foil and bake for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly throughout.
Enjoy!    

*The potatoes around the edges and bottom of the pan may get a little crispy if you use a glass pan, so use a different baking dish if you don't want them to get crispy. 
 
















Cheesy Potatoes with Ham, Freezer meal
Recipe by : Prescriptions for a Happy Home

Ingredients:
1 30oz. bag of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
2-3 cups diced ham
1 10oz can of cream of chicken soup
1 10oz. can of cream of celery soup
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese, divided (I like to use cheddar jack cheese blend, but use whatever you like)
2-3 ribs of celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt ( I add a little less if I'm adding ham, since the ham is pretty salty)
1/2 tsp pepper
paprika, for sprinkling on top, optional

Directions:

Combine the soups, sour cream, cheese and spices in a large mixing bowl.  Mix well.  Add potatoes, ham, celery and onions.  Mix until combined.   Spread into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and paprika. Cover tightly with foil and freeze.
Remove from the freezer the day before you plan to use it so that it can thaw.  Bake at 400 for 40-60 minutes.  Check to see if it's done at 40 minutes.  If it wasn't thawed completely, it make take up to 60 minutes.













Enjoy!