Recipe(tried): Time For Pasta.... Baked Ziti, Strawberries and Cream Layer Cake

Good Morning,

Mom is off to Miami to visit friends and relatives with my sister and her husband. They flew in from NJ, rented a car and picked her up. They took with them 4 delicious Lemon Cake loaves and an aunt called me to tell me it was scrumptious!! Thanks Barefoot Contessa for giving me the recipe....

We are going to enjoy a Baked Ziti casserole tonight. It will be the first time I cook pasta since February so I am looking forward to the sauce and gooey cheese that comes along with it.

I had found a beautiful ceramic baking dish at Marshall's the other day for only 7.99 and it's blue on the outside and white on the inside.... A perfect dish for lasagna or ziti. I will serve it with a salad and for dessert, something light and not overbearing... a Strawberries and Cream Layer Cake. I still have loads and loads of strawberries in the freezer from this past season so I must make good use of it.

It rained buckets yesterday and the forecast calls for more rain today so it's time to catch up with some good old fashioned reading for me...

Happy Saturday!!

Menu:

Baked Ziti
Mixed Greens with Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Italian Dressing
Italian Bread
Strawberries & Cream Layer Cake
Debbie D's Mama's Sweet Tea

Recipes:

Baked Ziti
serves 8

3 cups uncooked ziti
1 lb. ground beef
1 (28 oz.) jar of your favorite Italian sauce
1 (16 oz.) carton ricotta
2 cups shredded mozzarella (divided)
1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook pasta according to pkg. directions. Drain and set aside while you prepare sauce.

In a large skillet, brown the beef well, drain. Mix with the sauce in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a skillet, saute onions til limp and they begin to golden, add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the spinach and blend well. Add to sauce and stir well. In another bowl, blend together the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella and seasonings. Toss the pasta with the sauce. Spoon half of the pasta into a 13x9x2-inch baking dish, spread cheese mixture over, pour the rest of the pasta over and spread evenly. Top with the remaining cup of mozzarella and sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over. Cover loosely with foil and bake for about 25 minutes. Remove foil and cook for another 5 minutes.

Strawberries and Cream Layer Cake
Bon Appetit Magazine, June 2001 issue
serves 16
Can be prepared 8 hours ahead

1 box butter-recipe golden cake mix (1 lb. 2.5 oz.)
3 large eggs
3/4 c. buttermilk
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. almond extract

1 (10 oz.) frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
4 cups chilled whipping cream
3/4 cup sugar
3 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced

Oven at 350.

Butter and flour 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Beat cake mix, eggs, buttermilk and butter til just moistened. Beat on medium for 4 minutes. Beat in both extracts. Pour batter in pan and bake til golden about 28 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Turn cake out on rack and cool completely.

Puree thawed berries with syrup. Beat cream with sugar til peaks form. Using serrated knife, cut cake horizontally in half. Transfer bottom half of cake cut side up onto serving platter.

Spread 1 cup pureed berries over cake (they will soak in). Arrange 1 1/2-cups sliced berries in a single layer over this, spread 2 cups whipped cream over berries. Top with second half of cake, cut side down. Spread remaining pureed berries over top. Spoon 1 1/2 cups whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Spread remaining whipped cream over top and sides of cake. Pipe cream decoratively on top edge of cake. Garnish top and sides with sliced berries. Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Refrigerate.