Pasta with Tuna, Arugula and Lemon

12 ounces linguine (or penne, or whatever you like)

1/2 cup olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

2 12-ounce cans albacore tuna packed in water, drained

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

4 teaspoons grated lemon peel

4 cups arugula

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot.

Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper. Sauté 30 seconds. Add tuna; stir to heat through.

Add tuna mixture, lemon juice, lemon peel, and arugula to pasta. Toss over low heat just until arugula wilts, about 2 minutes. Add reserved pasta cooking liquid to moisten. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve. Adapted from Thorn Park Country House.

Lasagna Rolls with Spinach and Cheese

• Salt
• 1/2 pound (8 to 10) uncooked lasagna noodles
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups prepared marinara sauce
• 1 1/2 cups packed baby spinach
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add noodles and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well and gently transfer to a clean work surface. Grease a small roasting pan or casserole dish with cooking spray; set aside. Working with one noodle at a time, spread with about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta and 2 tablespoons of the marinara then top with spinach. Starting at one end, roll up noodle snugly then arrange in pan either seam-side down or with the rolls close enough together to hold each other closed. Pour remaining marinara over assembled rolls then sprinkle with mozzarella and bake until golden and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.

Per serving (about 7oz/189g-wt.): 350 calories (100 from fat), 11g total fat, 6g saturated fat, 35mg cholesterol, 670mg sodium, 47g total carbohydrate (4g dietary fiber, 9g sugar), 16g protein

Cheesey Mini Macs

I like my mac n cheese more cheddar-y. Next time I would try this with all cheddar cheese instead of the cheddar & America combo

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for brushing
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 packed cup)
4 ounces deli-sliced American cheese, chopped
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika

Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain, shaking off the excess water.
Spray four 12-cup, nonstick mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano; tap out the excess.
In a large saucepan, melt the 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking, until boiling, about 5 minutes. Add the cheddar and American cheeses and whisk until melted. Off the heat, whisk in the egg yolk and paprika. Fold in the macaroni.
Spoon slightly rounded tablespoons of the macaroni into the prepared muffin cups, packing them gently. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano on top.
Bake the mini macs in the upper and middle thirds of the oven for about 10 minutes, until golden and sizzling. Let cool for 5 min­utes. Using a small spoon, carefully loosen the mini macs, transfer to a platter and serve.

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

I made this last summer for a birthday party and it was really delicious! Not as time consuming as it seems below, especially if you have helpers in the kitchen. Definitely worth it, everyone loved the spicy-cheesiness. Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. 
 
1 pound cooked chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper then drenched in Frank's Hot Sauce

1 pound small elbow macaroni
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, divided
3 cups chopped onions
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 4 cups packed)
8 ounces provolone cheese, coarsely grated (about 2 cups packed)
2 teaspoons paprika
salt and black pepper
Yield: Makes 12 servings

Cut chicken into into 1-inch-long bite sized strips.

Cook macaroni in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain; transfer to very large bowl.

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in same large pot over medium heat. Add 3 cups chopped onions and garlic. Cover; saute until onions are soft but not brown, stirring often, about 6 minutes. Add flour; stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer sauce 2 minutes. Add all cheeses, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Whisk until cheeses melt and sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix cheese sauce into macaroni. Mix in chicken pieces. Mound mixture in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Let stand at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Stir in hot sauce and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in small saucepan over medium heat until butter melts; spoon 4 tablespoons over macaroni in dish. Bake macaroni uncovered until heated through, about 30 minutes, or 45 minutes if made ahead. Serve, passing remaining butter and hot-sauce mixture separately.

Chicken with Mustard Mascarpone Marsala Sauce

To lighten the dish, use egg noodles. The original recipes calls for fettuccine; I'd try that as an option to make this a heartier meal. This is a creamy twist on the classic marsala sauce

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, each breast cut crosswise into 3 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup dry Marsala wine
1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
12 ounces dried fettuccine

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly.

While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until al dente. Drain. Toss with 3 tablespoons of butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Spoon the chicken mixture over top.

