Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

Comfort Food. Spaghetti is one of my favorite childhood food memories.  It was one of my mom’s go to meals when we were growing up.  Today’s recipe is a fun twist on my favorite homemade Spaghetti and Meat Sauce.  Instead of the usual ground beef, I spice it up with some ground Italian sausage. It is then layered with cheese and baked.

Easy and Delicious. Baked spaghetti casserole is easy, delicious and fun to eat. The process is simple and can easily be done ahead of time and refrigerated to make dinner time easier.  It is layered with spaghetti noodles, cheese and meat sauce.  This recipe uses small curd cottage cheese which gives it extra protein, but I promise you will never know there is cottage cheese in this dish!

Ingredients Needed

• Spaghetti Noodles
• Italian Sausage or use Ground Hamburger
• Onion, yellow or white
• Marinara Sauce, you can use a jar of sauce or your favorite homemade recipe
• Eggs
• Butter, salted
• Cottage Cheese, small curd. You can also use ricotta cheese if you prefer.
• Mozzarella Cheese, grated
• Parmesan Cheese, grated
• Italian Blend Cheese, grated
• Sugar
• Salt
• Seasoning such as dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley or use an Italian Seasoning blend.

How to make Baked Spaghetti

• Boil water and cook spaghetti until al dente stage in a large pot. Drain pasta. Follow package directions.
• Cook sausage and onion in a large skillet until meat is browned and onion is soft.

• Stir in spaghetti sauce, seasoned salt, sugar, basil, oregano and parsley into meat mixture. Simmer mixture to allow it to thicken up.

• Mix eggs, Parmesan cheese and melted butter in a bowl. Pour over cooked spaghetti and toss to combine.

• Combine Mozzarella Cheese and Italian Blend Cheese.

• Place half of noodles in bottom of lightly greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

• Top with half of the meat mixture.
• Add half of the cottage cheese and half of the shredded cheese mixture.

• Repeat, layers of spaghetti, sauce, cottage cheese and finish with the remaining cheese.

• Cover with foil and bake for 350 degrees F for 35 minutes.
• Remove aluminum foil and continue to bake until cheese is melted and golden brown. About 20 minutes.
• Garnish with fresh parsley or fresh basil.

Check out more of my favorite recipes:

• Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

• Chicken Spaghetti with Red Sauce
• Lemon Pancakes
• Brown Butter Pasta
• Italian Sausage Soup

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Baked Spaghetti Recipe

Change up your typical spaghetti dinner with this easy and delicious baked spaghetti.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 17 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 702kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Equipment

• Baking Dish (9×13)
• Frying Pan
• Measuring Cups

Ingredients

• 1 lb. spaghetti noodles
• 1 lb. mild Italian sausage
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 1 jar 32 oz. of your favorite meatless spaghetti sauce or homemade version
• 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 2 eggs
• 4 Tbsp. butter melted
• 1 cup small curd cottage cheese
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
• 2 cups Italian blend cheese I used Monterey Jack and Colby, shredded
• 1 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp parsley

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Grease a 9 x 13 pan
• Cook spaghetti in boiling water until al dente.
• In a large pan cook sausage and onion until meat is browned and onion is soft. Drain
• Stir in spaghetti sauce, salt and sugar if you'd like sauce a bit sweeter like I do.. If using a store bought sauce I like to add some extra spice – add in basil, oregano and parsley.
• Mix together eggs, Parmesan cheese and butter in a bowl.
• Mix in spaghetti noodles and stir to coat.
• Place half of noodles in bottom of baking dish
• Top with cottage cheese and half of the other two cheeses.
• Top that with half of meat sauce.
• Repeat layers by adding remaining noodles on top, remaining sauce and then cottage cheese and remaining cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
• Remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is melted and golden brown. About 20 minutes

Notes

1. If making ahead, cover the baked spaghetti with tin foil and store in the fridge until ready to bake.
2. If using a jarred sauce, add in the sugar and extra spices. If making a homemade sauce, you can add those additions into your sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 702kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 1024mg | Potassium: 363mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 516IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 303mg | Iron: 2mg

Continue reading Baked Spaghetti. This post is from Your Homebased Mom. If you are not reading it from our feed, it has been STOLEN. Please contact Leigh Anne Wilkes to let us know. Enjoy the posts.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Customize to your favorite pizza flavors! A calzone is an Italian pizza turnover or pizza pocket. Just like pizza, you can fill them with your favorite pizza toppings. My favorite pizza is a margarita pizza so today we are making margarita calzone but feel free to switch it up and add your favorite pizza toppings.

