PENNE WITH BEEF & SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

1 1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta (6 oz)
1 lb beef boneless sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1/2 tsp peppered seasoned salt
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil & herbs, drained & cut into thin strips
2 tbs oil from sun-dried tomatoes
4 med green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
1 (6-6 1/2 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained
2 tbs chopped fresh basil leaves

cook and drain pasta as directed on package.

while pasta is cooking, spray a 12" nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. add beef to skillet; sprinkle with peppered seasoned salt. cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, just until brown.

stir tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of the oil and the onions into the beef. cook 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until hot. stir in the artichoke hearts, pasta and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until hot. sprinkle with basil.

4 servings

SPAGHETTI WITH NO-COOK HERB TOMATO SAUCE

MJ1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 (14 1/2 oz) can no-salt added whole tomatoes, drained
6 medium plum tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup pitted black olives (optional)
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 lb spaghetti OR linguine
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 lb smoked turkey, cut into small cubes

in a food processor, process the basil until coarsely chopped. add the canned tomatoes & pulse until coarsely chopped. add the plum tomatoes & olives (if using), & pulse until finely chopped.

transfer the tomato mixture to a lg serving bowl. add the oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, & pepper. let the tomato sauce stand while you cook the pasta.

in a lg pot of boiling water, cook the pasta with the garlic until the pasta is al dente.

drain the pasta & garlic. press the cooked garlic through a garlic press, or mash it with a fork. add it to the tomato sauce & stir to blend. add the pasta & turkey & toss to combine.

4 servings

THIS IS BEST MADE IN THE SUMMER AT THE HEIGHT OF TOMATO & BASIL SEASON. HOWEVER, WHEN FRESH TOMATOES & BASIL AREN'T AVAILABLE, YOU CAN SUBSTITUTE 9 CANNED WHOLE TOMATOES, DRAINED, IN PLACE OF THE FRESH, & 1 TBS DRIED BASIL IN PLACE OF THE FRESH. ADD THE DRIED BASIL ALONG WITH THE OLIVE OIL & LEMON JUICE IN STEP 2.

SPINACH GNOCCHI WITH MARINARA SAUCE

1 tbs olive oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 1/2 oz) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
1 tbs unsalted butter
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed & squeezed dry
4 scallions, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

in a medium saucepan, warm the oil over medium-high heat. add the onion & half of the garlic, & cook, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. add the tomatoes & oregano & break up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon. bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, & simmer the marinara sauce while you prepare the gnocchi.

in another medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. add the spinach, scallions, & remaining garlic. cook, stirring constantly, until the scallions begin to soften, about 2 minutes.

add the ricotta & cook until the mixture loses some of its moisture & begins to bind together, about 3 minutes. remove from the heat & beat in the egg. mix in the flour, parmesan, salt & pepper.

with floured hands, using a scant 1 tbs for each, form the ricotta mixture into balls. place the gnocchi in a single layer on a plate, cover loosely with plastic wrap, & freeze until slightly firm, about 15 minutes. meanwhile, bring a lg pot of water to a boil.

add the gnocchi to the boiling water & cook until they float to the top, 5-8 minutes. with a slotted spoon, transfer the gnocchi to a colander to drain. spoon the sauce into four shallow bowls, place several gnocchi on top, & serve hot.

4 servings

HOMEMADE WHOLE WHEAT PASTA

1 1/2 cups AP flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 eggs
2 tsp olive oil

sift together the flours & salt in a medium bowl, or on a clean cutting board. make a hollow in the center & pour in the olive oil. break the eggs into the hollow one at a time while mixing quickly with a fork, until the dough is wet enough to come together. knead on a lightly floured surface until the dough is stiff & elastic. cover. let relax for 30 minutes.

roll out dough with a rolling pin or use a pasta machine to achieve the desired thickness of noodles. cut into desired width & shape. allow the pasta to air dry for at least 15 minutes to prevent it from clumping when cooking.

FRIED RAVIOLI

1/4 tsp salt
1 lg egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups ground pecans
1 (9 oz) pkg frozen four-cheese ravioli
oil, for frying ravioli
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
marinara cream sauce (recipe follows)

MARINARA CREAM SAUCE

1 1/2 cups prepared marinara sauce
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

pour oil to a depth of 1/2" in a skillet or dutch oven & heat oil to 360°.

bring water to a boil over high heat & cook ravioli for 2 minutes. place cooked ravioli on paper towels to drain; set aside. combine pecans & parmesan cheese in a shallow dish. whisk together milk, egg, salt & pepper in a separate bowl. dip ravioli in egg mixture, then dredge in pecan mixture. Fry ravioli, in batches, 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. drain on paper towels. serve with marinara cream sauce.

for marinara cream sauce: in a lg saucepan, combine marinara sauce & cream. bring to a boil over medium-low heat. boil 2 minutes. remove from heat.

