We recently had a party, and Chef Boyardee was the chef. Well, he provided some of the food anyway, I did the actual cooking, and got to wear my first chef’s hat while doing it. I invited some friends and their children over for a small get together of about a dozen or so people, and we had a great time doing crafts, playing games with the children, and making some quick and easy kid-friendly meals and snacks to enjoy with the kidlets, including a delicious Three Cheese Baked Ziti Recipe.
I usually make our meals from scratch, but I have to admit having some of the products ready made cooking a family meal super convenient and quick. I was able to spend more time sitting with the guests and children, and less time in the kitchen, which my friends liked also (they always complain they barely get to see me even when they are visiting my home for dinner). This was my first time trying out Chef Boyardee, which is known for hearty pasta meals with meat, ripe tomatoes, and no preservatives.
Our party kit, in addition to our aprons and chef hat, included a children’s cooking set with plastic measuring spoons, a timer, and containers, a stackable rainbow mixing bowl set and two mini-bakeware items from Le Creuset, which I used to make our recipes of Baked Ziti and Ravioli Lasagna that evening.
Easy Three Cheese Baked Ziti Recipe
Ingredients
3 cans Chef Boyardee Beefaroni (split into two 1 1/2 cup portions)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pepper, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Mix tomatoes, pepper, and garlic together in a bowl, and add in the Beefaroni. Stir together and place in oven-safe baking dish.
3. Mix the three cheeses together and spread over Beefaroni mix.
4. Bake for twenty minutes at 375.
5. Let Baked Ziti cool for five minutes before serving with crisp bread…enjoy!
We made a delicious Ravioli Lasagna recipe as well as the Three Cheese Baked Ziti Recipe. Looking for more recipe ideas? Click here. Love making your own recipes? The following contest is for you!
Enter Your Recipe For A Chance To Win Free Groceries For A Year!
Interested in winning free groceries for a year? Now through March 11, 2012, you can enter the Make it Boyardeelicious Recipe Contest on the Chef Boyardee Facebook page for a chance to win a grand prize of free groceries for an entire year by submitting an original recipe that uses Chef Boyardee as an ingredient, a photo, and why your family loves it.
Each week, a winner will be chosen (based on creativity, all-family appeal, ease of preparation, and palatable appeal) by an expert panel of judges. The weekly winner receives a $500 cash prize as well as $75 in Chef Boyardee coupons, and you can re-enter each week until the contest ends. The top ten finalists will have the chance to win the grand prize of free groceries for a year! The grand prize winner will be chosen based on a combined score of votes and recipe qualities.
The voting period lasts from March 26 until April 8, 2012, and voters get a perk too..voting enters you into a daily $100 sweepstakes, and sharing it on Facebook gets an additional entry, so be sure to check out and vote for your favorite even if you aren’t entering.
I wrote this review while participating in a In Home Party campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Chef Boyardee and received product samples to facilitate my party and review, and a promotional item to thank me for participating.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Mmmmm that baked ziti looks so good. This would be a great think for my Granddaughter in college. She is always looking for something quick and easy to make.
Yummy recipe and easy too! Looks like a great meal for the kids :)
that looks really good and I never thought to add cheese to it like that I bet my kids would eat it that way… MAYbE