11-03-06 - Welcome to November! Hard to believe we are already preparing for the holidays, but we are. Like my friend Lisanne said, "It's all down hill from here when it comes to eating." There was never a truer statement. So from now until the end of the year, I'll be sharing great holiday recipes for you and your family. This week's recipe is the all-time favorite comfort food. It makes a great family meal with a salad or will sit at the table as the perfect side to your turkey dinner. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Ooey-Gooey Macaroni Bake
By: Chef Cathy Zeis
Z's Creative Cuisine
Chefcathyzs@aol.com
16 oz. Penne pasta
2 cups grated Romano cheese
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups Mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
12 oz. small curd cottage cheese
16. oz. Ricotta cheese
1 pint heavy whipping cream
4 TBS. melted butter
2 cups Parmesan flavored bread crumbs
1 TBS. salt
4 cups water
Directions
In a large pot over high heat, bring water and salt to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. *Keep an eye on the pasta so it doesn't boil over. Drain pasta. In a 9-1/2" x 13" sprayed pan, pour in pasta. In a large bowl, mix all cheeses and heavy whipping cream together and stir to incorporate. Pour cheeses over pasta and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste if desired. In a small bowl, mix bread crumbs with melted butter and sprinkle on top of the Ooey-Gooey Macaroni Bake. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes. Then, with a large spoon, place face over casserole dish and commence to shovelin' it in!
Tip of the week: Always cook your pasta al dente, which means, "to the bite." In other words, soft on the outside, yet slightly firm on the inside.
