Roasted Red Pepper Paninis with Garlic Chevre

Making the old classic Sunday Pot Roast, Carrots & Potatoes in the slow cooker today.  I remember coming home from church on Sundays as a little girl and the whole house smelling amazing...  makes me very nostalgic.  :)

I cleaned all day, did eight billion loads of laundry, and found time to make paninis for lunch.  Getting myself in order for the new year.  Feels good. 

Red Pepper Paninis couldn't be simpler.  Here's what you'll need: 

1 loaf ciabatta bread
1 jar roasted red peppers
1 container garlic goat cheese ( I use the garlic and herb chevre made by Jumpin Good Goat Dairy...they're local, their cheese is delicious, and their baby goats are sooo cute!!)
olive oil

I just slice the ciabatta sandwich size, and then in half.  I scoop out a bit of the bread insides...makes for a crispier sandwich.  Spread both sides with goat cheese and put one layer of roasted red peppers on one half.  Put the halves together.  Heat a couple T of olive oil over medium high heat in a nonstick skillet.  Cook sandwich on first side until golden brown.  I usually put a heavy cast iron skillet on top of the sandwich to weight it down while cooking.  Flip the sandwich and cook the other side until golden brown.  Remove from heat, slice in 1/2 and serve! 

Baked Ziti

Yum, yummy yum.  :) 

Baked Ziti.  I made this recipe up years ago and I always play it by ear.  Or tongue.  Or what the heck ever.  :)  It depends on how many people you're feeding, what else you're serving with it, etc. 

If I'm serving 4 people, with garlic bread and salad, I use an 8x8 baking dish.  I pour the dry ziti into it to eyeball how much ziti I will need.  I never measure anything with this dish. 

Here's what you'll need:
1 lb italian sausage
1 jar marinara sauce (whatever your favorite is... I like Bertolli Olive Oil & Garlic)
1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese
1 small carton heavy cream
1 box ziti or penne or rigatoni

Preheat your oven to 350.
Cook the pasta according to directions, undercooking by about 2 minutes.  Drain and reserve.
Brown sausage.  Once nearly cooked through, add the whole jar of marinara.
Add heavy cream just until the sauce turns an orange-y color.  You don't want to over-do...just make the sauce creamy. 
Add the pasta to the meat/sauce.
Place a layer of pasta mixture into your baking dish. 
Top with a layer of cheese.
Repeat, until all the pasta mixture and cheese have been used up. 

Bake, covered, for 20 minutes.  Uncover, bake 10 more minutes.  Broil until golden brown and bubbly on top.  Serve with ceasar salad and garlic bread. 

I know this recipe is kind of unexact and crazy, but that's why I love it.  You really can't mess it up.  :)