Easy to Make: In the recipe I used homemade pizza dough but to make it even easier you can use store bought pizza dough.

Kid Friendly: It’s one of those recipes the whole family is going to love and who doesn’t love eating with their hands!!

Ingredients Needed

• Active Dry Yeast
• Granulated Sugar
• All Purpose Flour
• Salt
• Olive Oil
• Tomatoes, sliced
• Mozzarella cheese. You can use slices of cheese or you can grate it if you prefer.
• Fresh Basil

How to Make A Calzone

• Combine yeast and sugar with warm water and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until bubbly.
• Add flour, salt, and oil to yeast mixture
• Knead dough by hand or in a stand mixer with a dough hook until dough is smooth. About 5 minutes. Dough will be a little sticky.
• Allow dough to rise for at least one hour.
• Divide pizza dough into 4 pieces.

• Roll out dough to about 6 inches across.
• Layer on your toppings.  For my margarita calzone I used a couple of slices of fresh tomato, sliced mozzarella and a few basil leaves. You can also use a light layer of pizza sauce and add your favorite pizza toppings. Put your filling on one half of the circle.

• Fold the other half of the dough over the filling. Crimp the edges by pressing down on the edge of the dough with your finger. Make sure your edges are sealed so none of the cheese leaks out while baking.

• Place your calzones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

• Use a knife to cut two air vent into each calzone.

• Brush top of calzone with some beaten egg.

• Sprinkle with some grated Parmesan cheese and Italian Seasoning. A little garlic powder would be delish too.

• Bake at 450 until golden brown for about 12-15 minutes.

• Serve the calzone with a bowl of marinara sauce , bbq sauce, tomato sauce or alfredo sauce for dipping

Other favorite pizza recipes:

• Beef Calzone
• Thin Crust Margherita Pizza
• Breakfast Pizza
• Pizza Dough Recipe
• Fruit Pizza

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Calzone Recipe

Calzone filled with mozzarella, tomato, and basil.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 calzones

Calories 201kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Equipment

• Rolling Pin
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons

Ingredients

Calzone Dough

• 1 cup warm water
• 3 tsp yeast
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Calzone Margarita Filling

• tomatoes sliced
• mozzarella cheese sliced
• fresh basil leaves

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees
• Combine yeast and sugar with warm water and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until bubbly.
• Add flour, salt, and oil to yeast mixture
• Combine wet ingredients in dry ingredients into mixer and knead for 5 minutes until dough is smooth, will be a little sticky. Allow to rise for at least one hour.
• Divide dough into 4-6 pieces. Depending on the size of calzone you’d like.
• Roll dough into circle.
• Layer with toppings – tomato, basil leaves and mozzarella cheese on half of the circle
• Pull other half of circle over the top of filling and seal the edges of the dough closed.
• Bake at 450 until golden brown – about 12-15 minutes.

Notes

• Other Filling Ideas:
• Cheese. Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Cheddar and Parmesan all work well.
• Sauce. I use my favorite pizza sauce or with a Margherita calzone I just use slices of tomato. You could also use a pesto or an Alfredo sauce. Use extra sauce for dipping it into after it’s baked.
• Meat. Pepperoni, Sausage, Canadian Bacon, Prosciutto, Bacon, Chicken.
• Veggies. Tomato, peppers, mushrooms, onions, spinach.

Nutrition

Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 394mg | Potassium: 102mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 2mg

Continue reading Easy Calzone Recipe. This post is from Your Homebased Mom. If you are not reading it from our feed, it has been STOLEN. Please contact Leigh Anne Wilkes to let us know. Enjoy the posts.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe!

Today’s recipe is always a family favorite.  And not just my family!  I have taken this dish to lots of family’s when someone was sick or had a new baby and it is always a big hit.  After they enjoy their dinner, they always request the recipe.  It is also a delicious dish to make for company.

You will love how easy it is to make this delicious baked ziti.  Double the recipe and share with a neighbor.  They will love it too.

I like to add spinach and pesto. The pesto gives it a wonderful flavor and the spinach balances out the meal nicely.

Ingredients Needed

• Italian Sausage. I use a mild Italian sausage but you could also use hot. You could also use ground beef or ground turkey if you prefer.