Veggie Lasagne

1 zucchini (diced)

1 16 ounce bag fresh spinach

1 bunch broccoli (chopped)

1 small onion (diced)

5 large tomatoes (peeled, seeded, chopped)

1 clove garlic (minced)

1/2 16 ounce can black olives (diced)

1 egg

 2 lb container Ricotta cheese

12 ounce bag Mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup olive oil

1/8 tsp of each: salt, pepper, oregano, basil

1 box lasagna noodles

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a sauce pan, bring 5 cups of water to boil. Add spinach and boil for 10 mins. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet heat oil over low/medium heat. Add zucchini, broccoli, onion, garlic, tomatoes and olives, and saute for approx 10 mins. Remove from heat and add spinach and seasonings to veggie mix. 

In a large bowl, mix egg, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan. In a large sauce pan, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil and cook lasagna noodles, drain and run under cold water until cooled. In a large pyrex dish, ladle some sauce to bottom of pan. Layer noodles, then layer mix of veggies, mix of cheeses, then lasagne noodles. Should yield 2 or 3 layers. Cover and bake for 45-50 mins. Allow to cool for about 15 mins before serving.

Pesto Sauce

I prefer this with 1/2 spinach and 1/2 basil, to lighten the flavor.

4 garlic cloves (minced)

2 cups fresh basil leaves (chopped)

2/3 cup Pine nuts

1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups olive oil

Place garlic, basil, parsley, pine nuts and Parm in a blender. Blend at medium speed for approximately 2 minutes. Continue blending on a low speed, while adding oil slowly until smooth. The consistency will be somewhat pasty. Since the sauce is not heated, serve over hot pasta.

Pasta e Fagioli (Macaroni & Beans)

tomato sauce

pepperoni, diced up into bite sizes
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained
Salt and pepper
8 ounces ditalini pasta (small tubes)
Grated Parmesan

Cook pasta, add beans, pepperoni and tomato sauce, cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with parmesan. So easy and delicious!

Spaghetti Pie

Pasta Crust
salt
4 oz vermicelli, broken into 2-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1 tbsp minced fresh basil

Filling
2 tsp veggie oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
1/2 lb 90% lean ground beef
1 (15 oz) can tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp minced fresh basil
salt and pepper
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 c shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese

For the crust: Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350. Bring 2 quarts water to boil, add salt, vermicelli and cook until al dente. Drain.

Combine cooked vermicelli, garlic, butter, Parm, egg and basil in medium bowl. Press mixture into deep 10-inch pie plate. Bake until crust has set, 15-20 mins. Cool while making the filling.

For the filling: Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until simmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 4 mins. Add beef and cook until lightly browned, 6-8 mins. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in tomato sauce, paste, and sugar and simmer until thickened, about 3 mins. Stir in basil and season with s&p.

Stir ricotta, egg, and oregano in a small bowl. Spread ricotta mixture over pasta crust. Top with meat sauce and sprinkle with mozz. Bake until golden brown on top, about 25 mins. Cool 15 mins. Slice into wedges and serve.

Pasta Primavera

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped fine
8 oz white mushrooms, quartered
salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup heavy cream
12 oz egg-enriched dried fettuccine
1 lb asparagus, spears cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch dices
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup thinly sliced basil

Bring 4 quarts water to boil. Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat until foaming. Add onion, mushrooms, 1/2 tsp salt, & 1/2 tsp pepper and cook until soft and browned, about 8 mins. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 min. Stir in tomatoes and cream, increase heat to high, bring to boil, and remove pan from heat.

As sauce cooks, add 2 tbsp s&p to boiling water and cook until just beginning to soften, about 6 mins. Add asparagus to pot and cool for 1 min. Add zucchini and cook for 2 mins. Add peas and cook until pasta is al dente, about 1 minute.

Drain pasta and veggies and return to pot. Toss in cream sauce, cheese, lemon juice, and basil and season with s&p. Serve with grated parm. Serves 4

Alfredo Sauce

2 sticks unsalted butter
1 - 1 1/2 c heavy cream
1/4 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic
fresh flat leaf parsley

Melt butter in saucepan, add garlic and let cook. Whisk in cream, allow liquid to get hot, and gradually whisk in cheese over low heat. Let sit for a few minutes to allow to thicken.

