Flavorful Pasta Bake

Easy baked pasta dish with lots of yummy ingredients!

• 16 oz. package of Cavatappi or Penne pasta
• 1/2 lb. Italian sausage mild removed from casings
• 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/2 white onion diced
• 1/2 sweet red pepper diced
• 1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce or homemade
• About 30 pieces of sliced pepperoni diced
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 4 oz. of skim ricotta
• 1 8 oz package shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 tsp. dried basil

Boil water and cook the pasta as directed on package. While the pasta is cooking make the meat sauce:

On medium heat, pan cook the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks and loses its pink color. Add the chopped onion. Add the ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks and incorporate it into the sausage. Add the diced red pepper. Once the meat is cooked through, pour in half a jar of your favorite sauce and add the diced pepperoni reserving a little bit for the top. Continue to simmer. 

Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Pour in the meat mixture, the ricotta and the parmesan cheese. Stir until combined.

Put a thin layer of sauce at the bottom of the baking dish (9 x 13). Transfer the pasta into the baking dish. Add the rest of the sauce on top and scatter the remaining pepperoni. Top with shredded mozzarella and sprinkle with dried basil. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. 

"Almond Joy" Panna Cotta

 

• 3 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 2 1/2 teaspoons gelatin - this is a little more than one envelope
• 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
• 2 tablespoons almond flavored liquor
• 2 tablespoons Kahlua
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Pour almond milk into a medium pot. Whisk it smooth. Sprinkle the gelatin over the milk and set aside for a few minutes until the gelatin starts to dissolve.

Cook over medium low heat and stir until the gelatin dissolves completely, but do not heat the beverage to the point where it starts to smoke or boil because it will deactivate the gelatin. After the gelatin has dissolved, add the sugar and stir until it's completely dissolved. Stir in the almond extract and liquors.

Wipe vegetable oil evenly around 4 ramekins removing any excess and just leaving a fine film. Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins and refrigerate until set -- At least two hours and up to overnight.

To serve - Drizzle about one tablespoon of chocolate syrup over each panna cotta and  sprinkle with unsweetened coconut. Serve