From the Kitchen: Pioneer Woman Baked Ziti

It is hard to go wrong with a Pioneer Woman recipe!  We had several friends over for dinner recently; since it was a Friday night, I needed something I could prep in advance since I didn't want my kitchen to be a disaster from trying to cook something on Friday after work.  This was perfect - I prepped it on Thursday night, refrigerated it overnight, and popped it in the oven when I got home from work on Friday.  My house smelled delicious but my kitchen stayed clean!  This recipe makes a TON (we had 6 adults and ate less than half of it!); I froze the other half (unbaked) and used it for a quick weeknight dinner a few weeks later.

Pioneer Woman Baked Ziti

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Servings: 12 (this recipe made a large Corningware casserole and an 8x8" Pyrex for me)

Ingredients:

1 16-oz box ziti pasta

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1 lb ground beef

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, diced

1 28-oz can whole tomatoes in juice

2 14.5-oz cans tomato sauce

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 15-oz container ricotta cheese

1 16-oz block mozzarella cheese, grated

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

Directions:

In a large pot of salted water, boil the ziti noodles according to package directions until just shy of al dente (otherwise they'll be mushy after baking the ziti).  Rinse it under cold water (I add ice cubes) to cool it down and stop the cooking process.  Set aside.

In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, saute the ground Italian sausage, ground beef, minced garlic, and diced onion until the meat is well browned.  Drain excess fat.  Add the canned whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.  Salt and pepper to taste, stir well, and let simmer for 25-30 minutes.  Set aside 3-4 cups of sauce in a separate bowl to cool.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta, 2 cups of grated mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and egg.  Add the cooled, cooked ziti and the cooled meat sauce that was previously set aside and stir to combine.

In a greased casserole (e.g., Corningware) or glass (e.g., Pyrex) dish, add half of the pasta mixture.  Top with half of the remaining sauce and half of the remaining grated mozzarella.  Repeat with another layer of the pasta mixture, the rest of the sauce, and the rest of the grated mozzarella.

Bake at 375 degrees approximately 20 minutes or until heated through and bubbling.  Allow to sit 5 minutes before serving.

Click here to see my other Pioneer Woman recipes!

From the Kitchen: Pioneer Woman "The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever"

It's hard to go wrong with a Pioneer Woman recipe - they are all SO good (probably because they're so unhealthy, but I try not to think about that).  I needed a dessert for last weekend when we had some of B's high school friends over for dinner; however, I was helping a friend out by watching her 3-year-old son while she went to a funeral that day, so I needed something I could make a day in advance.  This was my first time trying this Pioneer Woman cake, and it was delicious - and tasted great even though it was made a day ahead of time!

All of the Pioneer Woman's recipes are scaled to feed a small army; this is a halved version of her recipe so that it makes one 9x13" Pyrex-sized cake.  (Her original recipe makes a whopping 18x13" sheet cake that "feeds 24".)

Pioneer Woman's "The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever"

Serves: 12 (makes one 9x13" Pyrex cake)

Ingredients:
Cake:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 heaping tablespoons baking cocoa
• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup buttermilk (you can use regular milk + 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar instead)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
• 7 tablespoons butter (7/8 stick)
• 2 heaping tablespoons baking cocoa
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and use cooking spray to grease a 9x13" glass Pyrex baking dish.

In a medium saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter.  While the butter is melting, measure 1 cup flour and 1 cup granulated sugar into a mixing bowl.  Add 2 heaping tablespoons of baking cocoa to the melted butter in the saucepan.  Stir, then add 1/2 cup boiling water.  Allow the mixture to bubble for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and pour into the mixing bowl over the flour and sugar, and stir to mix.

In a measuring cup, pour 1/4 cup buttermilk.  Add 1 egg and beat with a fork.  Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and stir to mix.

Pour the milk/egg mixture into the mixing bowl and stir.  Pour into the greased 9x13" baking dish and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

While the cake bakes, melt 7 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan.  While the butter melts, finely chop 1/4 cup of pecans.  (If you don't like nuts, you can just omit.)  Add 2 heaping tablespoons of baking cocoa to the melted butter in the saucepan.  Stir, and allow the mixture to bubble for 30 seconds.  Remove from heat and add 3 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.  Stir, then add 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar.  Whisk the icing until no powdered sugar clumps remain.  Stir in the chopped pecans.

Pour the icing over the warm cake, spreading evenly.  Allow to cool slightly before serving (or, if you're like me, make it a day ahead of time and warm in the oven.)  This cake is great served with vanilla ice cream!

Click here to see my other Pioneer Woman recipes!

