Two Recipes

We're having one of our priest friends over for dinner tonight. I thought I'd share two of my favorite recipes. (I don't do the low GI thing, but I'm sure AYWH can convert my recipes if you need that!) These are both courtesy of my mom, of course.

Pesto Baked Ziti
3/4 lb. Italian Turkey Sausage (casing removed)
1 medium onion - chopped
3 large garlic cloves - pressed
20 oz can diced tomatoes (I use 28oz)
3/4 cup pesto sauce (Trader Joe's has a great jar of pesto!)
10 oz penne pasta - cooked
8 cups spinach leaves
6 oz mozzarella cheese (cubed)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (divided)

Cook sausage, garlic and onion for about 10 minutes (or until sausage is cooked.) Stir in the tomatoes and let them cook for a bit. Add in the pesto sauce. In a separate bowl combine cooked pasta, spinach, mozzarella cheese and 1/3 C Parmesan cheese. Stir in the hot tomato, pesto sauce and mix well. Transfer to a 9x13 casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining (2/3 C) Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.
(If you prefer, you can serve with hot Marinara Sauce on the side. Some people like to add red sauce to this dish!)

Toffee Brownies
1 C butter
4 oz squares of unsweetened chocolate
2 C sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 C toffee pieces (you can use crumbled Heath bars)
1 C mini chocolate chips

In a 2 Quart sauce pan, cook and stir butter and chocolate squares over low heat until melted. Remove from heat - stir in sugar. Add eggs and vanilla - beat lightly with a wooden spoon, just until combined (don't over beat.) Stir in flour. Spread batter in a greased 9x11 baking pan. Sprinkle toffee and chocolate chips evenly over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Remove pan from oven and cool on wire rack. Cut into bars once cooled.

ENJOY!! :)