"Spicy" Chicken & Black Bean Pasta

We've been enjoying this recipe for a while, but only this past time did Siena gobble it all up! I'm not sure if it is just taste buds maturing a bit, but every time she eats a meal completely unmodified I want to jump for joy. Really, I could go on and on about how happy this makes me- in fact, I'm sure I will as I post other recipes of food she willingly (and knowingly) eats.

 This makes a lot! I halved the original recipe and we still ate it for 2-3 days. The original is a little spicier (hence the name), but I'm wimpy so this ratio of spices seemed to work out pretty well.

1/2 lb whole wheat pasta, cooked al dente  (spaghetti & fettuccine work great)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (1 is plenty for our family)*
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1-2 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2-4  oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 small Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 c fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

1. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil  over medium heat. Add chicken, chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Saute until chicken is cooked through, but not browned. Remove chicken and set aside.

2 .Return skillet to heat. Add jalapenos, green onions, and red bell pepper; saute 3-4 minutes. Stir in black beans; heat about 3 minutes. Add feta and chicken, and heat thoroughly. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes. Toss pasta gently with sauce and sprinkle with cilantro.

*I think this could easily be adapted to be vegetarian-just add spices when you saute jalapenos, onions, and pepper. I'd also consider increasing the black beans.

adapted from Lauren Loves Food

Creamy Spinach & Avocado Pasta

 I can't tell if it's just my pregnant state that makes my love affair with meals even better, or if I'm just on a lucky streak with new recipes lately. Usually there are a few duds between every successful recipe, but I've genuinely loved the past few recipes we've tried. I'd been wanting to try this recipe from Giada (which is essentially the same thing swapping arugula for spinach) but, saw this recipe recently and decided to try it first since we always have an abundance of spinach in our fridge. Truthfully, I was a little nervous because I do not especially like the taste of cooked spinach. I try to sneak in it meals here and there, but I very much prefer it raw. I told Nick that this would either be awesome or disgusting, luckily it was the former. Nick said his only complaint was, "That {I} didn't put more on {his} plate." Siena devoured hers and wanted seconds, even when I told her it was a spinach and avocado sauce. Since we each ate a hefty serving of spinach and I was too lazy, this pasta plus fresh pineapple was dinner. Needless to say, we did not have any left overs. We used basil from our garden and since we have spinach starting to grow as well, hopefully in a few more weeks we can try it again with our own bounty. {P.S. We just got lots of organic whole wheat spaghetti from Costco- it ends up being about $1.00/lb which is a pretty great price since normal Barilla is $1.00-$1.40 around here-the whole wheat varieties significantly more.} I've been waiting to go to the store and get another small Greek yogurt so we can enjoy this again! (It just so happens that the amount of yogurt I used in the Chicken burgers + this recipe = exactly one yogurt cup.)

Creamy Spinach & Avocado Pasta

Ingredients

6-8 ounces of pasta
2 Tbsp. butter (next time I'll try 1 Tbsp.)
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch of salt, more to taste
3-4 big handfuls of spinach (about 8-10 oz)
fresh basil, roughly chopped
1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into large chunks
1/2 cup grated fresh Pecorino-Romano or Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, reserving some of the pasta water.

2. While pasta is cooking, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and the spinach to the saucepan (Yes, the pan will be full. Just stuff it all in.) Cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Let the mixture cook for about 4-5 minutes or until the spinach is completely wilted. *Add some of the basil at this time, and save a bit for garnish at the end.

3. Add the yogurt, avocado, and 2-3 Tablespoons of reserved pasta water to the spinach mixture. Stir it a bit, then buzz it up with an immersion blender. (If you don't have one, transfer to a food processor or a blender. Blend well, and return sauce to the pot.) Stir in the cheese, and add more pasta water if it seems too thick.