4 servings

LASAGNA ROLLS

SAUCE:

2 tbs unsalted butter
4 tsp flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
pinch ground nutmeg

LASAGNA:

1 (15 oz) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tbs grated parmesan
3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 lg egg, beaten
3/4 tsp salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tbs olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 oz)

to make the sauce: melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. add the flour & whisk for 3 minutes. whisk in the milk. increase the heat to medium-high. whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick & smooth, about 3 minutes. whisk the salt, pepper & nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

preheat the oven to 450°.

whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt & pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

add a tbs or two of oil to a lg pot of boiling salted water. boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. drain. arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

butter a 13"x9"x2" glass baking dish. pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tbs of ricotta mixture over each noodle. starting at one end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. repeat with the remaining noodles & ricotta mixture. spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. sprinkle the moxzarella & remaining 2 tbs of parmesan over the lasagna rolls. cover tightly with foil. bake until heated through & the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. uncover & bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. let stand for 10 minutes. meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot and serve on the side.

6 servings

MACARONI AND CHEESE CARBONARA

unsalted butter, for the baking dish
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (1" thick) slice pancetta, cut into small dice
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons flour
5 cups whole milk, or more if needed, hot
4 large egg yolks, lately whisked
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups (8 oz) grated asiago cheese, plus more for the top
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) grated irish white cheddar, plus more for the top
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) grated american cheddar, plus more for the top
1 cup (4 oz) grated aged fontina cheese, plus more for the top
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for the top
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked just under al dente
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

preheat the oven to 375°. butter the bottom and sides of a 10"x10"x2" baking dish and set it aside.

heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. add the pancetta and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

add the garlic to the fat in the pan and cook until light golden brown, 1 minute. whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. whisk in the hot milk, raise the heat to high, and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. whisk in the eggs until incorporated and let cook for 1-2 minutes. remove from the heat and whisk in the thyme, cayenne, and all the different cheeses until completely melted. season with salt and pepper. if the mixture appears too thick, add additional warm milk, 1/4 cup at a time.

put the cooked macaroni in a large bowl, add the cheese sauce, reserved pancetta, and the parsley, and stir until combined. transfer to the prepared baking dish.

combine an additional 1/4 cup each of asiago, cheddars, fontina, and parmesan in a bowl, and sprinkle evenly over the top. bake until the dish is heated through and the top is a light golden brown, 12-15 minutes. remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

4 servings

ZESTY CHICKEN AND PASTA

1/4 cup tequila
1/4 cup low-sugar frozen limeade, thawed
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
1 small orange OR yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4" strips
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (about 4 oz)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 (16 oz) package uncooked low-fat spinach fettucini
1/2 cup reduced-fat parmesan cheese, grated

mix tequila, limeade and lime peel in a medium glass or plastic bowl. stir in chicken. cover and refrigerator for 30 minutes.

place chicken and marinade in a 12" skillet. stir in bell pepper, mushrooms and garlic. cook over medium-high heat 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center.

cook fettucini as directed on package; drain. divide among 6 serving plates.

spoon chicken mixture over fettucini. sprinkle with cheese. garnish with additional grated lime peel if desired.

6 servings

BAKED ZITI

G1 pound ziti
16 ounces cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4" cubes
salt and pepper to taste

preheat oven to 350°. whisk cottage cheese, eggs and 1 cup parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. prepare pasta according to package directions, cooking only until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. drain pasta and leave in colander.

meanwhile, heat oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat until garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, oregano and basil. season with salt and pepper to taste. simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. in a medium saucepan, whisk corn starch into heavy cream. bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes. remove pot from heat and add cottage cheese to thickened cream. stir cottage cheese cream mixture into tomato mixture and mix well. add half of the cubed mozzarella and the pasta and stir until pasta is thoroughly coated with sauce.

transfer pasta mixture to a 9"x13" baking dish. sprinkle remaining cubed mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup parmesan cheese over pasta. cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. remove foil and continue to cook until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. cool for 10 minutes before serving.

