We’re eating baked rigatoni in a turkey bolognese covered with melted Havarti and mozzarella then garnished with fresh basil.

I realize it’s the middle of summer and most people aren’t in the mood to turn their ovens on to 450 degrees, but what can I say! I wanted some oozing cheesy baked pasta mixed with loads of hearty bolognese, zucchini, creminis and fresh basil! Give a girl a break. Sometimes you have to sweat for what you want…In my case that appears to be Italian food!

I really can’t say enough about the difference that using good canned tomatoes vs. cheap acidy canned tomatoes makes in pretty much any dish. If you can find them, spend the extra dollar and get the San Marzanos. Also, as another side note, heavily salting your pasta water truly makes the difference between bland and flavorful pasta. Aim for nearly sea water levels and you’ll have delicious pasta every time.

Recipes in this post:

• Baked Rigatoni with Turkey Bolognese

Related posts:

1. Turkey Cooking Basics
2. Chipotle Brined Grilled Butterflied Turkey
3. Knorr Homestyle Stock Bad Boy Macaroni and Cheese