4. If your pasta is still hot, simply toss the pasta and sauce together in a large serving bowl. If it's not, then combine the pasta and sauce in one of the pots (preferably the larger one) and cook over medium low until everything is hot. Add salt and pepper, to taste and serve with the remaining basil as well as a sprinkle of grated cheese.

from Perry's Plate

Pesto alla Genovese with Gnocchi, Mozzarella, and Tomatoes

Ready for a super vague recipe? Don't worry, it's also super easy and incredibly adaptable. We have been on a pesto kick lately. We love pasta and eat it quite frequently, but we hadn't done pesto in a long time. Pesto can be pretty easy to make, but it is also quite affordable to buy a pre-made sauce. I'm sure Trader Joe's has something fantastic, but we opt for the bottle from Costco which is only like $8 and will last you a while (unless you stay on a pesto kick, like we have). Even my 1/4-Italian husband who is very picky about his Italian food approves of this brand. While you can definitely pair any traditional pasta with pesto- this one has a little something extra to it and looks so fancy with gnocchi. We used cherry tomatoes from our little garden, so naturally, it seemed extra delicious. The tomatoes get so sweet when they're hit with a little heat- " è buono," for sure.

Ingredients

gnocchi
pesto
tomatoes of choice- cherry or grape (halved), or Roma (in bite-sized pieces)
mozzarella, cubed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large sauce pan, bring salted water to a boil. Cook gnocchi until they float- remove with slotted spoon.

2. While gnocchi is cooking, prep 8 x 8 (or any sized) dish by rubbing a bit of pesto  on the bottom and on the sides. Add tomatoes and mozzarella cubes. As gnocchi are done, add them to the prepared dish. Add spoonfuls of pesto and gently toss the gnocchi with the tomato and cheese, until all have a light covering of pesto.

3. Place dish in the oven and cook only until the mozzarella begins to brown and the tomatoes are juicy.

{Confession: I actually broiled this dish the first go around- but then found out apparently you're not supposed to broil Pyrex. Luckily, nothing happened (and maybe it's okay b/c it was broiling for such a short time period). So, if you have a dish that can withstand broiling, that is faster-but watch it carefully.}

Cheese Tortellini with Pepper and Almond Sauce

adapted from Quick Food

{re-post} This is a great meal that can be almost entirely made ahead of time. I made the 'pesto' earlier in the day, then when it was time to cook the pasta all I had to do was add the pesto. I bet the pesto would freeze well, too.

Ingredients

1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
2/3 cup sliced almonds
8 scallions
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lb. cheese tortellini
1/4-1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino cheese


Directions

1. Cute the peppers into large pieces, removing the seeds and membrane. Place, skin-side up, under a preheated broiler until the skin blackens and blisters. Cool in a plastic bag, then peel away the skin.

2. Spread the almonds on a cookie sheet and toast 1-2 minutes in oven, until lightly toasted.

3. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water until al dente. Meanwhile, roughly chop the white part of the scallions and slice the green tops, setting the green tops aside for garnish. Put the peppers, almonds, garlic, and white part of scallions in a food processor or blender and pulse until chopped.

4. When pasta is finished, drain and return to saucepan. Toss the pepper mixture through the pasta, then add olive oil and Pecorino. Season to taste. Serve garnished with green scallions.

Serves 4.

Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta

from Allison

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 large sweet onion, sliced & diced
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
about 1/2 jar alfredo sauce (Trader Joe's)
penne, or your favorite pasta
freshly grated parmesan, to taste





Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325. Place the squash and onion in a 9x13 baking dish and toss with the rosemary, sage, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for about an hour--until the squash is tender and the onions are caramelized.

2. Near the end of the veggie's baking time, prepare the pasta. Toss the pasta with the squash and onions, alfredo, and parmesan to taste, and enjoy!