From the Kitchen: Pioneer Woman French Toast Casserole

This post combines two of my favorites - the Pioneer Woman and brunch!  I've made this French toast casserole for brunch many times, including last weekend when we had our neighbors over.  It's great for groups because it's easy to make in large quantities, and even better because it can be prepped in advance and assembled and baked in the morning.  The streusel crumb topping is cinnamon-y and crunchy, the French toast is soft and thick....topped with syrup and served with fruit (and maybe a mimosa...), this recipe is everything I love about brunch.  Definitely a crowd pleaser!

French Toast Casserole

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Yield: 10-12 servings
Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 loaf thick, chewy bread*
8 eggs
2 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Topping:

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed.

*French, ciabatta, or sourdough bread are good options.  You canNOT use normal sandwich bread for this - the texture won't be right.  When I have leftover French bread that is just going to go stale (or even if it's already stale - it doesn't matter), I'll tear it into bite-size chunks and put it in a Ziploc bag in the freezer to save for this recipe!  Or, if you spot a loaf of day-old French bread on Manager's Special at the grocery store, it's perfect for this!

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13" Pyrex dish with cooking spray.  Tear the loaf of bread into bite-size chunks and spread evenly in the pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla.  Pour evenly over the bread, ensuring that all of the bread chunks are wet (press lightly with your hands to soak up the egg mixture if necessary).

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cold cubed butter using a pastry cutter until the butter crumbly - the size of peas.  Spread the topping over the top of the bread mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Remove from the oven and serve with syrup or powdered sugar.

To prepare in advance:

Tear the bread into chunks and place in the greased Pyrex dish; cover.  Make the egg mixture and store in a Tupperware container in the refrigerator.  Make the crumb topping and store in a Ziploc bag or Tupperware container in the refrigerator.  When you are ready to make the casserole, simply pour the egg mixture over the bread, then top with the crumb topping, and pop it in the oven!

Click here to see my other Pioneer Woman recipes!

From the Kitchen: The Best Cinnamon Rolls (based on the Pioneer Woman's recipe)

These cinnamon rolls are addictive - I only make them a couple of times a year because somehow the entire pan disappears in our house.  That Pioneer Woman knows what she is doing!  This recipe has a couple of small modifications (read: shortcuts) from the Pioneer Woman's original cinnamon roll recipe and only makes half as many (about 18 cinnamon rolls instead of 36).  I make them in 2 pans - a 13x9" and 9x9" Pyrex.  They take a while to rise but the actual active prep time is so quick and easy!

The Best Cinnamon Rolls
Yield: ~18-20 large cinnamon rolls
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

Dough:
2 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 package active dry yeast
4 1/2 cups flour, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tablespoon salt

Filling:
2 sticks softened butter
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 cup granulated sugar

Icing:
1 lb powdered sugar (about 1/2 of a standard sized package)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/8 cup brewed coffee
Pinch of salt

Directions:

Mix the milk, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup.  Microwave for 1-3 minutes, until a thermometer dipped into the bowl reads between 100-110 degrees.  Give the mixture a final stir to distribute the sugar, and sprinkle the package of yeast on top.  Let it rest for 5 minutes.  Measure 4 cups of flour into a mixing bowl, and add the liquid mixture.  Stir the mixture until well combined, cover, and let rise for at least one hour.

After the dough rises, add 1/2 cup additional flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and stir until well combined.  If baking on the same day, let the dough rise for another 30 minutes.  If baking the next day, place in the refrigerator overnight. (I think it is easier to roll them out using cold dough!)

To prepare the filling, mix 2 sticks of room-temperature softened butter, cinnamon, and granulated sugar until well combined (it should form a brown paste).  

To prepare the icing, mix all of the ingredients in mixing bowl, using a whisk.

To roll out the cinnamon rolls, generously flour a clean counter surface.  Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/4" thick - at least 30" x 20".  Using a rubber spatula, spread the filling evenly across the top of the dough, making sure to reach all the edges.  Starting with one of the long edges, roll the dough tightly towards the other long edge of the rectangle,  Pinch the final seam to seal the filling inside.  Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 to 1 1/2" slices.  Place the slices into greased pans (aluminum pans would work well, or glass Pyrex dishes), leaving a small amount of space between the rolls.  (I fit 12 rolls in a 9x13" Pyrex).  Allow the dough to rise in the pans for 30 minutes before baking.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until the tops are starting to lightly brown.  Remove from the oven and immediately drizzle with the icing, allowing it to cover all of the tops and edges of the cinnamon rolls.  Serve warm or reheat if serving later (they reheat really well!)

Click here to see my other Pioneer Woman recipes!