8 servings

PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS

5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2-3 dashes hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon butter OR margarine
1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1 1/2" pieces
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 pound mostaccioli OR elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

in a skillet, cook garlic, red pepper flakes and hot pepper sauce in oil and butter for 2-3 minutes. add asparagus, salt and pepper; saute until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 8-10 minutes. add parmesan cheese; mix well. pour over hot pasta and toss to coat. serve immediately.

4-6 servings

MACARONI & CHEESE

1-1 1/2 cups uncooked macaroni (about 6 oz)
1/4 cup margarine OR butter
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 3/4 cups milk
8 ounces swiss cheese, cut into cubes

cook macaroni; drain. cook and stir margarine, onion, salt and pepper over medium heat until onion is tender. blend in flour. cook over low heat, stirring constantly. boil and stir 1 minute. remove from heat. stir in cheese until melted. place macaroni in ungreased 1 1/2 qt casserole dish. stir cheese sauce into macaroni. cook, uncovered, in 375° oven for 30 minutes.

SEAFOOD LASAGNA ROLL-UPS

6 lasagna noodles
1 (15 oz) can italian-style tomato sauce
1 package crabmeat flakes OR chunks
1 cup cottage cheese, drained
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

cook noodles as directed on package. rinse in cold water and drain well. combine filling ingredients with a fork. spread 1/3 cup filling on each noodle. roll tightly. place seam-side down in a 9" baking pan. pour sauce over roll-ups. bake, covered, at 375° for 30 minutes. garnish with grated cheese.

MEATLESS CHILI MAC

[caption id="attachment_699" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="A top view of meatless chili mac. Yum-O!"][/caption]

1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups water
1 can (15 1/2 oz) mild chili beans, undrained
1 can (15 1/2 oz) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup sour cream

[caption id="attachment_698" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Meatless chili mac, bubbling in the dutch oven. Can you smell it?"][/caption]

in a large saucepan or dutch oven, saute the onion, green pepper and garlic in oil until tender. stir in the water, macaroni, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce ,chili powder, salt and cumin. bring to a boil. reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until macaroni is tender. top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

makes 8 servings (2 1/2 quarts)

[caption id="attachment_697" align="aligncenter" width="311" caption="The final product, meatless chili mac, plated. Yum-O!"][/caption]

ITALIAN MACARONI & CHEESE

2 quarts water
6 chicken bouillon cubes
8 ounces pasta (any type)
10 ounces smoked ham
3 eggs
2 cups half 'n half
dash of salt and pepper
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

heat water and bouillon cubes (crumbled). when boiling, add pasta. cook according to package directions. drain. cut ham into small strips. place a layer of pasta over bottom of a lightly greased pan. sprinkle with some ham. then continue layering pasta and ham. in a bowl, whisk eggs, half 'n half, salt and pepper. pour mixture over layers of pasta and ham. top with grated cheese. bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until set and lightly brown on top.

BAKED SPIRALS

1 pound rotini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1 medium onion, minced
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon minced parsley
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

brown beef and pork in saucepan with oil, onion, garlic and parsley. add tomato paste, 2 cups water, salt and pepper and simmer 1 1/2 hours. cook rotini as directed on package. arrange by placing a layer of rotini in bottom of casserole dish. alternate with this: layers of sauce, mozzarella and ricotta until rotini is all used up. end with an arrangement of prepared sauce , mozzarella and ricotta. sprinkle with parmesan cheese. bake at 375° until done, about 30 minutes.

FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

2 cups heavy cream, divided
2 ounces butter
1 1/2 pounds fresh fettuccine
6 ounces freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt
pepper

combine 1 cup of the cream and butter in a saute pan. bring to a simmer, reduce by one fourth, and remove from heat.

drop the noodles into boiling salted water, return to a full boil, and drain. the noodles must be slightly undercooked because they will cook further in the cream.

put the drained noodles in the pan with the hot cream and butter. over low heat, toss the noodles with two forks until they are well coated with the cream.

add the remainder of the cream and the cheese and toss to mix well. (if the noodles seem dry at this point, add a little more cream.)

add salt and pepper to taste.

plate and serve immediately. offer additional grated cheese at the table.

CHEESE FILLING FOR STUFFED SHELLS, MANICOTTI, ETC

4 cups (2 lbs) ricotta cheese
2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
3 eggs
1 tablespoon parsley
3/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper