By Lacey Vilhauer

Ingredients

• 1 pound (16 ounces) ziti noodles
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound mild Italian sausage
• 5 cups marinara sauce
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 large eggs

Instructions

Cook ziti according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic and onion for 2 minutes. Add beef and sausage and cook until browned. Drain off excess fat and return the meat to the skillet.

Add marinara sauce to the skillet. Use your favorite pasta sauce or make your own! Stir in Italian seasoning, salt and red pepper flakes. Simmer on low heat until the pasta is done. Stir half of the meat sauce into the cooked noodles and reserve the rest for layering.

In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of the mozzarella, the ricotta, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the black pepper and the eggs. Mix until combined.

Assemble the ziti in a 13×9 baking dish or in ramekins for individual servings. Spread half of the sauced noodles in the bottom. Dollop half of the cheese mixture over the top and spread it evenly, then add ½ cup of mozzarella and half of the reserved meat sauce.

Repeat with the remaining noodles, cheese mixture and meat sauce. Top with the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella and the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan.

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbly and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley. Serve hot and enjoy!

By Ann Asher

The first cool evenings of September make sitting outside sound good again. After months of Oklahoma heat, a fire pit, a few chairs and an evening outdoors can finally feel inviting.

Before you strike the match, take a few minutes to make sure your fire pit area is ready for fall.

Start with location. Set a fire pit on a level, noncombustible surface such as concrete, brick or patio blocks, not directly on dry grass or other vegetation. The National Fire Protection Association recommends keeping fire pits at least 10 feet from anything that can burn, including decks, siding, fences, overhanging branches and outdoor structures.

That distance matters even more after a dry summer. Even when evenings cool down, dormant grass, fallen leaves and other dry vegetation can catch a spark fast. Clear leaves, sticks and other debris from around the pit before you use it, and skip the fire on windy evenings.

Check whether your county or town has burn restrictions in place. Drought can linger well into fall, and local rules may change with fire danger. A fire that was fine one weekend may be a bad idea the next if conditions have worsened.

For wood-burning pits, use clean, dry, seasoned firewood. Don’t burn trash, treated lumber or painted wood. Never use gasoline or other flammable liquids to start or relight a fire. Commercial fire starters or ordinary kindling are much safer.

Once the fire is going, keep it manageable. A backyard fire pit doesn’t need to become a bonfire to keep you warm. Smaller fires are easier to control, throw fewer embers and are much easier to put out at the end of the evening.

Keep children and pets well away from the pit, and set chairs far enough back that no one sits directly over the heat or in the path of sparks. The NFPA recommends a three-foot child-free zone around the fire.

Look at what else is nearby before everyone settles in. Blankets, loose clothing, outdoor cushions and even the stack of firewood beside the pit can become hazards if they sit too close.

Keep a way to put out the fire within reach. A garden hose, a bucket of water or a shovel and dirt can all work, depending on your fire pit. Never leave a fire unattended, even if it seems to be dying down.

When the evening is over, make sure the fire is completely out. For a wood fire, water the coals, stir them and water them again until no heat, glow or flame remains. Let ashes cool completely, then store them in a metal container with a secure lid, away from anything that can burn.

A fire pit doesn’t need much to become one of the best parts of fall. A safe spot, a little preparation and a manageable fire are usually all it takes. Then all that’s left is finding a comfortable chair and enjoying an Oklahoma evening that is finally cool enough to stay outside.

By NTFR Staff

It seems to happen every summer. The garden suddenly produces more tomatoes, cucumbers and green beans than anyone could possibly eat, and before long someone asks, “Maybe I should learn to can?”

For many families, canning is a tradition passed down for generations. For others, it’s a new hobby that offers the satisfaction of stocking pantry shelves with homegrown food. Either way, getting started can feel overwhelming. Pressure canners, boiling water baths, jars, lids, processing times and safety recommendations are enough to make anyone wonder where to begin.

Home canning isn’t difficult once you understand the basics.

Canning preserves food in sealed jars by heating them to destroy microorganisms and create a vacuum seal. The USDA approves only two methods for home canning: boiling water bath canning and pressure canning. Which one you use depends entirely on what you’re preserving.

A boiling water bath is exactly what it sounds like. You submerge filled jars completely in boiling water and process them for a specific amount of time. Because boiling water only reaches 212 degrees Fahrenheit at sea level, this method is safe only for foods that are naturally high in acid or have enough added acid to prevent dangerous bacteria from growing.

That makes water bath canning a good fit for jams, jellies, fruit preserves, pickles, chutneys, fruit butters and many tomato products that have the proper amount of bottled lemon juice or citric acid added according to a tested recipe.

Pressure canning works differently. A sealed canner traps steam, and the temperature climbs well above the boiling point of water to about 240 degrees Fahrenheit. That higher temperature is necessary to destroy Clostridium botulinum spores, which can survive ordinary boiling and produce the toxin that causes botulism.

Because of that, you must pressure can low-acid foods such as green beans, corn, carrots, potatoes, meats, poultry, seafood and soups. A boiling water bath isn’t safe for these foods, no matter how long you boil the jars.

For most beginners, water bath canning is the easiest place to start. The equipment costs less, the process is simpler and recipes like strawberry jam or dill pickles are forgiving enough to build confidence. Many people who enjoy preserving fruit eventually buy a pressure canner once they want to put up vegetables or homemade stock.

Pressure canning doesn’t need to be intimidating, either. Modern pressure canners include multiple built-in safety features and are far different from the exploding canners in the old stories many people heard decades ago. Like any kitchen tool, they’re safe when used according to the manufacturer’s directions and with tested recipes.

Whichever method you choose, one rule never changes: always use recipes that have been scientifically tested. Family recipes may taste wonderful fresh, but they aren’t always safe for canning. Changing ingredient amounts, thickening soups with flour, adding extra vegetables or reducing vinegar can all affect the safety of the finished product. The USDA and the National Center for Home Food Preservation remain the gold standards for home canning recipes and processing recommendations.

Today’s recommendations may also differ from the ones your grandparents followed. Research has improved over the years, and food safety guidance has changed with it. Methods like open-kettle canning, oven canning and sealing jars by turning them upside down are no longer considered safe for shelf-stable foods.

If you’ve never canned before, you don’t have to preserve an entire garden your first weekend. Start with one recipe. Learn how to prepare the jars, measure headspace, remove air bubbles and process them correctly. Once you hear that satisfying “ping” as the lids seal, you’ll understand why so many people find canning rewarding.

Opening a jar of peaches in January or serving homemade salsa long after the tomatoes are gone is a special kind of reward. With a little knowledge, the right equipment and a commitment to tested recipes, anyone can preserve the harvest safely for months to come.