Three Cheese Pasta Bake

Here is a great option for dinner tonight! It's easy, yummy, and very very kid friendly!  Enjoy!

THREE CHEESE PASTA BAKE

(Picture and recipe from above link.)

1 (16-ounce) package ziti

2 (10-ounce) containers refrigerated Alfredo sauce

1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

Prepare ziti according to package directions; drain and return to pot.

Stir together Alfredo sauce and sour cream; toss with ziti until evenly coated. Spoon half of mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Stir together ricotta cheese and next 3 ingredients; spread evenly over pasta mixture in baking dish. Spoon remaining pasta mixture evenly over ricotta cheese layer; sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Olive Garden Breadsticks

Are you kidding me with this one?!  So, easy and so yummy!  Dip in alfredo sauce!  ENJOY!

OLIVE GARDEN BREADSTICKS

(picture and recipe found from above link.)

DOUGH:

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbs sugar

1 Tbs yeast

1 Tbs salt (yes, the recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon, which I use every time and they turn out great.)

2 Tbs butter, softened

4-5 Cups flour

TOPPING:

3 Tbs butter melted

sea salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

For the dough, pour the water into a stand mixer with the sugar and yeast, let that sit and froth for about 10 minutes. Add salt, butter, and 2 cups of flour. Mix the dough on low. Add the rest of the flour a half cup at a time, until dough scrapes the sides of the bowl clean. Mix the dough about 5 minutes on medium speed, until its soft and easy to work with. Roll the dough out into a long log, spray a knife with cooking spray and cut the dough into 12-14 pieces. Roll those pieces into about 6 inch long snakes. Spray 2 large cookie sheets with cooking spray, and lay the breadsticks out leaving about 2 inches between each one. Place them in the oven with the temperature turned to 170 degrees. Let them rise for about 15 minutes, or until doubled in size.( I have also let them sit at room temp until they are doubled in size and then bake them in the oven) Once risen, brush them with the 1 1/2 T of melted butter and sprinkle them with salt. Now preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake them for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. While they are baking combine the rest of the melted butter with 1/4 t garlic powder. When the breadsticks are golden brown, remove them from the oven and brush them with the butter/garlic mixture.

"Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies"

Wow!  It's been too long!  OK, so honestly, I think I took a very long sabbatical from cooking!  Just ask my family!  I, like most mom's with small children, feel like a short order cook.  One wants a grilled cheese, one cereal, the other corn dog, spaghetti, quesadillas!  You get the picture, or perhaps live with this madness!  So, instead of cooking, we ate out!  Well, I'm sick of eating out!  So, here we go again! Thanks to Pinterest, I have found so many wonderful recipes!  SIDE NOTE... Have you discovered Pinterest yet?  If not, get right on it!  NOW!

Here is a cookie recipe that I found and LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!  Trust me!  MAKE THESE RIGHT NOW!  You're welcome!

"Best Ever Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies"

(see above link for recipe and picture info.)

3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1 egg

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all purpose flour

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy and light in color. Add egg and vanilla and blend in.

Mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chunks.

Using a standard-sized cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop dough onto a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges. (The tops will not brown, but do NOT cook longer than ten minutes.)

Let cool, on the sheet, on a wire rack for five minutes. Remove from baking sheet and let cool completely. Makes approximately 3 dozen. Try not to eat them all.