Pizza Lasagna

Two different Italian dishes in one! Can't beat that!

9 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 (15-oz.) can pizza sauce
1 (14 1/2-oz.) can diced tomatoes seasoned with green pepper and onion, undrained
1 (15-oz.) container ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
8 oz. (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
2 (3 1/2-oz.) pkg. pepperoni slices
1 (4.5-oz.) jar sliced Mushrooms, drained
1 (2 1/4-oz.) can sliced ripe olives, drained
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook lasagna noodles to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12x8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In medium saucepan, combine pizza sauce and tomatoes; cook until thoroughly heated.
3. In medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese and Italian seasoning; mix well.
4. Spread 1/4 cup sauce mixture in bottom of sprayed baking dish. Arrange 3 cooked noodles over sauce in baking dish. Spoon and spread half of ricotta mixture over noodles; top with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 1 cup sauce, 1/3 each of the pepperoni slices, mushrooms, olives and bell pepper. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining 3 noodles, sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni slices, mushrooms, olives and bell pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake at 350°F. for 30 to 35 minutes or until lasagna is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Ashlee side note: if your children are like mine...the mushrooms, green peppers, and diced tomatoes just might KILL them. :0) Though I leave in the shrooms and make my kids pick them out, I usually omit the tomatoes and peppers. This means it might require a bit more pizza sauce, so better get two cans. :0)

Canneloni

1 (16 oz.) package manicotti shells
16 oz. cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 large eggs
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 (14 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (16 oz.) jar Alfredo sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, optional for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a 13x9 dish.
Cook pasta shells using package directions; drain.
Combine cottage cheese, 1 cup parmesan, chicken, eggs, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Fill pasta shells with the cottage cheese mixture.
Arrange pasta shells in a single layer in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half the remaining Parmesan.
Pour Alfredo sauce crosswise over half of each pasta shell. Pour spaghetti sauce over the other half of the pasta shells. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. bake for 30 minutes. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Ashlee side note: OK...an easy way to do this is to take lasagna noodles and spread filling over each noodle like you are buttering a piece of toast. Then, roll up the noodle into a little spiral and place in the pan. I don't know about you, but I'm retarded when it comes to stuffing shells. I usually tear them. So, this is an easier way to have "stuffed" pasta. When you put the shells into the 9x13 pan, you will have two rows of about 5 shells. Cover half of each row with white sauce and the other half of each row with red sauce. So, you'll have white/red/white/red. Does that make sense? It makes for a nice twist on just having only white or only red sauce.