• Onion. Yellow or white onion.
• Garlic
• Tomatoes. I use petite diced canned tomatoes.
• Pesto
• Ziti Noodles. Or whatever type of pasta you like. I like to use a tubular shaped pasta so the sauce has something to hold onto. Rigatoni or penne are my favorites.
• Baby Spinach
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Parmesan Cheese

How to Make Baked Ziti

• Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain.
• Cook sausage, onion and garlic in a pan over medium high-heat in a large skillet until sausage is cooked through.
• Add tomatoes with juices,

• Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• Add pesto and season sauce with salt and pepper.

• Bring mixture back to a simmer.
• Pour cooked pasta, spinach, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese in large bowl.

• Stir in warm hot tomato mixture.
• Place in a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. I use olive oil spray.
• Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese over top of the ziti.

• Bake at 375 degrees F until sauce bubbles and cheeses melt, about 30 minutes.

Check out more of my favorite pasta dishes:

• Sausage and Tomato Pasta
• Chicken Sausage Pasta
• Italian Sausage Soup
• Italian Sausage and Potato Soup
• Pesto Chicken Pasta

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Baked Ziti Recipe

This easy Baked Ziti recipe brings this classic family favorite to the next level. It combines noodles, meat sauce and cheese in the ultimate comfort food.

Course Main Dish, Pasta Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 8 servings

Calories 501kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Equipment

• Baking Dish (9×13)
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons

Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausages
• 1/2 cup chopped onion white or yellow
• 3 large garlic cloves chopped
• 1 28 ounce canned diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup pesto
• 10 ounces ziti or penne pasta about 3 cups, freshly cooked
• 4 cups baby spinach leaves
• 6 ounces mozzarella cheese grated or cubed
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

• Boil pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente (still a bit firm). Drain
• Cook sausage, onion and garlic in a frying pan until is cooked through
• Add in tomatoes with juices
• Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes
• Add pesto. Season with salt and pepper if needed
• Season sauce with salt and pepper
• Preheat oven to 375° F.
• Lightly oil 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish.
• Combine pasta, spinach, mozzarella and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese in large bowl.
• Stir in warm hot tomato mixture.
• Place in prepared baking dish
• Sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese over
• Bake until sauce bubbles and cheeses melt, about 30 minutes

Notes

• The sauce can be made the day before to speed up the process on a busy night.
• Cook your pasta al dente, so it is still a bit firm. It will continue to cook as the ziti bakes. It can also be cooked ahead of time and kept in the fridge until ready to use.
• This is a great recipe to double and freeze for later or share with a neighbor.

Nutrition

Calories: 501kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 836mg | Potassium: 550mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1935IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 327mg | Iron: 2.8mg

Continue reading Baked Ziti. This post is from Your Homebased Mom. If you are not reading it from our feed, it has been STOLEN. Please contact Leigh Anne Wilkes to let us know. Enjoy the posts.

Today we welcome Deb from Cooking on the Front Burners to the blog  I’m drooling over this pretty and delicious orange cranberry biscotti.  I love orange and cranberry together and the fact that it is drizzled with white chocolate makes it even better.

Holiday time can be busy and sometimes. you want to sit back and relax with a cup of your favorite hot beverage and want just a little something on the side. This is where Orange Cranberry Biscotti comes in.

What is Biscotti?

Biscotti originated in Italy and is a crisp rectangular twice-baked cookies containing nuts that is often used for dipping into tea or coffee.

Ingredients Needed

• Dried cranberries
• Orange juice and zest
• Butter
• Sugar
• Baking powder
• Eggs
• Flour. I prefer unbleached all purpose flour
• Salt
• White chocolate. Can use chips or a white chocolate bar.

How to Make Orange Cranberry Biscotti

• Mix your biscotti dough together mixing dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another bowl.
• Soak your dried cranberries in a boil of boiling water for 2 minutes.
• Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir to combine.

• Add cranberries into dough mixture and stir to incorporate.

• Spray hands with PAM then divide dough in half and shape into a 4″by 8″ rectangle
• Bake for 25-30 minutes (or until light golden brown and edges start to brown)
• Place parchment paper on cooling rack for 15 minutes
• Slice each log into 1/2-3/4″ slices then place (cut side down) on cookie sheet (no paper) and bake again for about 8-10 minutes turning halfway through.
• After it has cooled drizzle with white chocolate.

More more delicious cranberry recipes try these:

• Cranberry Orange Cookies
• Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
• Cranberry Salsa
• Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce
• Crockpot Cranberry Pork
• Cranberry Orange Marmalade

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Orange Cranberry Biscotti

 Orange Cranberry Biscotti is a perfect flavor combo and makes a delightful and delicious holiday gift!

