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Hi, everyone!

I had every intention of being productive after I got home from work last night, but Doug was watching football and I thought…what’s football without my Touchdown Chili Dip?

Touchdown Chili Dip

Ingredients:

• 2 cans Hormel Chili with beans
• 2 (8-oz) bars cream cheese
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup jalapeño, finely chopped
• 1 (8-oz) bag shredded Mexican-blend cheese
• Tortilla chips, for serving

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the chili in an 11'' x 8'' dish. Cut each bar of cream cheese into 4 equal sized pieces. Flatten each piece in your hand, like a pancake, and then place them on top of the chili, making sure to cover it completely. Spread the tomatoes and the jalapeños over the cream cheese. Cover everything with the shredded cheese and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the shredded cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. Let the dip cool for about 10 minutes then serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

I love this recipe because I always seem to have everything I need in my pantry and fridge. Last night, I happened to have a fresh jalapeño, but I often keep canned green chiles in my pantry for quick substitutions. Give this a try for game day on Thursday…betcha your hubby will tell you you scored a touchdown. 

Anyway—that wasn’t actually the reason I blogged today! I was planning to share another brand-new recipe because I bought all the ingredients to make it this week. Pasta has always been a big hit in my house and this recipe a combination of many versions I’ve tried over the years. It’s one of my kids' favorites.

Bauer’s Baked Ziti

This recipe is prepared with the NuWave Pro Plus 8-in-1 Digital Oven (K42840).

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 lb Italian sausage (I buy the patties, it's easier to crumble them into the pan)
• 1 (14.5-oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (24.5-oz) jar of your favorite marinara or 3 cups homemade sauce
• 1 (14.5-oz) can petite diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 lb ziti, cooked al dente and drained
• 1-1/2 lbs grated Mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 (15-oz) tub Ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs

Preparation:

1. Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until they start to soften. (Don't let the garlic burn or it will be bitter.) Add the sausage and ground beef, crumble, and cook until brown. Drain off the fat. Add the tomato sauce, marinara sauce, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Stir and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Take about half of the sauce and place it in a large bowl to cool. In a separate bowl, add 2 cups of the Mozzarella, all the Ricotta and Parmesan, as well as the eggs. Season with salt and pepper again, if desired. Stir gently together just a few times; do not completely combine. Add the drained pasta to the cheese mixture and toss lightly. Add the reserved cooled meat sauce to the pasta mixture and toss to combine.

3. Add half of the pasta mixture to a deep casserole dish or 13" x 9" baker. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the pasta mixture in the pan, then top with half of the leftover Mozzarella. Add the remaining pasta mixture, follow with the remaining sauce, and end with the remaining cheese. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until bubbling. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

This dish freezes really well too…just bake it, let it cool, then freeze. When you’re ready to serve it, thaw it in the refrigerator (I usually do it overnight) and heat it for about 30-40 minutes, or until warmed through.

You'll get a live shot of this recipe tomorrow night on You're Home with Jill(R). I'll see you at 7pm ET. 

From my home to yours,

—Jill