Looking for easy, cost-effective recipes for a large gathering, potluck or church event? These recipes can be made ahead, require little effort and are guaranteed to minimize the stress of entertaining!
Photo by Karen Hermann
BAKED SAUSAGE ZITI
Serves 8
1 pound ziti pasta
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
Olive oil
1 ½ pounds bulk Italian sausage or links
1 large onion, chopped
3–4 garlic cloves, minced
32 ounces marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup ricotta or pecorino Romano cheese
2 cups freshly grated mozzarella cheese
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh chopped basil, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on medium-high heat. Cook ziti according to directions until al dente but still a little firm (ziti will finish cooking in the oven). Drain pasta and toss with butter to prevent pasta from sticking together. Set aside.
Heat 1–2 tablespoons oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble sausage into skillet. (If using sausage links, remove from casing and crumble.) Cook sausage until brown; drain and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan and sauté onions until tender. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Return sausage to pan and add pasta, 2 cups marinara sauce, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes; mix well.
Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1 cup marinara, then spread pasta/meat mixture evenly over top. Add remaining sauce. Dot the top with ricotta and cover evenly with mozzarella. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes until warmed through. Remove from oven and turn on oven broiler. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese and place under broiler for 2–3 minutes to brown. (Watch carefully so it does not burn.) Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Sprinkle with basil before serving.
Chef’s tip: Enjoy great grated cheese. Pre-grated cheeses contain anti-caking additives that prevent easy melting and add a grainy texture to the finished dish. Freshly grated cheeses melt more smoothly without clumping or graininess, and they have a richer and fresher taste.
Three-meat spicy chili
Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
Serves 8–10
1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño, minced
2 poblano peppers, chopped
1 yellow onion, diced
5 large cloves garlic, minced
½ pound sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch cubes
1 pound ground beef
½ pound bulk hot Italian sausage
2 tablespoons all-purpose seasoning
1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon oregano
1 cup tomato sauce
1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
½ cup tomato paste
2 cups beef stock
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, with juice
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, with juice
Garnish as desired, with grated cheddar cheese, sliced scallions, sliced jalapeños or sour cream
Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, jalapeño, poblanos and onion and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Add steak, and brown. Add ground beef and sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon, and cook thoroughly until nicely browned, 7–10 minutes. Add seasoning, chili powder, cumin and oregano, and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and tomato paste, and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in beef stock. Lower heat and simmer for 2 hours. Stir in beans 30 minutes before end of cooking time. Serve with your choice of garnish.
Seafood mac and cheese
Photo by Gina Moore
Serves 8–10
1 pound cavatappi pasta or mini penne
1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and picked over
1 pound small (bite-sized) shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
8 ounces raw lobster meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon Old Bay or favorite seafood seasoning, divided
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
2 cups grated sharp cheddar (1 cup white and 1 cup yellow)
2 cups grated fontina cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan, divided
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 cups milk
2 cloves garlic, whole
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme (optional)
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon white pepper
¼ cup sherry (optional)
¼ cup plain breadcrumbs
Cook pasta according to package instructions. In a large bowl, combine seafood and season with ½ tablespoon Old Bay seasoning. In another large bowl, combine Gruyere, cheddar, fontina and half of the Parmesan cheese. When pasta is done, drain and return to pot and toss with 1 tablespoon butter to prevent pasta from sticking together. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons butter and set aside. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, add milk, garlic, bay leaf and thyme. Warm until milk starts to steam and slightly simmer, about 10 minutes. Do not allow it to boil! Remove from heat and let the flavors infuse. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add remaining 4 tablespoons butter and flour. Cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes. Do not let brown. Strain milk and whisk into the roux to avoid lumps. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining Old Bay, pepper and sherry and remove from heat. Add 2 cups of cheese mixture and stir until melted and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add drained pasta to roux and stir well.
Layer half of the pasta mixture into the prepared dish and sprinkle with half the seafood mixture and half the remaining cheese mixture. Repeat with another layer. Loosely cover with foil (so foil is not touching the top of cheese layer) and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. While baking, in a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs with remaining Parmesan. Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture. Return to oven and bake until breadcrumbs are golden brown and edges of casserole are bubbly. Remove from oven and let rest at least 10 minutes before serving.
Easy oven-barbecued chicken
Photo by Iuliia Nedrygailova
Serves 8-plus
8 chicken drumsticks
8 chicken thighs
1 cup ketchup
½ cup white vinegar
½ cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Preheat oven to 400 F. Wipe chicken parts with paper towel and place in a large, rimmed baking pan lined with foil. In a medium bowl, combine ketchup, vinegar, sugar, butter, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, mustard and paprika, and mix well. Pour sauce evenly over chicken and cover baking pan with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and brush chicken with barbecue sauce in pan. Bake 30 minutes, uncovered, until temperature on an instant-read thermometer indicates 165 F. Serve with garlicky potato salad (see recipe below) or your favorite side.
Garlicky potato salad recipe
Serves 10–12
4 pounds small baby red potatoes, cut in half
8 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper, divided
½ garlic bulb, minced
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup fresh chopped chives
½ cup fresh chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 400 F. Place potatoes on a large baking pan; drizzle with 4 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat and roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and stir; roast another 30 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, vinegar, 4 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pour over potatoes and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with chives and parsley and toss well. Serve warm or at room temperature.