Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

Ingredients:

1 - 19 oz. package of Sweet Italian Sausage links, casing removed

12 oz. ziti pasta

1 medium onion, chopped

½ C. red wine

¼ C. fresh basil, chopped

2½ C mozzarella cheese, divided

½ C. Parmesan cheese, shredded

3 T. olive oil, divided

1 small eggplant, cut into ½-inch cubes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 - 28 oz. can crushed plum tomatoes

⅓ C. Kalamata olives, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. In a nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add sausage, crumble and cook until no longer pink and lightly browned.
4. Drain and transfer into a large mixing bowl.
5. Meanwhile prepare ziti according to package directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water, cover and set aside.
6. Using the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
7. Add eggplant and cook until tender and lightly browned.  
8. Transfer to bowl with sausage. 
9. Using the same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic, sauté until tender.
10. Pour wine into skillet, increase heat to medium-high and continue to stir until most of the liquid has evaporated.
11. Add tomatoes and reduce heat to medium.
12. Simmer for 10 minutes.
13. In the bowl with the sausage mixture, add cooked pasta, basil, olives, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, salt and pepper.
14. Stir to combine ingredients.
15. Transfer mixture to a greased 3-quart baking dish.
16. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
17. Cover and bake 25-30 minutes.
18. Uncover and bake for 5 minutes longer, or until lightly browned.
19. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Lasagna with Sausage

Ingredients:

1 box lasagna noodles (12 noodles)
1 jar marinara sauce
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. mild Italian sausage
1 large onion, diced
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
15 oz. container ricotta cheese
16 oz. mozzarella cheese
½ C. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
3. In a large skillet, sauté onion in olive oil for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add sausage and cook for 6-8 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
5. Add sauce and bring to a simmer.
6. Set aside to cool.
7. Stir in ricotta, season with salt and pepper, fold in basil.
8. Cover the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish with sauce/sausage/cheese mixture.
9. Top with one layer of lasagna noodles.
10. Cover with sausage/sauce/cheese mixture, sprinkle with mozzarella.
11. Repeat for a total of 4 layers.
12. Sprinkle with Parmigiano over the top layer.
13. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until bubbling and slightly browning in the corners.
14. Remove lasagna from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Cheeseburger Sliders

Ingredients:

12 count package of dinner rolls

2 lb. ground beef

2 t. salt

2 t. black pepper

2 t. garlic powder

½ onion

6 cheddar cheese slices

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Slice dinner rolls in half, set tops aside.
3. Place in casserole dish.
4. In a casserole dish, combine ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder.
5. Flatten evenly over bottom of pan.
6. Bake 20 minutes.
7. Place cooked beef on top of dinner roll bottoms
8. Sprinkle on onions,
9. Layer cheese over beef.
10. Top with dinner roll tops.
11. Brush with melted butter
12. Bake 20 minutes.
13. Cut apart and serve

Sausage Sliders

Ingredients:

12 count package of dinner rolls or slider buns

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage

1½ C. marinara sauce

8 oz. Fresh mozzarella cheese slices

½ C. melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Slice dinner rolls in half, set tops aside.
3. Place in casserole dish.
4. Cook sausage until no longer pink.
5. Sprinkle sausage over dinner roll bottoms.
6. Spread marinara sauce over sausage.
7. Layer cheese over sausage.
8. Top with dinner roll tops.
9. Brush with melted butter.
10. Bake 20 minutes.
11. Cut apart and serve

Variation:

Layer diced pepperoni slices over the sausage between Steps 5 and 6 for a "Pizza Slider" 

Chicken Parmesan Sliders

Ingredients:

12 count package of dinner rolls

Rotisserie Chicken, shredded (3 cups)

2 C. marinara sauce

8 oz. Fresh mozzarella cheese slices

¼ C. fresh basil, chopped

½ C. melted butter

2 cloves garlic

2 T. basil

2 T. Parmesan cheese.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Slice dinner rolls in half, set tops aside.
3. Place in casserole dish.
4. Sprinkle shredded chicken over dinner roll bottoms.
5. Spread marinara sauce over chicken.
6. Layer cheese over chicken.
7. Sprinkle with basil.
8. Top with dinner roll tops.
9. Combine melted butter, basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese
10. Brush with melted butter mixture
11. Bake 20 minutes.
12. Cut apart and serve.

Breakfast Sliders

Ingredients:

12 count package of dinner rolls

9 eggs, scrambled

6 slices, deli ham

6 slices white cheddar cheese

8 bacon strips

Melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Slice dinner rolls in half, set tops aside.
3. Place in casserole dish.
4. Cook scrambled eggs.
5. Cook bacon strips, crumble once cooled
6. Place scrambled eggs on top of diner roll bottoms.
7. Layer ham over scrambled eggs.
8. Layer cheese over ham.
9. Sprinkle with bacon crumbles.
10. Top with dinner roll tops.
11. Brush with melted butter.
12. Bake 20 minutes.
13. Cut apart and serve

BBQ Chicken Sliders

Ingredients:

12 count package dinner rolls

3 C. Chicken Breast, cooked and shredded

⅓ C. BBQ sauce

6 slices of mozzarella cheese

Melted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Slice dinner rolls in half, set tops aside.
3. Place dinner roll bottom half in casserole dish.
4. Sprinkle chicken over dinner rolls.
5. Spread BBQ sauce over chicken.
6. Place cheese over chicken.
7. Put tops of rolls on cheese.
8. Brush roll tops with melted butter.
9. Bake for 20 minutes.
10. Slice apart and serve.