Pesto Calabrese

Hatch original recipe

After being gone for 5 weeks- home a week- gone another week- having a little gal who was teething and sick and waking up a million times a night plus not taking good naps--- it has taken a bit of time to get back into the swing of cooking. I honestly forgot that you can buy marinara sauce in a jar and cook some noodles and that can be dinner- but I'm glad we remembered that and I am going to keep some on the shelf. However, if you find yourself with time or energy or a desire to make something a bit nicer than jarred sauce and pasta- here is a recipe that is one of our very favorites. Nick came up with this recipe on his mission- and he says it is one he is most proud of since it isn't a very common dish and he figured it out with one of his companions. I will happily admit that anytime I make this dish it isn't quite as good, so I try to sucker him into making it whenever possible.

Ingredients

1 box Barilla pasta ( we opt for penne)
1 medium yellow onion
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. dried or fresh basil
salt, to taste
chili pepper, to taste
red pepper flakes, to taste
1-2 cups of grated cheese ( 1 cup mozzerella, 1/2 cup pecorino romano or parmeggiano, etc)
*bit of Gorgonzola for depth- 1/2 oz, a few large crumbles...
grilled chicken (optional)
diced tomatoes (optional)


Directions

1. Bring salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook until al dente, about 10-11 mintues.

2. Meanwhile, dice onion and bell peppers. In a small frying pan over medium heat add oil, salt and basil and saute onion and peppers, until soft. Place in food processor or blender, and blend thoroughly.

3. Transfer blended mixture to small sauce pan, over low-medium heat, add cheese and melt until incorporated-about 5-10 minutes. (I usually just keep it warmed until the pasta is ready) Add chili pepper/red pepper flakes to taste. Mix with pasta cooked al dente, add in diced tomatoes and grilled chicken before serving.

Serves 6-8.

*We tried the Gorgonzola this last time and it was perfect! The taste wasn't strong by any means, but it really added a little extra something. I highly recommend it with this addition.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Fried Sage

slightly adapted from Gourmet

I found this recipe awhile ago and knew it would be perfect for my little gal who loves all things pasta and sweet potato. Homemade gnocchi does take more time, but I chose to freeze half of it so later on we can enjoy the fruits of our labors without all the labor...


Ingredients

1 1/4 lb russet (baking potatoes)
1 (3/4-lb) sweet potato
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano plus more for serving
1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup sage leaves (from 1 bunch)
1-2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Directions

Make gnocchi:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.  Pierce russet and sweet potatoes in several places with a fork, then bake in a 4-sided sheet pan until just tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

2. Cool potatoes slightly, then peel (can use fork and knife-skin will come off easily) and force through ricer into sheet pan, spreading in an even layer. Cool potatoes completely. (I didn't have a ricer- I just mashed them up really well)

3. Lightly flour 2 or 3 large baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

4. Beat together egg, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Gather potatoes into a mound on the sheet pan and form a well in the center. Pour the egg mixture into the well, then knead into potatoes. Knead in cheese and 1 1/2 cups flour, adding more flour as necessary, until mixture forms a smooth but slightly sticky dough. Dust top lightly with flour.

5. Cut dough into 5-6 pieces. Form 1 piece of dough into a 1/2-inch-thick rope on a lightly floured surface. Cut rope into 1/2-inch pieces. Gently roll each piece into a ball and lightly dust with flour.

Repeat with remaining  pieces of dough. (I just estimated- just eyeball it to the size gnocchi you desire)

6. Use the tines of the fork to make an imprint on 1 side of each gnocchi. Transfer formed gnocchi to prepared baking sheets. (*to freeze see note below)

Sage leaves & Sauce

1. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.  Fry sage leaves in 2-3 batches, stirring, until they turn just a shade lighter and crisp (they will continue to crisp as they cool), about 30 seconds per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season lightly with salt.

2. Add butter to oil in skillet with 1/2 tsp salt and cook until golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Cook gnocchi:

  Add half of gnocchi to a pasta pot of well-salted boiling water and stir. Cook until they float to surface, about 3 minutes.  Transfer with a slotted spoon to skillet with butter sauce. Cook remaining gnocchi in same manner, transferring to skillet as cooked.

Serve sprinkled with fried sage  and grated cheese.

