Wednesday, September 5, 2012

More Dahlia Predators & Pasta Pepperoni Beef Bake

This has been the worst year for pests eating my dahlias! Now I have these beetles nibbling away:
I googled and found out they are spotted cucumber beetles. I am ready for this season to end so I can clean it all up and forget about it until next June.

On to a more tasty subject for humans...
I make this Pepperoni, Beef and Pasta Bake a few times a year and I always change it up a bit.  Since I keep cooked ground beef in the freezer with celery and onions, this is an easy dish for me to make. I just thaw out a pound of the cooked ground beef mixture before I begin.

 I don't use a recipe. You don't really need one.  I will just tell you how I did it because I really HATE to see food on a blog that I want to make and they don't give me a clue as how it was made.

Just cook a pound of your favorite hearty pasta (al dente as it will be cooking for another 30 minutes in the oven).  For two people this will make at least three meals.  Layer the pasta with a tomato sauce  (jarred spaghetti sauce is fine). I also used a yellow cheese sauce because we like that flavor. If you don't, just use 2 jars of spaghetti sauce.  Layer the sauces, pasta, ground beef and pepperoni twice.

This time I had fresh summer squash that I sauteed with fresh Farmer's market onions and scattered it over the top.  I also used a dozen of DH's Roma tomatoes on the top. I skinned,seeded and diced them first.
Lastly I added a cup of Mozzarella to each of the larger pans.

I wrapped these two in wax paper, then foil, and then a brown paper bag. I don't like freezer burn!
I put the labeled bag in the freezer.  We will enjoy these on a blustery winter day sometime between December and February. 

We had the two individual dishes for dinner and they were very good.

9 comments:

  1. Zoey-that looks delicious! Um, you'll let us know when you're serving that , right?? LOL!

    Sorry about your Dahlias. My problem with them this year is not bugs, but size. For some reason, none of mine are more than a foot tall. These are varieties that I've saved from years past---that usually got 3-4 foot tall. Mystery!
    Like you--I'm ready to pull the plug and say NEXT YEAR!!
    :)
    Have a good day, Zoey

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  2. I just think it's this year Zoey. Everything either is dead or looks horrible here too. Surely next year will be a better year for gardeners. Your meal looks fantastic.

    Cher Sunray Gardens

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  3. Yummy looking! You are so efficient! I do good to cook one meal at a time. Besides, we need a bigger freezer as it is.

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  4. I use to have Dahlias but a couple of years ago they just died on me and I never replaced them. I get so discouraged with the various pests that attack our flowers! I had little red beetles on my lilies this year and had to really keep on top of them, otherwise they would have stripped every lily plant I have!!

    Oh my, that pasta bake sure does look delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe, it will be another "must try" on my list:-) xoxo

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  5. Zoey- That sounds like a good old Wisconsin meal to me! MyHero would love it- Thanks for the recipe- xo Diana

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  6. Quick and easy dish! I turn to pasta a lot-we like pasta, tuna, black olives and a bit of Parmesan and olive oil. You can add anything else you like.
    Darn bugs!I saw Stink bugs on what tomatoes are left. : (

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  7. Wow Zoey that looks so good...sorry about your bugs...

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  8. Yum..yum..yum!! I'm with Sue..I'm coming too:)

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  9. Sounds tasty...love the way you label.
    Balisha

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