| MANGIA BENE PASTA |
| RAIN or SHINE PICNIC |
| How many times have you and your family or friends planned an outdoor picnic only to hear that rain is forecast for that day? That's happened to us quite a few times. Or maybe you don't have a space where you're able to cook outdoors but would like to have a picnic anyway. Over the years we've gathered a number of recipes that can be made indoors but still allow everyone to enjoy a picnic-style feast. You can make one or more of the meat or chicken dishes that require baking in the oven ahead of time. Keep the food warm by covering it with foil while you use the final 30 minutes before serving to bake the macaroni and cheese and/or baked beans. These are also great do-ahead recipes to bring on a family outing or to share at a church potluck dinner. |
| RECIPES |
| Baked Chicken Thighs |
| Oven Barbequed Ribs |
| Sausage, Peppers, Onions, and Potato Bake |
| Mark's Mom's Baked Macaroni and Cheese |
| Easy Baked Beans |
| NY-Style Cole Slaw |
| Parmesan Corn on the Cob |
| BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS |
| (Makes 8 pieces) |
| 8 chicken thighs, skin removed |
| 1/4 cup vegetable oil |
| 1/2 cup Italian-flavored bread crumbs |
| 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese |
| Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. |
| Grease or line a baking sheet with foil. |
| On a piece of wax paper, combine crumbs and cheese. |
| Brush each chicken thigh on all sides with some oil. |
| Coat each piece with the breading mixture. |
| Place on the prepared baking sheet. |
| Bake for 30 minutes. |
| Turn the thighs over and bake an additional 25-30 minutes. |
| Note: If you are using boneless thighs, reduce total baking time |
| to 45 minutes. |
| OVEN BARBEQUED RIBS |
| This is really a method of cooking ribs rather than a recipe. |
| Whole slabs of baby back ribs |
| Your favorite bottled barbeque sauce (we like Masterpiece Original) |
| Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. |
| Brush each slab of ribs liberally on both sides with the sauce. |
| Tightly wrap each slab in a large piece of aluminum foil. |
| Place the wrapped ribs on a baking sheet, seam side up. |
| Bake for 2 hours. Remove from the oven. |
| Open the foil packages and transfer the ribs to a clean baking sheet. |
| Brush the ribs with additional barbeque sauce. |
| Turn on broiler or heat an outdoor grill. |
| Broil or grill 2-4 minutes, just until ribs start to sizzle and brown a bit. |
| Cut between bones into serving size pieces. |
| Note: Ribs can be baked up to an hour before serving. |
| Keep them covered with foil. Remove foil and broil right before serving. |
| SAUSAGE, PEPPERS, ONIONS, AND POTATO BAKE |
| (Serves 6 - 8) |
| You can prepare all the ingredients ahead of time and then bake it before serving. |
| This mixture can also be used as a filling for Italian sausage and pepper sandwiches; just omit the potatoes. |
| 2 pounds Italian sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces |
| Olive oil |
| 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into thick slices |
| 2 large green peppers, cut into wedges |
| 2 large red peppers, cut into wedges |
| 3 large onions, cut into wedges |
| 1/2 cup white wine |
| 1/2 cup chicken stock |
| 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend |
| Salt and pepper |
| Sauté sausage in a little olive oil in a large skillet until well browned. |
| Transfer the cooked sausage to a large baking dish. |
| Add about 1/4-inch of oil to the skillet . |
| Sauté the potatoes until lightly browned on both sides. |
| Transfer the potatoes to the baking dish with the sausages. |
| Add the peppers and onions to the skillet. |
| Sauté the vegetables about 5 minutes so that they are still firm. |
| Transfer the onions and peppers to the baking dish. |
| Add the wine, chicken stock, and seasonings to the baking dish. |
| Gently stir the sausage and vegetables to distribute the seasonings. |
| Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. |
| Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve. |
| MARK'S MOM'S BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE |
| (Serves 6-8) |
| 1 pound Mueller's redi-cut macaroni |
| 4 ounces unsalted butter, melted |
| 1 can evaporated milk (do not use low fat or non-fat) |
| 8-10 ounces Velveeta cheese, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices |
| Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. |
| Cook macaroni in boiling salted water for 5 minutes. |
| Drain and set aside. |
| Grease a deep 2-3 quart casserole dish with butter. |
| Put 1/3 of the macaroni into the dish. |
| Pour over 1/3 of the butter and 1/3 of the evaporated milk. |
| Cover with a layer of the cheese slices. |
| Repeat the layers 2 more times. |
| Bake for 30 minutes. |
| For a crusty brown top, leave uncovered during baking. |
| For a creamy consistency, cover with foil and stir once during baking time. |
| EASY BAKED BEANS |
| (Serves 6-8) |
| 2 (16 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained |
| 3-4 strips of bacon, diced |
| 1 small onion, chopped |
| Ketchup |
| Pinch of garlic powder |
| Salt and pepper |
| Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. |
| Put the beans in a deep 2-3 quart casserole dish. |
| Sauté the bacon in a skillet until crisp. |
| Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. |
| Add the onion to the skillet and sauté until lightly browned. |
| Add the bacon and onions to the beans. |
| Stir in enough ketchup (about 1/2 cup) to coat the mixture well. |
| Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. |
| Gently stir to combine all of the ingredients. |
| Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. |
| Serve. |
| NY - STYLE COLE SLAW |
| (Serves 8-10) |
| 1/2 medium head cabbage, shredded |
| 1 large carrot, grated |
| 1/2 green pepper, finely chopped |
| 1 small onion, grated |
| Dressing: |
| 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar |
| 2 tablespoons water |
| 2 tablespoons olive oil |
| 3-4 tablespoons mayonnaise |
| 1 teaspoon sugar |
| Kosher salt and pepper |
| Combine all of the vegetables in a bowl. |
| In another bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. |
| Mix the dressing into the salad. |
| Season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. |
| Refrigerate 4 hours or up to a day before serving. |
| PARMESAN CORN ON THE COB |
| (Serves 6-8) |
| 6-8 ears of corn, husks and silk removed |
| Water |
| Salt and sugar |
| Place corn in a large saucepan or stockpot. |
| Fill the pan with enough water to cover the corn. |
| Bring water to a boil. |
| Add about 1 teaspoon each of salt and sugar. |
| Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 6-7 minutes. |
| Immediately remove corn to a serving platter. |
| Parmesan Topping: |
| 1/4 cup olive oil |
| 2 finely chopped garlic cloves |
| 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese |
| 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley |
| Salt and pepper. |
| While the corn is cooking: |
| Sauté garlic in olive oil 1 minute. |
| Set aside to cool. |
| Stir in the cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. |
| Just before serving, brush the cheese mixture over the hot corn. |
| SUGGESTED DESSERTS: |
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