{To freeze gnocchi- transfer baking sheet of uncooked, formed gnocchi to freezer. Once gnocchi have frozen you can place in a plastic bag and freeze up to a month. Do not thaw before cooking.)

Pasta with Turkey Italian Sausage, Tomatoes, Arugula, and Ciliegine

adapted from For the Love of Cooking

     

   When Nick and I were both in school or when I was working we took turns making dinner- usually whoever got home first had the job of starting. That meant Nick cooked a few times a week. We ate a LOT of pasta the first 3 years of marriage.       

      It has taken a while for me to build up confidence to make pasta for someone who lived in Italy and is very particular about his pastas. I still don't think I make any pasta as well as he does, but I am not as sheepish as I once was. The pasta snob and I agreed that this was a delicious, light pasta- the tomatoes were so sweet from cooking with the sauce... the bit of spice from the arugula...and the fresh mozzarella (though Nick did say the cheese didn't compare to Italian cheese at all). Lucky for us, we'll be in Italy in 5 months were we'll get to have all the cheese we want-including the mozzarella di bufala I keep hearing about.

Ingredients

1-2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 small/medium onion, diced 

3-5 sweet Italian turkey sausages, removed from casings and rolled into small meatballs

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2-1 tsp. dried basil (use more if fresh basil is available)

1  1/2 cups grape tomatoes (halved, if desired)

kosher sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

box of pasta (The original called for linguini- but penne is more toddler-friendly)

1  1/2 cups arugula, roughly chopped

10-12 balls ciliegine mozzarella cheese, halved

Directions

 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion and sautee for 2-3 mintues. Place meatballs in the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes. When meat is fully cooked, add chicken broth, oregano, basil, tomatoes, salt & pepper, and stir until all are incorporated. Allow to cook 8-10 minutes, while pasta is cooking.

2. Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain pasta and combine with sauce in a large bowl, tossing to coat. Add the arugula and ciliengini cheese then serve immediately. {If anticipating left overs- only add the necessary amounts of arugula and ciliengini cheese.}

Swiss Chard and Sun-Dried Tomato Skillet Mac

from Perrys' Plate

Ingredients

1 bunch Swiss Chard, washed
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato pesto
1 cup plain yogurt (whole, not non-fat)
3/4-1 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
8-10 ounces small whole wheat pasta (elbow, shells, etc.)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining. Set pasta aside.

2. Preheat your oven broiler. Meanwhile, separate chard spines from the leaves, chop both, but keep them separated. In a large oven-proof skillet heat olive oil and over medium heat. Add chopped chard stems and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic. Cook another 3-4 minutes until vegetables are tender.

3. Add chopped chard greens and stir, cooking, until mostly wilted (another 2-3 minutes). Stir in flour and cook another minute. Add pesto, yogurt, feta, reserved cooked pasta, and about a 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water. Stir and cook until everything is heated through and begins to thicken, about 3-4 minutes. Add more pasta water if you feel it's too thick. Mixture should be rather thick, but still saucy. Not watery.

4. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the pasta and place skillet under the preheated broiler {I transferred to a baking dish} for about 5 minutes or until it starts to brown slightly. Remove from the oven and serve.

Makes 4-6 servings

variations: use kale or spinach

{I think it's inconvenient when pasta recipes call for less than the box makes-- in this case the 13 oz of Barilla whole wheat shells... I chose to cook all of the pasta and just added a bit more of the other ingredients to compensate}

Simple Stir-Fry

adapted from Kelsey's Kitchen

Ingredients

1-2 chicken breasts, sliced thin

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. peanut or sesame oil

2 tsp ginger, minced

1 red bell pepper, julienne

1/2 cup green bell pepper, julienne

1/2 cup snow peas, sliced thin

3 Tbsp. Asian sweet chili sauce

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. rice vinegar

baby bok choy {1 1/2 cup sliced leaves, 2 handfuls diced stems)
1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced on a diagonal

other optional ingredients: 1/4 cup red onion, 1/4 cup mandarin oranges, peeled & segmented
Enjoy with soba noodles or rice...but we prefered soba noodles!

Directions

1. Place chicken strips in a medium size bowl. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss with cornstarch to coat.

2. Heat oil in large non-stick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add minced ginger, stir 30 seconds. Add chicken; stir fry until chicken is beginning to brown an is almost cooked through, 3-5 minutes. Add bell peppers, snow peas, and bok choy stems; toss for 2 minutes. Add sweet chili sauce, soy sauce and rice vinegar; boil until sauce thickens slightly, tossing to blend, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in bok choy and scallions. Stir-fry just until bok choy is just wilted.

3. Serve with soba noodles or rice. Lay a bed of either, top with stir-fry and garnish with additional green onions.

Serves 4

Baked Ziti with Spinach and Tomatoes

adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients

3/4 lb. sweet Italian sausages, casing removed (I used low fat turkey Italian sausage)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced peeled tomatoes
1/4 - 1/3 cup pesto sauce ( I buy in bulk and freeze)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 box Barilla ziti or penne pasta, freshly cooked
6-8 cups fresh baby spinach (about 8 oz.)
6-8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed*, with some shredded to top pasta (I used fresh)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onion and garlic and sauté until sausage is cooked through, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices to pan. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. {While simmering, cook the pasta, if eating immediately.} Add pesto to sauce. Season sauce with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

2. Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly oil 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish. Combine pasta, spinach, cubed mozzarella and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese in large bowl. Stir in hot tomato sauce. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup Parmesan and shredded mozzarella. Bake until sauce bubbles and cheeses melt, about 30 minutes.

*To have a more even distribution of cheese, make mozzarella cubed on the smaller size. If using fresh mozzarella, there may be a bit of excess moisture after pasta has baked, this can easily be spooned out if needed.

Serves 6-8

Pasta with Asparagus and Arugula

adapted from Quick Food

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil
dash of salt
16-20 thin asparagus spears, cut into 2 inch pieces
12 oz. pasta
4 handfuls arugula, shredded
1-2 small fresh red chilies, finely chopped (if not available can use red pepper to taste)
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4- 1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp. of oil and a pinch of salt. Blanch the asparagus for 3-4 minutes. Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon, rinse under cold water, drain, and place in a bowl. Return the water to a rapid boil and add pasta. Cook pasta until al dente, drain, and return to saucepan.

2. While pasta is cooking, add the arugula, chilies, lemon zest, garlic, and 2/3 of the Parmesan to the asparagus. Mix well. Add to the pasta, pour on the lemon juice and 1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well to evenly coat the pasta with the mixture. Top with remaining Parmesan.

This is great as a main dish, but would go well as a side paired with a grilled entree.

Serves 4-6.

Penne with Tomatoes and Sausage

adapted from stephmodo

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3/4 lb. sweet Italian sausages, casing removed (I used the turkey version)
3/4-1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 lb. pasta (penne, rigatoni, etc.)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

1. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add sausage and sauté until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Try to break up the sausage along the way with the back of a spoon. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is tender and sausage is browned, about 3 minutes longer. Add tomatoes and cream. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sausage mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with good sea salt and a little fresh ground pepper.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, and return pasta to same pot. Add sausage mixture and toss over medium-low heat until sauce coats pasta. Sprinkle with basil and then Parmesan.

Serves 4-6.

Pesto a la Carbonara

Ingredients

1 box spaghetti or penne
salt, to taste
3-4 strips bacon
1 yellow onion, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
basil, to taste
2 eggs (whites only)
parmeggiano, coarsely grated


Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the directions, until al dente. Heat olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Saute onions until soft. In a frying pan, cook bacon, cut into small pieces.

2. When pasta is al dente, drain and return to pot and immediately. Mix egg whites into spaghetti, allowing the heat of the pasta to cook the egg as it coats the pasta.

3. Mix in bacon, onion and basil. Top with freshly grated cheese. {May also add small amount of thickened cream.}

Serves 4-6.

