On the Menu and Baked Ziti

I really have been doing menus for the past couple of weeks, even though I haven't been posting them. We had two big extended family meals this week, as the family gathered for my Dad's 86th birthday. Saturday I made a huge crockpot of barbecue pulled pork. It was okay. I still haven't found just the right barbecue recipe, although I've tried a half-dozen different ones. Someday I am going to find the absolute perfect recipe. Do you have one? If so, please share! We like ours sweet and spicy.

I do, however, have the most perfect baked ziti. It's way better than my old recipe. We had that last night while the menfolk watched the football playoffs. (Pipe down, people. I'm not saying women can't enjoy football; it's just that my daughter and I don't care one whit about it, other than the food and company that goes along with the whole culture.)

Baked Ziti
(Serves 8-10)

1 box ziti
1/2 container ricotta cheese
1 jar alfredo sauce
1/2 jar spaghetti sauce
about 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
about 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan, shredded
Italian spices

Cook the ziti al dente. Drain. Put back in big pot. Add the sauces, ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, 1/2 cup of cheddar, and some spices, like dried red pepper flakes, oregano, rosemary, basil, garlic. (I like to use McCormick's Italian Herb Seasoning Grinder.) Mix together and put into a 9 X 13 baking pan. Add more sauce if you like it a bit saucier. Top with the rest of the mozzarella and parmesan. Bake for about 20-30 minutes at 350.

This is so delicious that I could eat it for every single meal. I really could.

Also on the menu this week:
Pioneer Woman's Ranch Style Chicken
Easy Enchiladas
French Onion Soup
Chicken and Rice Soup

And something in the crockpot. I don't know what that will be yet, so tell me if you have a crockpot recipe that absolutely knocks your socks off. We'll give it the SmallWorld test. I made spaghetti sauce and red beans and rice in the crockpot last week, and both were absolutely amazing. I'll post the recipes when I refind them.

Linked up at Tasty Tuesdays and Menu Plan Monday