HALF BIRTHDAY THEMES RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Brown ground beef and sausage in large skillet on medium heat; stirring occasionally. Drain fat. Stir 4 cups spaghetti sauce into meat mixture. Reserve remaining spaghetti sauce for serving.
• Beat eggs in large bowl. Add ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, parsley, salt and pepper; mix well.
• Spread about 1 cup of the meat sauce onto the bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; top with 3 noodles. Spread half of the cheese mixture over the noodles. Repeat meat sauce, noodles and cheese layer once. Top with remaining noodles and meat sauce, making sure to cover noodles with sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil.
• Bake 45 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 15 minutes longer or until noodles are tender. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Serve with reserved spaghetti sauce.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut off tops of bell peppers. Remove seeds and membranes. Rinse bell peppers. If necessary, cut thin slice from bottom of each pepper so they stand upright. Set aside.
• Brown ground beef and onion in large skillet on medium-high heat. Drain fat. Add rice, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper; mix until well blended.
• Pour 1 can of the tomato sauce into bottom of 9-inch square baking dish. Stuff peppers with beef mixture. Place stuffed peppers upright in baking dish. Pour remaining can tomato sauce over stuffed peppers. Cover tightly with foil.
• Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until peppers are tender. Remove foil. Sprinkle stuffed peppers with cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Cut stuffed peppers in half. Spoon sauce in dish over each half to serve.