Nick's Lasagna

Ingredients

Per il Ragu
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1-2 red/yellow bell peppers, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 carrots, shredded (optional)
2 stalks celery, diced (optional)
1 lb. lean ground beef
36 oz. plain tomato sauce
dried or fresh basil, to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

La Besciamela
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 Tbsp flour
2-3 cups of milk, enough to make a creamy sauce
salt, to taste
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1-2 packages Barilla no boil lasagna noodles
freshly grated Parmiagiano, Pecorino Romano, Mozzarella, and Asiago cheeses


Directions

1. To prepare il ragu, heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté yellow onion and bell peppers (and optional carrots or celery). When soft, add ground beef and brown. Drain grease. Add tomato sauce and season with basil, salt, pepper, red crushed pepper. Let simmer, up to six hours. (Can also simmer in a crock pot.)

2. To prepare la besciamela, melt butter in large sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in flour until a thick paste forms. Turn heat down to low-medium and add milk to make a creamy sauce. Season with salt and nutmeg. Keep warm while making lasagna.

3. To assemble the lasagna, place a little ragu and olive oil on bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Put down a non-overlapping layer of pasta. Next a layer of ragu, then a sparse layer of besciamela, then a thin layer of cheese. Repeat as many times until reaching the top, alternating direction of pasta each layer. Be sure to get final sauce layer to cover all edges of pasta to avoid any crunchy edges. Be generous with top layer of cheese.

4. Bake around 375 for 40 min with foil lightly covering, 10-15 min with foil removed.
Buon appetito!


We often fill a 9 x 13 as well as a smaller baking dish. This also freezes well when frozen uncooked.

Farfalle with Bacon and Spinach

adapted from Quick Food

Ingredients:

13 oz. farfalle
6-8 oz. bacon, chopped (might also be good with prosciutto)
1/4 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
8 oz. baby spinach leaves, stems trimmed
1-2 Tbsp. sweet chili sauce (optional)
1/4 cup crumbled feta

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente (about 10-11 min), then drain and return to sauce pan.

2.While boiling, in a frying pan cook bacon until golden. Add onion and cook for another 4 mintues or utnil softened. Toss the spinach leaves through the onion and bacon mixture for 3o seconds or until just wilted.

3. Add the bacon and spinach mixture to the drained pasta, then stir in optional sweet chili sauce. Season to taste with salt and cracked black pepper and toss well. Spoon into bowl and sprinkle with crumbled feta. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Asian Spinach Salad

Ingredients

Salad
10 ounces fresh spinach
8 ounces pasta (bow tie or curly)
4 Tbsp. sesame seeds
3 chicken breasts
lemon pepper to taste
1/4 red onion

Dressing
1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger


Directions

1. Season chicken with lemon pepper and grill.
2. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain. Allow to cool.
3. Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
4. Prepare dressing by shaking or whisking all ingredients together until the sugar is dissolved.
5. Add dressing just prior to serving (If anticipating left overs, only add dressing to individual plates).

For variety, try sun flower seeds, bean spouts, fried won ton wrappers.

Serves 6-8.

Peanut Butter Pasta

recipe from Allison Holden

Ingredients

1 cup vegetable (or chicken) broth
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2-3 tsp fresh grated ginger
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. rice or white wine vinegar
1/2 - 3/4 cup peanut butter
pasta noodles of choice- spaghetti is great
vegetables of choice (carrots, red/yellow/orange bell pepper, snow peas, broccoli)

Directions

1. Combine all sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium heat, stir until well blended. Reduce heat slightly and simmer 7-10 minutes until sauce thickens a bit.

2. While sauce is simmering, cook pasta al dente, approx. 10 minutes.

3. Prepare the vegetables: steam carrots and broccoli (could be done over the cooking pasta); stir fry the bell peppers and snow peas.

4. Drain pasta. Put in serving bowl. Add sauce and vegetables, stir until combined.

Serves 4-6 (depending on the amount of pasta prepared)