Four-Cheese Pasta Florentine

This is another one of those wonderful pasta recipes from Kraft. The company also passed along a wonderful guide for preparing the perfect pasta.

"Follow the package directions to ensure that enough water is used for cooking the pasta. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente (tender but still a little firm to the bite), stirring frequently. To prevent pasta from sticking, add it slowly to plenty of boiling water and stir frequently while cooking. Adding oil to the cooking water is not recommended because some sauces may not cling to pasta coated with oil."

Four-Cheese Pasta Florentine

3 cups mostaccioli, uncooked
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed
1 cup 2% Milkfat Low Fat Cottage Cheese
2 eggs
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese


Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, cook spinach as directed on package; drain well. Place in large bowl. Add cream cheese; stir until melted. Stir in cottage cheese and eggs until well blended.

Drain pasta. Add to spinach mixture with mozzarella; mix lightly. Spoon into 8- or 9-inch square baking dish; top with Parmesan.

Bake 25 min. or until center is set.

Makes 4 servings.

Creamy Baked Ziti

This is yet another recipe for Kraft. I latched onto it because I love baked Ziti. Yummy! Kraft also lets us know that you can prepare this recipe for up to eight hours before you need it. Just put it in the refrigerator until you're ready. Just increase the baking time to 30 or 35 minutes or until heated through.

I've never had a problem finding ziti past. If you do, Kraft suggests using other types of tubular pasta, such as penne or rigatoni.

Creamy Baked Ziti

4 cups ziti pasta, uncooked
1 jar (26 oz.) marinara sauce
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
6 oz. (3/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed
3/4 cup sour Cceam
1 pkg. (8 oz.) shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt. Remove from pan; drain. Meanwhile, add marinara sauce, tomatoes and cream cheese to same pan; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently. Return pasta to pan; mix well.

Layer half the pasta mixture in 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with layers of sour cream, 1 cup mozzarella and remaining pasta mixture. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake 20 min. or until heated through.

Makes 8 servings.

Pepperoni Pizza Spread

This recipe came from a magazine some time in the past. I just have the clipped out version. Do you have any of those lying around? Yeah. Most of us do. I thought I'd go ahead and post this so I won't lose it -- and you get to try it too!

Pepperoni Pizza Spread

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise (don't use reduced fat mayo as a substitute)
1 cup chopped pepperoni
1 can (4 oz.) mushroom stems and pieces, drained and chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 can (6 oz.) ripe olives, drained and chopped
1 cup chopped stuffed olives
Crackers, breadsticks and/or French bread

In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. Spread evenly in a 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until edges are bubbly and lightly browned. Serve with crackers, breadsticks and/or French bread.

Makes six cups.

Creamy Chicken Manicotti

I've always thought I must have a little Italian blood in me somewhere. I've never found any in my periodic genealogy searches but it's got to be there. I love pasta and I talk with my hands. Isn't that some kind of qualification for being Italian? Okay. Maybe it's just another weird Southern trait looking for an excuse.

This is a wonderful company dish. It's also a wonderful anytime dish. Be prepared for lots of laughs as you prepare it though. I never have managed to stuff those manicotti shells too well. I tend to shove the ingredients in one end of the shell and watch it come out the other. I know there's a trick to it. It's just that after all these years, I still haven't found it. This is worth the effort though. Just remember to laugh.

Chicken Manicotti

8 manicotti shells
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 (4-oz) can sliced mushrooms, undrained
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Cook the manicotti shells according to the package directions except don't add the salt. Drain. Set them aside.

Combine the soup and sour cream together, stirring well. Combine half the soup mixture with the chopped chicken. Stir well. Stuff the chicken mixture into the manicotti shells. Remember to laugh as you do this. Place stuffed shells into a greased 12 x 8 x 2 Pyrex dish. It's okay to use another type of dish. I just have a Pyrex dish that's perfect for Chicken Manicotti.

Place onion and margarine in a skillet. Saute until the onion is tender. Add the mushrooms. Stir in reserved soup mixture. Pour this over the manicotti shells.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake an additional five minutes.

This serves about four people.