[30 Day Challenge] Something Italian

Random Observation/Comment #380: I feel like everything Italian I eat today reminds me of visiting my aunt in Pennsylvania. Since I had Chinese food made by my mom every night, other cuisines are a pretty good treat.

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Recipe: Something Italian – Baked Ziti

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Once again, I adjusted the recipe, but I think for the better. I used extra ricotta cheese with the tomato sauce and added some cut up sausage. Remember to cook the sausage on a hot skillet first and cut into pieces. I used a disposable aluminum tray because I was way too lazy to wash. Parmesan cheese is a must.

Lessons Learned:

  •  Add extra ricotta cheese because it really does taste amazing together. They’re like mashed potatoes and anything.
  • Cook the sausage thoroughly before putting it in the oven. The oven will not really cook it that much more, so it’s better to be on the safe side. It’s hard to tell if the center is pink if the whole thing is covered with tomato sauce.
  • Add extra cheese. Cheese makes everything taste better.
  • Don’t forget to speak with a fake Italian accent when you’re making this.
  • Lastly, don’t cook this around Italians because they will hound you about the recipe.

Final Thoughts:

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I followed my gf’s advice and the baked ziti came out amazing. I really like this dish because you can prepare it the night before and then throw it into the oven 30 minutes before dinner time. As I’m putting together the end of this challenge, I think I’m going to make this again for Thanksgiving dinner. Surprise: Thanksgiving dinner is going to be part of the challenge.

~See Lemons Eat Baked Ziti