Baked Ziti: Freezer Meal (Feeds a Crowd!)

Posted by: Jan Thomas.

Baked Ziti for a Crowd. I have made this recipe quite a few times for youth camp fundraiser dinners and other big events where I need to feed a lot of people, and this one, is both economical and really, really yummy.  Although this is a meatless version, you can certainly add ground meat  to the dish to add some additional protein.

 

It can also be made into multiple family sized pans for stashing in the freezer for your own family or 2 large sized pans to take to feed a crowd. I love the make ahead ability when planning a large dinner. Just pull it out of the freezer the night before I need it, and then pop into the oven on the big, busy day.

 

This recipe can make either 4 deep sided 9x13 pans or  2 steamer pans (those are the ones sold in bulk at party stores and warehouse clubs and come in 2 inch or 4 inch depths. I prefer the 4 inch depth so you feel like it's not spilling out cheese over the top. ( I think they are like 12x20x4 inches) And each steamer pan should serve 15-20 main dish or more if it's a side dish. So the total recipe should serve 30-40 people for a dinner. 

Baked Ziti For a Crowd

Feeds 30-40 people

Ingredients:

12 cups spaghetti sauce (or one #10 sized can : you know the giganto ones at the warehouse clubs!)

3 lbs. ziti or penne pasta

2 (24 oz) containers cottage or ricotta cheese (cottage is cheaper)

1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese

3 eggs slightly beaten

1 1 /2 lbs. shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta as package directs, drain and set aside. 

  In very large mixing bowl, stir together, cottage (or ricotta) cheese, parmesan cheese, and beaten eggs.

  Stir in half the spaghetti sauce until well mixed. 

 Stir in 1/2 the cheese and then all of the pasta, tossing gently to coat.  

Divide  mixture evenly between the two 1/2 steamer pans.

Pour remaining 1/2 of the spaghetti sauce evenly over the ziti mixture. 

 Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese on top.  

To Make ahead and freeze: Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and freeze. (The plastic wrap will keep the foil from sticking to the pasta while it freezes.)

To Bake: pull the pasta from freezer the night before and let thaw.  Remove foil and plastic wrap.  Bake at 375 degrees for  20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  

3 Grain Apple Muffins

 Posted by: Jan Thomas
Recipe: Phyllis Robertson (Grandma)
From: Family Cookbook

Grandma Robertson (Phyllis)  added this recipe to a family cookbook a few years ago.   They have more of a lightly apple sweetened taste than the  "nearly a cupcake" taste that commercial muffins have!  The cornmeal gives it an interesting taste, (may substitute white flour next time)  and   I love that it is both nutritious and delicious!  I made mine into mini muffins because, my kids love when I pre-bag 4 -5 of them in sandwich baggies for them to grab and go out the door in the mornings.

  Jan's Tip: I substituted apple sauce for the oil in the recipe. You could also substitute pumpkin puree and that would be a great substitute also. throwing in some butterscotch chips would give it a fun and sweet boost.
. 

Three Grain Apple Muffins
Ingredients:
1 Cup Whole Wheat flour
 3/4 Cup Corn meal
1/2 Cup Oats (quick)                            
  1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tblsp. baking powder                        
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt                                          
  1 Cup milk
1/4 Cup vegetable oil                            
 2 eggs (beaten)
1 med.apple peeled and chopped


Directions:  Heat oven to 375 degree's.
Spray non stick spray in muffin tins or line with paper liners.
 Combine dry ingredients, add milk, oil,and eggs, mixing until just moistented.  
Stir in apples.  Fill cups almost full.  Bake 16-18 minutes or until light golden brown.
Makes approx. 36 mini muffins, 12 regular muffins, 6 jumbo muffins

Grandma Robertson's Rolls

Posted by: Jan ThomasRecipe: Phyllis Robertson (Grandma) 

Grandma made these by hand and not with a kitchen aid or bread machine, but I have written some improved instructions as hers were missing some steps all together.  I believe she called them Parker House Rolls. I grew up with my father (Larry  Robertson) making them, and he became "famous" for them at out house!

I haven't learned the secret to keeping them in the traditional "folded" or "pocketbook' shape as they are known, but they sure are delish! Maybe Larry or ??? Can add a comment or two on the trick to getting the rolls to stay in the folded shape?

Printable Copy: Click Here

Grandma Robertson’s Rolls

2 Cups Scalded Milk

2 Tblsp. Melted Butter

2 Tblsp. yeast

1 egg, beaten

3 Tblsp. sugar

½ Tblsp. salt

4 cups flour.

In a large mixing bowl for a heavy-duty stand mixer, stir together hot, scalded milk, shortening, sugar and salt. Stir to blend, then set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Add yeast.  Add egg and 2 cups flour. Beat with regular, paddle-style beater at high speed for 1 minute.

Change beater to dough hook. Add remaining 2 cups flour and mix at medium-high. Once flour is blended into the dough, continue kneading with dough hook at medium-high speed for about 5 minutes. Midway through kneading, if dough appears to be quite sticky, beat in the 2 tablespoons of flour, adding more till it is no longer too sticky.

Turn dough into a lightly greased bowl. Lightly grease the top of the dough and cover with a clean cloth. Set aside in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease large baking sheets.

Punch dough down and turn onto a lightly floured board. Roll until about 1/2-inch thick. Using a large, round cookie or biscuit cutter, about 3 inches in diameter, cut dough into rounds. Brush top of each cut round with melted butter and fold in half. (Folding over a table knife helps to make the crease sharp.) Place rolls, about 1/2-inch apart, in prepared pan. (Do not crowd, as rolls will rise, but once they rise, rolls should lightly touch and this helps to keep them soft.) Allow rolls to rise until doubled, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Bake about 12 to 14 minutes, or just until golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately brush warm rolls lightly with melted butter. Serve warm.

Makes about 25 to 30 rolls.

Jan’s Tip:

* To scald milk, pour milk into a microwave safe cup; microwave on high until milk is very hot and steaming, but does not boil. Begin by microwaving on High (100%) power for 1 minute, then continue microwaving in 30-second intervals until steaming. When you blow lightly on scalded milk, you will see a slight “film” or surface skin.