Pasta Ceasar Salad

 Delicious Hearty Salad for main or side dish!

Dressing: 

2 tsp dijon

2Tbls fresh lemon juice

2tsp Worcestershire sauce

3/4 C Mayo

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp anchovy paste (i've left this out and it's still delicious)

1/3 C finely grated Parmesan

Salad:

8 oz uncooked pasta (I like rotini but penne is also good)

2 Hearts of romaine or a head of red leaf

Shredded or chopped rotisserie chicken

croutons

Parmesan to taste

Whisk dressing ingredients adding parmesan and pepper at the very end. 

cook the noodles al dente and add everything together. Serve immediately or refrigerate 

Creamy Penne Pasta with Artichoke Hearts

8 oz uncooked penne pasta

2 Tbl olive oil

1 medium red bell pepper cut into strips

8 oz mushrooms sliced 

2 cups quartered artichoke hearts, drained

1 Tbl flour

3/4 tsp salt

2 Tbl chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp dried basil

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup romano cheese (or Italian cheese blend) 

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.  

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium high heat, heat oil.

Add red pepper, mushrooms and artichokes.

cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally

Reduce heat 

Add flour and salt

Cook and stir 1 minute.

Add basil and heavy cream

Cook stirring frequently until mixture thickens slightly (about 2 minutes)

Toss hot pasta and sauce

Sprinkle with cheese.

Season with salt and pepper.

Baby Shower Pasta Salad

 Salad: 

pasta (any noodle but the shower used mostaccioli)

peppers

tomato

avocado

feta

Sauce: 

1/2 C olive oil

2 T lemon juice

2 T white wine vinegar

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

dash of sugar  

Baked Ziti

1 lb dry ziti pasta (tube-shaped pasta; penne would also work)
1 onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef
2 jars spaghetti sauce
6 oz provolone cheese, sliced
1 1/2 cups sour cream
6 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese

Boil ziti until al dente (about 8 minutes)
In large skillet, brown onion and ground beef.  Drain grease then add spaghetti sauce and simmer 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
layer 9x13 pan or 2 8x8 pans like this (listed bottom to top):
1/2 of ziti
provolone
sour cream
1/2 of sauce
remaining ziti
mozzarella
remaining sauce
parmesan cheese

cover and bake for 30 minutes

NOTE: this freezes really well.  The sour cream and provolone are not classic Italian ingredients but they make it super creamy and gooey which I love:)

PASTA WITH PESTO, POTATOES, AND GREEN BEANS

PASTA WITH PESTO, POTATOES, AND GREEN BEANS
Published July 1, 2013.   From Cook's Illustrated.



WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
The idea of serving two starches together might seem unusual, but this dish from Liguria is the classic way to serve pesto. The starch from the potatoes lends body to the sauce, and the tender green beans add color and flavor. Red potatoes make the creamiest sauce.

Some traditional recipes call for cooking the potatoes, green beans, and pasta simultaneously in the same pot, but it often results in one or more elements being overcooked. Cooking them separately makes the dish more foolproof.

If gemelli is unavailable, penne or rigatoni make good substitutes. Use large red potatoes measuring 3 inches or more in diameter.

• 3 garlic cloves , unpeeled
• 1pound large red potatoes , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 12ounces green beans , trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths (I like to cut into ½ inch pieces)
• 2cups fresh basil leaves
• 1ounce Parmesan cheese , grated (1/2 cup)
• 7tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
• 1tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 Cup chopped chicken – I use the Costco Rotiserie Chicken (very good)

1. Toast pine nuts and garlic in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until pine nuts are golden and fragrant and garlic darkens slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl and let cool. Peel garlic and chop coarsely.

2. Bring 3 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender but still hold their shape, 9 to 12 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to rimmed baking sheet. (Do not discard water.)

