Cookbook offers hardy recipe for Fall

I finally got a copy of the cookbook I’ve been wanting, thanks to Fred and Celeste Meunier. “Piecing A Meal,” by the Foothills Quilters Guild, was truly worth the wait.

As I was looking through this new cookbook, I found a recipe that not only sounded so good, it included one of my favorite ingredients: Pasta!

I baked the Company Baked Ziti Saturday evening and received such good reviews and comments that I wanted to share it immediately. With the weather cooling and Fall just a day away, this is a good hardy dish, and the spices are just right.

It makes a good pan-full, but don’t worry. This pasta dish is great warmed up the next day.

Celeste said she had been making this Company Baked Ziti for years. All it needs to complete the meal is salad and garlic bread.

Celeste Meunier’s Company Baked Ziti

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. sweet Italian pork sausage

1 large onion, minced

2 jars or cans (26 1/2 oz. size) spaghetti sauce

16 oz. pkg. ziti pasta, cooked and drained

2 Tablespoons minced garlic (optional)

6 oz. pkg. sliced provolone cheese

1 cup sour cream (light sour cream will work, but not fat free)

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, fresh grated

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tablespoon dried basil leaves

Brown meats, onion and garlic in skillet on medium heat until browned. Drain. Stir in sauce, and add seasonings, salt, pepper and basil.

Cook on low heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Put a few tablespoons of the sauce on the bottom then half the pasta, layering up with the provolone cheese, sour cream and half of the sauce.

Add the next layer of pasta, then the mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce.Top with the Parmesan Cheese.

Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted.