Baked Ziti

From Taste Of Home magazine. Submitted by Eileen Anderson.

12 oz ziti or penne noodles

2 lbs ground beef

1 28 oz jar spaghetti sauce

2 eggs

1 15 oz carton ricotta cheese

2 1/2 C shredded mozzarella 

1/2 C grated Parmesan

Cook pasta, drain. Brown ground beef with some dried onion, drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce. In a large bowl combine eggs, ricotta, 1 1/2 C mozzarella and Parmesan.  Add drained pasta to cheese mixture and toss to coat. 

Layer 1/3 of meat mixture into a 9x13 pan or deep dish lasagna pan; too with 1/2 pasta mix. Repeat layers and top with remaining 1/3 meat mixture. 

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and bake 5-10 minutes more. Let stand 15 minutes before serving to allow it to set. 

Serve with salad and bread.

Taco Soup

from the Glenview Ward 1997 cookbook, submitted by Shelly Adams (my old VT companion)

1/2 lb grd beef
1 onion, chopped
1 pkg taco seasoning
2 16 oz cans stewed tomatoes
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained (I sub pinto beans, since we live in the pinto bean belt, and I usually cook up 1 1/2-2 lbs instead of a can. Stretch that soup!)
1 16 oz can corn, drained
2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
1/4 C brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Brown beef with onion. Remove any grease. Stir in taco seasoning, tomatoes, beans, corn, tomato sauce, brown sugar and salt and pepper. Simmer til warmed through. Serve with tortilla chips. Add grated cheese and sour cream to your bowl of soup if desired.

My variations: I often use up leftover taco meat in this soup, makes it a snap to put together. I often leave out the sugar and stewed tomatoes. I have started putting stewed tomatoes through my blender to reduce the chunks and that helps. I don't get bothered by tomato acidity, hence no sugar added, but if tomatoes are too acidic for you, throw the sugar in.

looks better in the bowl with some cheese