3. Meanwhile, bring ½ cup water and ¼ teaspoon salt to boil in now-empty skillet over medium heat. Add green beans, cover, and cook until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain green beans and transfer to sheet with potatoes.

4. Process basil, Parmesan, oil, pine nuts, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.

5. Add gemelli to water in large pot and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Set colander in large bowl. Drain gemelli in colander, reserving cooking water in bowl. Return gemelli to pot. Add butter, lemon juice, potatoes and green beans, pesto, 1¼ cups reserved cooking water, and ½ teaspoon pepper and stir
vigorously with rubber spatula until sauce takes on creamy appearance. Add additional cooking water as needed to adjust consistency and season with salt and pepper.

6. I served Garlic bread with it (delicious)

Carol's Puteneska

1 box angel hair pasta
5-7 tomatoes diced- any variety will work
3-4 tbls olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1 pack of feta
10 basil leaves chiffonade
balsamic vinegar- to taste

heat olive oil and garlic in a pan until garlic browns lightly. Add 3/4 of your diced tomatoes to the browned garlic and let it cook down. Meanwhile, cook your angel hair pasta. When the pasta is done add it to the tomatoes and garlic. Turn off heat, and add the remaining tomatoes. Toss with feta and basil in a bowl. Add balsamic to taste.

Chicken Pasta Salad-from Anne Swanson

*2-4 chicken breasts cubed and cooked (really, just as much or as little as you prefer.  I also like to cut up meat from a rotisserie chicken sometimes b/c it give the salad a great flavor)
*rottini pasta-12-16 oz. pkg (I prefer the whole wheat kind)
*1 cup red or green seedless grapes sliced in half
*1 cup pineapple tidbits or crushed (my preference) pineapple (save the juice)
*1 cup water chestnuts or Jicama sliced into small pieces
*½ cup green onion
*1 cup cashews toasted
*1 cup celery diced
*2 red apples chopped and peeled (soak apples in pineapple juice once chopped to keep them from
turning brown; add the apples and juice to the salad)

Dressing:
*1 cup mayo
*1 cup coleslaw dressing

Mix all together in very large bowl and enjoy!  Tastes best if it is refrigerated for several hour to a day in advance.

Great when served with No-Knead Bread!

Mostaccioli Romano with Artichokes

Ingredients:

3 cups (8oz) mostaccioli (penne works great, too, and whole wheat is even betterJ)

2 Tbl olive oil

1 medium red bell pepper cut into 2-inch long strips (1 cup)

2 cups (6oz) sliced fresh  mushrooms

1 can artichoke hearts drained and quartered

1 Tbl flour

¾ tsp salt

2 Tbl chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp dried basil

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup shaved Romano cheese

Instructions: Cook pasta and drain.  Meanwhile, in large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil; add red pepper, mushrooms and artichokes.  Cook 5 min, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat; add flour and salt.  Cook and stir 1 min.  Add basil and heavy cream; cook, stirring frequently until mixture thickens  slightly, about 2 min.  Toss hot pasta and sauce; sprinkle with cheese.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  6 servings

Pasta Salad

This salad is great for a summer dinner, but honestly we love it all year round. It tastes much better if you make it and give it at least 8 hours to chill, even up to a day ahead.

1 lb of pasta farfalle (my favorite is Barilla Plus)
2-3 roasted bell peppers (the more colors the better red, orange, and yellow)
1/2 large purple onion chopped finely (1/4 to 1/2 cup total)
1 Tbl of dried basil or 10 fresh leaves chopped
1 small can sliced black olives (also really good with green or kalamata olives)
8 oz of crumbled feta cheese
4 oz shredded Parmesan
Caesar dresssing (I use Newman's Own Creamy Caesar)

Seed and roast bell peppers in broiler until charred. Remove skin and chop into small pieces
Cook pasta al dente and drain and cool
Chop onion, basil, and olives (if needed)
Once pasta is cool, add all other ingredients and combine in a large bowl. Start with a light drizzle of dressings. Cover and let cool in refrigerator. Taste before serving and add Caesar dressing if desired.

Basil-cream sauce

PASTA WITH BASIL-CREAM SAUCE

12 oz. pasta Olive oil and/or butter as needed
Pinch of hot pepper flakes
1 small-medium onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (14.5) oz. can chicken broth
1 cup light cream
1 medium to large batch of basil, cut en chiffonade

While the pasta is cooking heat the oil and/or butter in a pan with the hot pepper. Add the onion, salt and pepper and cook until the onion softens. Add the garlic and cook one more minute. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the cream and barely return it to a gentle simmer. Since it is light cream, over cooking can cause it to break. Of course you could use heavy cream and dismiss that anxiety. Add the basil and additional salt and pepper if needed. Add the pasta, stir to incorporate it into the sauce and serve.

Italian Meat Sauce

Simple Italian-Style Meat Sauce
Makes about 6 cups. Published March 1, 2008. From Cook's Illustrated.
Except for ground round (which tasters found spongy and bland), this recipe will work with most types of ground beef, as long as it is 85 percent lean. (Eighty percent lean beef will turn the sauce greasy; 90 percent will make it fibrous.) Use high-quality crushed tomatoes; our favorite brands are Tuttorosso, Muir Glen Organic, and Hunt’s Organic. If using dried oregano, add the entire amount with the canned tomato liquid in step 2. The sauce makes enough for nearly 2 pounds of pasta. Leftover sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 days or frozen for 1 month.
Ingredients
4 ounces white mushrooms , cleaned, stems trimmed, and broken into rough pieces
1 large slice high-quality white sandwich bread , torn into quarters Mom removes crust

2 tablespoons whole milk Mom uses half and half

Table salt and ground black pepper
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef (see note and related content)Mom buys the 5lbs of Ground Beef at Costco and doubles this recipe for that much meat
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion , chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 Cup Finely chopped Celery
6 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes , drained, 1/4 cup liquid reserved
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried oregano (see note)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup)

Instructions
1. Process mushrooms in food processor until finely chopped, about eight 1-second pulses, scraping down side of bowl as needed; transfer to medium bowl. Mom processes 2-3 stalks of celery in the processor. 
Add bread, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to now-empty food processor and process until paste forms, about eight 1-second pulses. Add beef and pulse until mixture is well combined, about six 1-second pulses. For this step, when you are doing a large batch (like 5 lbs of meat, you can only fit about 1.5 lbs in the processor at a time, so divvy out the bread, half&half, and s/p into the various batches.
2. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until just smoking.
This is the order Mom uses: Sauté onions first, and celery, then garlic, then mushrooms. Sauté all until brown. During cooking, add red pepper flakes. When everything is light brown, add the tomato paste and mix. 
Add onion and mushrooms; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are browned and dark bits form on pan bottom, 6 to 12 minutes. Stir in garlic, pepper flakes, and tomato paste; cook until fragrant and tomato paste starts to brown, about 1 minute. If you are making sloppy joes or taco meat, this is when you add the meat mixture and cook until just a little pink remains. At that point, you can add the sloppy joe ingredients and finish the cooking/simmering. For taco meat, just keep cooking until nice and brown. 

These next steps are for if you are making the spaghetti sauce:Add 1/4 cup reserved tomato liquid and 2 teaspoons fresh oregano (if using dried, add full amount), scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Add meat mixture and cook, breaking meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until beef loses its raw color, 2 to 4 minutes, making sure that meat does not brown.
3. Stir in crushed and drained diced tomatoes and bring to simmer; reduce heat to low and gently simmer until sauce has thickened and flavors have blended, about 30 minutes. Stir in cheese and remaining teaspoon fresh oregano; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Technique:
Keys to Great Flavor: Minced mushrooms browned in oil boost the sauce's meaty taste. A spoonful of tomato paste and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese add complexity.

Use Tube of Amore Tomato Paste