Course Cookie

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 24 pieces

Calories 147kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Equipment

• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Sheet Pan

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 3 Tbsp orange juice
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp orange zest zest from 1 orange
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 oz. white chocolate not white chips or it doesn’t melt good

Instructions

• Place dried cranberries in a bowl and add boiling water for 2 minutes then drain well.
• In a large bowl combine the sugar, orange juice, zest, and butter with a whisk until well mixed then add one egg at a time
• In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt
• Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix until incorporated
• Add cranberries and mix well then chill dough for 30 minutes
• Preheat oven to 350 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
• Spray hands with PAM then divide dough in half and shape into a 4″by 8″ rectangle
• Bake for 25-30 minutes (or until light golden brown and edges start to brown)
• Place parchment paper on cooling rack for 15 minutes
• Slice each log into 1/2-3/4" slices then place (cut side down) on cookie sheet (no paper) and bake again for about 8-10 minutes turning halfway through.
• Biscotti should be crispy. Remove and cool.
• In a small bowl place white chocolate and microwave on high stirring every 10 seconds until just melted – watch so it does not burn
• Drizzle with a fork over one side of biscotti
• Place in refrigerator to harden (I keep my biscotti in the refrigerator in an air tight container)

Video

Notes

Recipe from Cooking on the Front Burner 

• Use a serrated knife, like a bread knife using a sawing motion to get a nice clean cut.
• If you want long slices like a coffee shop biscotti, slice the logs at an angle.
• Allow the biscotti to cool for 10 minutes after the first bake. If you cut them too soon they will crumble and if you let them cool too long they will be hard to cut.
• Allow to cool completely on a wire rack after baking them the second time. This will allow them to crisp up.

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 67mg | Potassium: 69mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 145IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Continue reading Orange Cranberry Biscotti. This post is from Your Homebased Mom. If you are not reading it from our feed, it has been STOLEN. Please contact Leigh Anne Wilkes to let us know. Enjoy the posts.

The recipe for this Sausage Tortellini soup is the probably the recipe I have had the most requests for. The recipe was given to me years ago by a friend and it’s been a frequent visitor to our weekly meal plan ever since.

The soup has a rich tomato based soup and is full of vegetables, Italian sausage  and cheese tortellini. It is the perfect cold weather meal, it will warm you up and fill you up at the same time! 

Ingredients Needed

• Sweet Italian Sausage
• Cheese Tortellini
• Beef Broth
• Diced Tomatoes
• Tomato Sauce
• Carrots
• Onion
• Garlic
• Dried Basil
• Oregano
• Zucchini
• Parmesan Cheese

How to Make Sausage Tortellini Soup

• Brown sausage, remove from pan, drain and set aside.
• Sauté onions and garlic until tender.
• Add beef broth, water, carrots, tomatoes, basil, oregano, tomato sauce and sausage to the pan and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
• Skim off any fat.
• Add zucchini and tortellini to the soup and simmer until tortellini and zucchini are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Check out more of my favorite hearty soup recipes:

• Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup
• Italian Sausage Soup
• Sausage and Tomato Pasta
• Italian Sausage and Potato Soup
• Zucchini Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

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Sausage Tortellini Soup

Sausage Tortellini soup is full of delicious flavors and is the perfect cold weather meal.  It is packed with tortellini, sausage, and zucchini and I guarantee everyone will want the recipe.

Course Main Course, Soup, Soup Main Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 234kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Ingredients

• 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
• 1 cup carrots thinly sliced
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 14 oz. diced tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 5 cups beef or chicken broth
• 1 – 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini
• 8 oz. fresh meat or cheese tortellini I use cheese
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Brown sausage, remove from pan and drain.
• Set aside.
• Saute onions and garlic until tender.
• Add water,broth, carrots, tomatoes, basil, oregano, tomato sauce and sausage.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes.
• Skim off any fat and stir in zucchini and tortellini.
• Simmer for an additional 20 minutes or until tortellini and zucchini are tender.
• Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Notes

If you need to stretch this soup to make it go farther, add in a 29 oz. can of crushed tomatoe.

Nutrition

Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 818mg | Potassium: 533mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2165IU | Vitamin C: 21.9mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2.5mg

Continue reading Sausage Tortellini Soup. This post is from Your Homebased Mom. If you are not reading it from our feed, it has been STOLEN. Please contact Leigh Anne Wilkes to let us know. Enjoy the posts.