Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta

(adapted from Ina Garten's Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes)

Ingredients:
*½ pound fusilli (spirals) pasta
*1 pound cooked chicken, diced
*Sea salt to taste
*Extra virgin olive oil
*1 pound ripe tomatoes, diced
*1 pound feta cheese
*6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:
5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons good olive oil
2 garlic cloves, diced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, julienned

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil according to the directions on the package. Drain well, and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl, and add the chicken, tomatoes, feta, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth. Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well!

GG H's Lasagna

Cook lasagna noodles as directed on the box ( I usually use about 12 noodles)

While noodles are cooking...
Brown 1 lb. of ground beef, or ground turkey (I use turkey)
Mix with 2 15 oz. cans & 1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
Add: 1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground oregano
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Simmer for a little bit

Using a 9x13 pan, layer first 4 noodles
Poor 1/3 of the sauce over top
Sprinkle 1/3 of the mozz. cheese
Add some cottage cheese, as well as some Parmesan
Add the next layer of noodles & repeat until gone

Bake @ 350, until it begins to bubble on the sides and in the middle ~30-45 minutes.

Baked Ziti

*1 pound ground turkey (you could also use ground beef or ground chicken)
*1 zucchini, chopped
*1 yellow squash, chopped
*1 cup mushrooms, chopped or sliced (matter of preference)
*½ cup chopped onion
*1-16ounce package penne
*1 jar marinara sauce (or make your own)
*1½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
*Spices to taste: oregano, basil, and garlic
*Parmesan cheese (optional)
*Extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°. Cook penne according to package directions until done to preferred consistency (I can't stand mushy noodles...al dente is the only way to go around here!). While noodles are cooking, sauté meat in olive oil, oregano, basil, and garlic until done. In a separate pan, sauté veggies in olive oil (or steam them) until soft, usually 10 minutes or so (you can cook the veggies in the same pan as the meat, just add them in once meat is done-I cook them separately so they are done around the same time). Mix noodles, meat, marinara sauce, & 1cup of the mozzarella cheese & pour into 9"×13" baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese & Parmesan, and bake until cheese is melted & sauce is bubbly (about 25-30minutes).

*Other yummy veggies to add if desired: tomatoes, bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, or green), etc. I just cook them with all the rest of the veggies and reduce the amount of noodles to compensate for the extra volume!