Kitchen

[jeanlake]

Lasagna. I used to make it all the time and it was requested. The last few years I served it for Christmas it didn't set up right or something. Just too mushy. Just weird. I'm setting it aside for a while.

Pumpkin rolls. Used to make a lot and freeze and we'd eat throughout fall and winter. Too much work and messy.

[SandySparkles]

Back when I was a meat eater, I always made baked beans. Whenever there was a function, it was requested and expected, that I would bring some. They were a heart attack on a plate, loaded with bacon, ground beef, butter, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, finely chopped jalapeno, red onion and sometimes just a hint of liquid smoke.. I generally used pork and beans, but sometimes added black beans, or pintos for added texture. The pan was always clean when we were done, and people would start requesting them for the next function. That type of cooking scares me now, and you could not pay me to make it.😂😂 

~~~All we need is LOVE💖

[Foxxee]

Bean soup, lasagna, mac and cheese.  I serve Marie Calendar's mac and cheese with white cheddar cheese and large shells.  Everyone loves it.  They make one with yellow cheddar that is good too, but we like the white much better.  

[wagirl]

Yes ----I always made 2 dishes for every holiday--one was scalloped onions and the other was cranberry mousse--could make them blindfolded with one arm tied behind my back----I don't anymore, as no one was eating them because they are full of whipping cream and buttery delishousness. but my fave nephew has taken over with making them now --he came over a few times and I showed him how to make them. both are so easy.

[house_cat]

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@Foxxee wrote:

Bean soup, lasagna, mac and cheese.  I serve Marie Calendar's mac and cheese with white cheddar cheese and large shells.  Everyone loves it.  They make one with yellow cheddar that is good too, but we like the white much better.  

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I bought the white cheddar one with the shells pasta to serve as a side dish for DH and I just last week.  It was very good. It's not the kind of thing I should eat often, but his doctor actually wants him to gain weight, so I was glad he liked it.

[house_cat]

When we lived back east, my house was the family gathering place. I hosted a gazillion gatherings for every which holiday or celebration.  One of the staples on my buffet was baked ziti with mini-meatballs.  There was always lots of food, but that one was a sure hit with the kids, so I always included it.  I can't remember the last time I made it - probably not since moving here 20 years ago.

[CrazyKittyLvr2]

@house_cat  If it is not too much trouble could you share your recipe for the rigatoni w/mini meatballs.  It sounds like a keeper.

[blackhole99]

I used to make Polish and Austrian dishes like homemade gnocchi, pierogi and golabki, but the family doesn't get together anymore on holidays .It takes so much time to make, I just don't bother for the 3 of us. I may make pumpkin gnocchi for Christmas, but that's not traditional.

[BeccaLou]

@jeanlake It just sound like a forgotten ingredient, don't give up there is always Stouffers, my next to mine go to.

[house_cat]

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@CrazyKittyLvr2 wrote:

@house_cat  If it is not too much trouble could you share your recipe for the rigatoni w/mini meatballs.  It sounds like a keeper.

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Omgosh.  If only it were a recipe.  It's one of those things I could make in my sleep, and probably did on more than one occasion, lol.  The "recipe" I'm posting should serve four people as a main dish and more than that if there are multiple buffet offerings.

Par cook a pound of ziti or rigatoni pasta.

In a large bowl, stir in about 3 cups of tomato sauce, homemade or from a jar. I rarely used homemade sauce for this - ease of prep is the golden ingredient.

Add about 2 cups of ricotta cheese and similar amount of shredded mozzarella cheese.

Stir in some mini-meatballs. I always used homemade, but the frozen ones would be fine.

Top with shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan.

Pour into a 9x13 baking dish.

Cover with foil and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes.

Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is lightly browned.

Notes:

All the above measurements are estimates.  It's hard to mess up this recipe.

When you're adding ingredients, try not to break or mush the pasta noodles.

It may look light pink before baking and you might think it needs more sauce, but it will not look that way after it's baked.

Serve with extra sauce for the people who may want to add some.

I'm sure you won't have to search very long to find a gazillion versions of this online.

It most definitely can be prepared the day before, but if it's very cold you might want to add extra covered baking time.