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.

Magic Wand Sticks

My kids are more than slightly obsessed with Harry Potter.  I even bought them their own wands and they now run around casting spells on one another.  So imagine their surprise when I told them I had wands they could eat!

MAGIC WAND STICKS

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening

2/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped salami, turkey pepperoni or fully cooked ham

3/4 cup milk

Ketchup, mustard, pizza sauce or cheese dip, if desired

Heat oven to 450ºF. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until mixture is crumbly. Stir in cheese and salami. Stir in just enough milk until a soft dough forms.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead gently 10 times. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Pat dough into 8-inch square; cut square in half. Cut each half crosswise into 1-inch strips. (For crisper sticks, arrange strips to have about 1-inch space between them.)

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cool with ketchup, mustard, pizza sauce or cheese dip.

Homemade Krispy Kreme Donuts- Better than the real ones!

Donuts
2 TBS. yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1- 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup shortening
5 cups flour
vegetable or canola oil for frying

Dissolve yeast in water. Add milk, sugar, eggs, shortening and 2 cups flour. Beat on low, scraping the bowl for 30 seconds. Then beat on medium for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour until smooth. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled (about 50-60 minutes, dough is ready when indent remains) Turn onto floured surface. With a floured rolling pin, gently roll dough to 1/2 inch thick. Cut with floured donut cutter (or a mason jar ring) and place on baking sheet, leaving plenty of room to rise. Cover and let rise until doubled, 30 -40 minutes. Do not let the sides touch! Using a wide spatula, slide donuts into hot oil (350 degrees), turn as they rise to the surface. Fry until golden on each side. Remove carefully and drain on a paper towel.

Dip in glaze (below) cool on cookie rack and glaze again.
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Glaze
1/3 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4-6 TBS. hot water

Heat butter until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in water 1 TBS. at a time, until desired consistancy. (For chocolate glaze, melt 4 oz, milk chocolate or semi sweet chips with butter and continue with glaze recipe!

Crispy Crunchy Chicken Fingers- Kids favorite!

5 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 egg
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon honey
8 buttery round crackers, crushed
Preheat oven to 400. Cut chicken breasts into strips or you can buy frozen chicken strips at Costco. Whisk egg and juice together in a medium bowl. Stir in molasses and honey. Dip chicken strips into egg mixture. Pour cracker crumbs into a resealable plastic bag. Put egg coated chicken pieces in bag, seal and shake to coat with crumbs.
Place breaded chicken on a foil-lined cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken strips and turn the pan, then bake for another 10 minutes.