Three Cheese Baked Ziti with Spinach

This is one of my husband's favorite dishes. I always make it on a Friday so him and the little one can slowly house it over the weekend while I'm at work. And of course, it's another vehicle for spinach. It couldn't be easier, and I nearly always have the ingredients on hand. There is a lot of cheese in this, so instead of grabbing a jarred pasta sauce, which is the easiest route, I tend to go for unsalted diced tomatoes from a can to make a quick sauce. It only tacks on a few more minutes, but it is definitely worth it for the flavor you end up with. 

You can also get this pasta dish assembled ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for a few days before you bake it off. Need to freeze it for up to 3 months? No problem. Ensure it's tightly wrapped with plastic wrap, then foil, and place in the deep chill. Just thaw it in the fridge at least 1 day in advance before baking @ 350* for ~90 minutes, till the cheese starts to turn golden and the sauce is bubbling up on the sides.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ziti, cooked a few minutes
   shy of al dente
1 28 oz can + 1 14 oz can unsalted
   diced tomatoes, pref organic
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried marjoram
2 garlic cloves, chopped
pinch of salt and pepper
1 1 lb bag frozen chopped 
   spinach, pref organic
~6 ounces soft goat cheese
~8 ounces fresh mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 350*. Set a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil. Meanwhile, set a large (12") non-stick skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp or so of olive oil. Add the onion and saute till translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the frozen spinach and cook, stirring occasionally for 8 more minutes. Blitz the tomatoes, garlic, oregano and marjoram in a food processor and add to the spinach. Simmer on low for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the pasta 3 minutes shy of al dente per brand's instructions. Drain well, and place back in pot. Pour over the spinach and tomato sauce. Crumble in the goat cheese and give only a couple of stirs. Having a few pieces of whole soft goat cheese in here is lovely- you don't want it completely integrated. 

Pour the pasta into your favorite 9 x 13ish casserole dish that has been lightly spritzed with olive or canola oil. Shred the mozzarella with your hands and evenly top the pasta with it. Sprinkle with Parmasan. Bake on the center rack of your oven for about 30 - 45 minutes, or till mozzarella is completely melted and the Parm has started to brown. Allow casserole to sit for 5 - 10 minutes before serving. 

Cheddar Cheese Bread

I've decided that this amazing quick bread will be the final post for the ode to America's Test Kitchen week. Mainly because it is something that is easy enough to put together on a weekday, but indulgent enough to munch on over your weekend. 

People go nuts for this bread. I am not over exagerating. I have even used this bread as an appetizer by cutting it into large yet still bite sized cubes served with no accompaniments, and the entire loaf was gone before any of the other goodies. It has everything you want in a savory snack - its cheesy, crispy, chewy, salty, a little spicy... its incredible.

And I haven't even begun to rave about the toast - it is crazy good. I've been known to toast a piece of this bread as soon as it has cooled down enough to cut. This bread is really the best toasted, and it doesn't even need butter! Butter does make it over the top, but it remains ridiculously good with out. This bread will keep for 5 days in an airtight container or ziplock bag. It also freezes well for up to a month.

INGREDIENTS

3 oz (1 cup) Parmesan cheese grated on large holes of box grater

3 c AP flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp black pepper

4 ounces (1 cup) extra-sharp cheddar cut into 1/2" cubes

1 1/4 c whole milk

3/4 c sour cream

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 ensuring there is a rack in the middle position. Sprits a 9 by 5" loaf pan with vegetable oil spray and sprinkle half of the Parmesan evenly over the bottom.

Whisk the flour, powder, salt, and peppers together in a large bowl. Add the cubed cheese and toss in the flour to ensure it is well coated. Whisk milk, sour cream, butter, and egg in a separate bowl. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry with a rubber spatula until it is just come together (no streaks of flour). The batter will be very thick, but do not over mix.

Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing top with rubber spatula. Evenly sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top. Bake 45 - 50 minutes until golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs attached.

Allow the loaf to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan onto a cooling rack. Leave bread to cool for at least 1 hour - this is always the hardest part, but so worth it.

This recipe is from the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook