Making comfort food just that much easier
February 1, 2012 in Food Porn, review
[PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED]

Some of the best and most delicious busy week-night comfort food you can put together for your family may not be the fanciest or prettiest, but it certainly delivers satisfaction.
These recipes often also leave you with baking pans that have a crust of baked-on food that can leave the cook with a, let’s try to say this nicely, lessened enthusiasm for making that recipe again. There isn’t a much†more dispiriting thing in the kitchen than a baking pan that has a death grip on baked-on cheese and pasta.
Be honest – how often do you consider a recipe, think it sounds delicious, but then a vision of the baking pan you will have to clean later puts you off the whole enterprise? I don’t like using throw-away foil pans, so that’s not a short-cut I consider for feeding the family on a daily basis.
I tend to use olive oil to coat my baking pans or, if I run out of that, I use a discount oil spray (because that’s what I have on hand a lot). Whether it’s high quality and tasty olive oil or butter or cheapy spray, food still sticks on the pan.
If I am the one loading the dishwasher I scrub the pan with the steel scrubber I use for my stainless steel pans – sometimes with a lot of elbow grease – and then put it into the dishwasher. If someone ELSE loads the dishwasher, they don’t pre-scrub, and I go to unload the washer to find a pan with very well-washed, baked-on food on the pan. I then have to scrub the pan with the scrubber and put it through AGAIN. Yeah – tell me I am not the only one with this issue?
BlogHer – working with the makers of PAM® – reached out to some blog reviewers to use their new spray formulation. You can learn more about the new PAM at this link and also ìlikeî their Facebook page.
I am going to share my experience with this new product, a recipe, and also a chance to win a $100 Cooking.com gift card giveaway plus coupons for the new and improved PAM Cooking Spray and Hunt’s Tomatoes (details at the bottom of this page)
So you could see from the photos above that I made a baked cheesy sausage rigatoni. I hope you try the recipe. Its not a major innovation in recipe development and won’t win any Nobel Prizes, BUT I think your family will find it irresistibly delicious both on the day you make it fresh and as leftovers at school and work the next day.
I have video farther down of the dish burbling away in the oven-you should have smelled it-knock out. Watching the video is the next best thing, and maybe it will entice you to try it.
In terms of stick-factor, this recipe definitely offered a challenge to the new PAM spray formulation.
And how did that turn out, you may ask? I can tell you that the stuck-on food came off with just my bare fingers-amazing huh? I then poured some hot, soapy water in the pan and grabbed my iPhone and shot the video below-showing you how the food was just barely clinging. After the video I rinsed the pan, ran a soapy sponge across it to remove oils and then rinsed it again, et voila – done with the clean up.
Please dont forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom of this page!
Herb Kissed Sausage Whole Wheat Rigatoni Bake
Ingredients
- 1 lb box whole wheat rigatoni
- 1-2 pounds raw sweet Italian sausage, cooked, diced
- 4-6 cups pasta sauce (not white cheese sauce type)
- 32 ounces whole milk ricotta
- 2 whole eggs
- 8-10 ounces freshly shredded mozzarella
- one large ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced
- bunch of fresh basil, rough chop
- bunch of fresh oregano, rough chop
- 1/2 Spanish onion, diced finely
- 1-2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- salt as needed
Directions
Boil whole wheat rigatoni about 3/4 of recommended time, drain, set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Saute sausages on medium heat until 3/4 cooked and nicely browned on the outside.
Remove sausage and cut into small pieces.
In the sausage pan, saute onions in leftover oil, sprinkle with a bit of salt.
Once lightly browned, add garlic and turn off the heat and set aside.
Mix ricotta, eggs, basil, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, until fluffy.
Fold in sautÈed onions and 3/4 of the shredded mozzarella.
Spray your baking pan(s) with PAM lightly. Add boiled pasta. I had to split this recipe across two baking pans. Add 1/2 pasta sauce to each pan, add 1/2 ricotta mix, add 1/2 sausage, mix evenly. Sprinkle tops with last 1/4 of shredded cheese and also add slices of fresh mozzarella. If you like, add a slight glug of olive oil across the fresh mozzarella. Spray some foil with PAM, and then cover the pans.
Bake them about 30 minutes.
Remove the foil and put the pans back in the oven with it on the broil setting to crisp up the surface cheese. Allow to cool 15 – 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy! Leftovers only get better
SWEEPSTAKES/GIVEAWAY RULES
Prize: $100 Cooking.com gift card giveaway plus coupons for the new and improved PAM Cooking Spray and Hunt’s Tomatoes, courtesy of BlogHer and PAM.
To be entered for a chance to win, let me know your favorite recipe that uses PAM.
No duplicate comments.You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
- Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
- Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
- Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
- For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This sweepstakes runs from 2/1 – 3/31.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e- mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here.†
Be sure to visit the PAM round-up page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggersí reviews and find more chances to win!
I use Pam to make omelets–they slide right out of the pan!
My favorite recipe to that uses PAM is the Coconut & Red Bean sticky rice cake! I love it when nothing sticks to the pan!
Amy [at] utry [dot] it
I tweeted about this giveraway: https://twitter.com/#!/uTry_it/status/164833497138200576
Amy [at] utry [dot] it
I love vegan, fudgey brownies…BUT you HAVE to spray the pan with PAM first
katherinedibello (at) gmail (Dot) com
My favorite recipe that uses PAM is broccoli casserole.
I tweeted.
https://twitter.com/Cinbat03
i love using Pam when making crunchy salmon
tweeted https://twitter.com/#!/karinaroselee/status/164939304416706564
I use Pam a lot for all my baking/cooking. One of my favorite recipes that uses PAM is Ham, onion & Mushroom Omelets. It tastes good and I can flip it easily without sticking to the pan.
ctong2[at]gmail[dot]com
I tweeted about this giveaway: https://twitter.com/#!/ctong2/status/165212455159607297
ctong2[at]gmail[dot]com
I like Pam for lasagna.
https://twitter.com/#!/tcarolinep/status/166013400441307136
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
i use Pam when scrambling eggs
i tweeted here: https://twitter.com/#!/bellows22/status/166041698017886208
My blueberry pancakes and waffles definitely need pam
Cheesecake! My graham cracker crust slides easily off of my springform pan when I use Pam.
sweet potato casserole
I use Pam anytime I’m baking… brownies, lasagna, chicken casserole…. I hate scrubbing pans!
My favorite recipe when I use PAM is omelette because then I know it will not stick. It’s a disaster if omelette sticks to the pan, just ruins the entire thing and the filling spills out. Doesn’t look very nice on the table either.
I just like to make some Lemon Garlic Chicken with Pam!!
sweokgrl@gmail.com
tweeted
https://twitter.com/#!/bdiane35/status/167497999373709312
I like the “Almond-Apple Strudel” as seen @ http://www.pamcookingspray.com/recipes-Almond-Apple-Strudel-313.html
Looking forward to baking my seconds!
2nd entry tweet! https://twitter.com/#!/kytah00/status/167499925603618816
My favorite way to use Pam is when I make sauteed Chicken Cutlets.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
I use Pam when I make lasagna and baked enchiladas
https://twitter.com/#!/susan1215/status/169950545426132993
This isn’t really a recipe…but , I spray my egg pan with PAM before I make fried eggs or cheese omelets. Thanks for the giveaway.
Tweet! https://twitter.com/#!/lexiquin/status/170046893362118656
I like to use PAM when sauteeing vegetables for my morning egg sandwich.
I use Pam for my baked glazed Asian chicken wings!
My favorite recipe that uses PAM is when i make a chocolate cake
any casserole I make…. thanks for a chance to win!
And, have a GREAT day!
kmassmanATgmailDOTcom
I like to spray Pam directly on whatever meat I am fixing, right before I sprinkle on the seasonings.. it really helps it to adhere to the meat.
I like to make Spinach Pie using Pam
tweeted
https://twitter.com/#!/kellydsaver/status/171993317960187905
I like using Pam on my glass baking dishes for all kinds of things. Meats, roasted veggies and potatoes. Lots of great cooking starts with Pam!
My greek lasagna is a family favorite but nothing beats that it’s so easy to clean up afterwards when I use PAM
I use Pam to make baked macaroni and cheese!
we like to make veggie omlettes
tweet
https://twitter.com/#!/MeandBells/status/175303021008404480
I use Pam for all my casseroles! Especially for the 2 huge Lasagna’s in my Corning Ware dishes that I make every year for my whole family on New Year’s Day! Pam saves the day!
I love using Pam in place of oil or butter when making eggs over medium.
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/praisetruth/status/178207468168552449
An omelet made with Pam cooking spray always comes out perfectly!
I use Pam when I bake muffins and cookies.
I’ve never thought to use Pam as part of a recipe. I do use it when I’m making something coated with breadcrumbs. A little spritz of Pam helps the crumbs get nice and crunchy.
My favorite recipe that uses PAM is Lasagna
https://twitter.com/#!/HappyTina0115/status/179608565374386178
Baking a cake!
chambanachik(at)gmail(dot)com
I love using pam in my stickybuns
purple_lover_04 at msn dot com
https://twitter.com/#!/purplelover04/status/180892951940055040
My favorite dish to make with Pam is my bacon quiche – no stick issues!!!
https://twitter.com/#!/mermont84/status/181017251258970113
My favorite recipe that uses Pam is my own baked ziti with spicy sausage. Delicious!
I like to use Pam while baking – it makes everything come out easily!
I am not sure if I have a favorite, but I use pam when making steaks. Yummy. sweepmorey at gmail dot com
tweeted https://twitter.com/#!/mommysdizzy/status/183661368371724288
When I make pizza casserole and taco pie thanks
I love making Chef Boyardee Pizza kits and it is IMPOSSIBLE to do without Pam! LOL I use it to grease my pizza pans as well as my hands to spread the dough!!
I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/#!/MsTofuFairy/status/184646327026716672
I want to try the apple cranberry crisp recipe http://www.pamcookingspray.com/recipes-Apple-Cranberry-Crisp-308.html
Thanks for the recipe and giveaway.
songyueyu at gmail
tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/syytta/status/184905337533509632
songyueyu at gmail
Tuna casserole. Sticky ugly without PAM.
Thanks for the contest.
Blogged: http://slehan.blogspot.com/2012/03/win-100-cookingcom-gc-from-pam-blogher.html
My favorite dish to make using Pam is lasagna.
I use Pam all the time when baking bread – it’s necessary for getting it out of the pan smoothly.
Applesauce Spice Bars! (or good ol fashioned brownies)
2nd entry tweet https://twitter.com/#!/kytah00/status/185524307282231296
Brownies are so much better using Pam!
tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/KerryBishop/status/185524721188732929
I use PAM when I cook eggs
works great when I make Bread Pudding
https://twitter.com/#!/LAMusing/status/185593859621920768
I use Pam for everything – eggs, pasta, meatloaf, baking and on and on.
I like using PAM spray for my enchilada casserole and oven french toast!
I use Pam for so many things. I especially like to bake cakes, but things like meat loaf and lasagna are so much easier to clean up after when I use Pam.
Tweet – https://twitter.com/#!/willitara/status/186234056248266753
I always use PAM cooking spray for cornbread muffins and banana bread!
tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/DeeGee13/status/186282929956204545 thanks!