My West Michigan Quarantine Recipes

Tune in tomorrow, April 1st, to My West Michigan on WZZM - 13 On Your Side - to see some of my Quarantine Cooking Recipes. We are all staying at home right now, so let's cook together.

Update 4-2-2020 Here's the video:

SUPREME PIZZA PASTA BAKE

(Serves 6-8)

1 lb. penne pasta (any kind of pasta will work)

2 cups pizza sauce (or improvise with a combination of tomato sauce, pizza sauce and/or marinara)

Assorted toppings - cooked sausage, bacon, pepperoni, green olives, onions and mushrooms (whatever your family likes)

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Optional garnishes-

Parmesan cheese

Red pepper flakes

Basil

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Add pasta to boiling, salted water and cook according to directions on package. Drain and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the pizza sauce, toppings, and the seasoning ingredients together. Then add the pasta to the mixture and fold all ingredients together. Place in a 9-x-13 baking dish and top with shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted.

Here's a great way to elevate your weeknight meals using a $1 loaf of French bread. With just one - 1 lb. loaf of French bread, you can make 10 cups of homemade croutons. Here's how to make 7 meals out of this one loaf of bread. Here's how to prepare the croutons.

CROUTONS

(Makes 10 cups)

1/2 cup oil

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 tablespoon house seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic, onion and smoked paprika)

1 pound French baguette or country bread, cubed (about 10 cups)

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Combine the oil, garlic, and seasoning. Add the cubed bread to a bowl, then toss in the oil mixture to thoroughly combine. Add the cubed bread to 2 large baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Let croutons cool and add to a zip-top bag or an air tight container and store in a cool pantry.