Serve over fresh fettuccine, which holds the sauce's thickness best.

Penne with Pistachios, Asparagus, and Cream

A creative combo; the sweet from the cream and crunch from nuts.

1/3 cup pistachio nuts
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound asparagus, cut into thirds
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 large clove garlic, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup half and half
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 pound penne
pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the nuts on an aluminum pie plate and toast them in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, watching carefully so they don't burn. After letting cool for a couple, transfer the nuts to a plastic bag, pound, and set aside.

Cook the asparagus in a stock pot in boiling salted water, uncovered, over medium-high heat until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove the asparagus, saving the water so the pasta can be prepared in the same pot.

Saute garlic in butter over medium heat, pressing with a wooden spoon to release its flavor. When the garlic starts to brown around the edges, add asparagus and pepper. Raise the heat to high, and pour in wine. Stir for about 1 minute, reduce the heat to medium.

Pour the half and half and heavy cream over the asparagus mixture and simmer for 2 minutes; season with salt. Keep warm while the penne cooks.

Cook the penne al dente in asparagus water; drain and return to the cooking pot. Combine asparagus sauce with penne and stir over low heat. Add cheese, stirring until it melts. Garnish penne with pistachios and serve immediately.

Makes 10 cups Calories per cup: 267 Fat: 8g Carbs: 38g Sodium: 404 mg Fiber: 3 g

Three Garlic Pasta

Super garlic-y with tons of flavor! Delicious!

1 head plus
8 cloves garlic
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese, for grating

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wrap garlic head in foil; roast until soft and golden, about 1 hour. Let cool, trim tip of head; squeeze out cloves, using back of knife. Transfer to small bowl; set aside.

Cook pasta until al dente. Thinly slice five cloves of unroasted garlic. Finely chop remaining three cloves. Heat oil over medium heat in large skillet. Add sliced garlic; toast until golden and crisp. Remove garlic with slotted spoon; set aside. Add chopped garlic; saute until translucent, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add roasted garlic and white wine; let simmer about 3 minutes. Add pasta, parsley, red pepper, and salt and pepper to taste; toss. Serve sprinkled with toasted garlic slivers and grated Parmesan.

Serves 4

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

I LOVE PUMPKIN! This recipe is perfectly rich. The texture and flavor of the sausage really compliments the nutmeg/cinnamon spices . Depending on your taste, you can use all sweet or spicy sausage, I like to split the two. This dish screams Autumn is here! Spinach salad accompanied is light - a nice crisp to the saucy pasta

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage
1/2 pound spicy Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tablespoons
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating
Pumpernickel or whole grain bread, as an accompaniment

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Return drained pasta to the pot. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves.

Serve pumpkin sausage pasta with pumpernickel or whole grain bread and Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion.

Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion:
1 pound triple-washed spinach, de-stemmed
1 small Golden Delicious apple, quartered, cored, and sliced
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons (a couple of splashes) apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grain mustard
1 tablespoon (a good drizzle) honey
Coarse salt and black pepper

Place spinach, apple, and onion in a salad bowl. Place oil, vinegar, mustard and honey in a small plastic container and fit lid on container. Shake dressing to combine, 1 minute. Pour dressing over salad, toss, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Yield: 4 servings

Shells with Crispy Pancetta and Spinach

The combination of spinach, pancetta and asiago really make these shells irresistible. Baking until crispy is the best part, you get a nice little crunch from the shell and the pancetta. Mmm...with the creamy sauce and soft spinach. Delicious comfort food!

Shells:

1 (12-ounce) package jumbo shells pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 pound thick-cut pancetta, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

2 pounds frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta

1 cup grated asiago cheese

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Sauce:

1 tablespoon butter

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup cream

2 cups grated asiago cheese, plus 1/4 cup

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the shells:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl. Add the spinach, ricotta cheese, asiago cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Stuff the shells with about 2 tablespoons of the spinach mixture each and place the stuffed shells in a large, buttered baking dish.

For the sauce:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to very low and add the 2 cups asiago cheese, parsley, and pepper. Stir until the cheese is dissolved. Pour the sauce over the shells. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup asiago cheese. Bake until golden on top, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.