Baked Ziti

"Mommy Anne, sa susunod, gan'on uli ha?" Robyn said as she kissed me goodbye.
"Okay!"
"Baliktad uli, ha?" She was on her way out the door.
I chuckled, then called out after her, "Okay!"

Robyn was referring to the "rearranged" meal sequence we had when they came to visit. Their father, my brother Ryan, hankered for lunch at 9 am, complaining he didn't have breakfast.

"'Kala ko ba nag-drive thru kayo? (I thought you had drive-thru breakfast?)" I asked him.
"Eh ako kaya ang nagda-drive! (But my hands were on the wheel!)"

So I made brunch. I wanted Baked Chicken Macaroni (I even poached and flaked chicken to boot), like the ones mom used to make at Christmas, but alas, I only had ziti in the house. Baked Ziti it was.

Then, at 11 am, Gambel, who didn't have any of the ziti, asked for pancakes and so I made some and served them at lunch time. So, as Robyn put it, baliktad. We had lunch at 9 am, and breakfast at lunchtime!

Then again, we enjoyed both eatings.


Baked Ziti

What's In It?

400 g. ziti, cooked al dente
5 T canola or olive oil
1 chicken breast, poached and flaked
5 salami slices, diced
1 large onion, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red bell pepper, minced
1 t salt
1 large pack (750 ml) spaghetti sauce
Mozzarella or quickmelt cheese

Kitchen Conjugations:

Heat oil over medium heat. Saute onions until almost translucent, then add garlic. Stir fry for 30 seconds more.

Add chicken flakes, diced salami and bell pepper, then stir fry for one minute. Season with salt, then pour in spaghetti sauce. Let boil then simmer for another 30 seconds. Stir in cooked ziti and toss to coat.

Transfer into a baking dish and top with mozzarella or quickmelt cheese, then bake for 5 to 10 minutes at 250C or until cheese bubbles and/or has melted. Serve with garlic bread toast or biscocho. :)