Copycat Fazolis Baked Spaghetti Food

HEARTY PASTA FAGIOLI

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add broth, tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, onions, celery, carrots, beans, oregano, pepper and pepper sauce., Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Add pasta and parsley; simmer, covered, until pasta is tender, 10-14 minutes.

PASTA FAGIOLI

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook celery, onion, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt in the hot oil until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes and tomato sauce, and simmer on low for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add pasta and cook 10 minutes, until pasta is tender.
• Add undrained beans and mix well. Heat through. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

BAKED GARLIC CHICKEN & MOZZARELLA WITH PASTA * FAZOLI'S COPY

Steps:

• Preheat frying pan to medium high; preheat oven to 350. Grease 13x9 pan with 1 T. of the olive oil.
• In a medium bowl, combine biscuit mix, Parmesan, basil, oregano, garlic and pepper.
• Pull "tenders" from breast halves. Dredge all pieces in the biscuit mixture; pressing it on as necessary.
• Add remaining oil to hot frying pan, and brown the chicken pieces, turning to brown all sides. Remove pan from heat.
• While meat is browning, mix tomato and spaghetti sauces; add garlic & more herbs if you wish. (I'm very heavy-handed with the basil & oregano.).
• Spread a layer of cooked pasta over the bottom (about 1/3 of total pasta) of the 13x9 pan. Sprinkle with 1/4 of the Mozzarella cheese. Spread about a cup of the sauce over this. Repeat twice. (You should have about a cup of cheese left.)
• Lay the chicken pieces over the last layer of pasta-cheese-sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the meat, sprinkle on the remaining Mozzarella.
• Pop in the oven for 30 minutes; then sprinkle on reserved Parmesan cheese, bake for 10 more minutes.
• SERVE: A small green salad and a few slices of crisp apple or orange or a handful of grapes are delicious accompaniments.
• PLANNED OVERS #1: Whatever meat is left, cut into bite-size pieces, mix thoroughly into remaining pasta, cheese and sauce. At the next meal, you may need to add a few drops of water or sauce to juice it up, but reheated--this works beautifully.
• PLANNED OVERS #2: If no meat is left-over, spread pasta in the bottom of a greased casserole, lay some pepperoni slices over the top, sprinkle with a bit of Cheddar cheese, and bake until bubbly. Sounds like SUPPER!
• SUBSTITUTIONS: Add some chili powder to the sauce (try some salsa in there), minced (dried) onions, lots of black olives, and you have a Taco-y flavored dish instead!

PASTA FAZOOL (PASTA E FAGIOLI)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown sausage while breaking it into small pieces, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced celery and chopped onion. Cook until onions are translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add dry pasta. Cook and stir 2 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste until evenly distributed, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 3 cups broth. Raise heat to high and bring to a simmer. Add salt, black pepper, pepper flakes, and oregano. When soup comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium and let it simmer about 5 minutes, stirring often. Check soup consistency and add more broth, if needed.
• Place chopped chard in a bowl. Cover with cold water and rinse the leaves; any grit will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Transfer chard to colander to drain briefly; add to soup. Cook and stir until leaves wilt, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir in white beans; continue cooking and stirring until pasta is perfectly cooked, another 4 or 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in grated cheese. Serve topped with grated cheese, if desired.