Pesto Pasta Salad
a la Morgan

1 box farfalle pasta
1 small jar pesto
1 pkg ranch dressing mix
container of cherry tomatoes
bag of fresh spinach
crumbled feta cheese (I usually only use half a container)

Make ranch dressing mix as it says to and place in fridge. Boil noodles until al dente, drain and place in large bowl. Add the ranch dressing and the pesto to the noodles. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least several hours until you are ready to serve. Before serving, add in the bag of spinach and mix. Then add in the feta and tomatoes and toss together. Enjoy!

Taco Tortellini Salad

a la Stacey 

 
(9-oz.) pkg. refrigerated cheese tortellini
(15.5-oz.) can Green Giant™ Kidney Beans, drained, rinsed
1 medium tomato, seeded, coarsely chopped
1/2 medium green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 T sliced ripe olives
1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Thick 'n Chunky salsa
1/3 cup purchased reduced-calorie thousand island salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup crushed tortilla chips, if desired
cilantro, for topping 

Cook tortellini to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain; rinse with cold water.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine kidney beans, tomato, bell pepper and olives. In small bowl, combine salsa, salad dressing and cumin; mix well.

Add cooked tortellini to salad mixture. Just before serving, pour salsa mixture over salad; stir gently to coat. Sprinkle with tortilla chips. (I used Doritos!) 

Spaghetti Pie
a la Kristen

1 lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
2 eggs
1 container or 2 c cottage cheese
jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
mozzerella cheese

cook pasta according to instructions. after draining, immediately add 2 eggs into warm pasta and stir.

pour pasta into a casserole pan, 9x13. drain the cottage cheese as much as possible. spread on top of pasta. top cottage cheese with the sauce, and sprinkle enough mozzarella to cover.

bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, until cheese is nice and melty.

Pasta Primavera
a la Pioneer Woman

1 cup Bite-sized Broccoli Pieces (up To 1 1/2 Cups) 
1/2 whole Onion, Diced Finely 
3 cloves To 4 Cloves Garlic, Chopped Finely 
2 whole Medium To Large Carrots, Sliced On The Bias (diagonally) 
2 whole Medium Zucchini, Sliced On The Bias (diagonally) 
1 whole Medium Yellow Squash (optional) 
1 container (about 5 Oz.) White Button Or Baby Porcini Mushrooms, Roughly Sliced 
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Into Strips 
4 Tablespoons Butter 
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 
1 pound Pasta (I Like Penne) 

FOR THE SAUCE: 
1/4 cup Dry White Wine (up To 1/2 Cup), Optional (replace With Additional Broth If Not Using) 
1/2 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth 
1 cup Whipping (heavy) Cream 
1 cup Half-and-half 
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese 
5 leaves Basil (or More To Taste), Plus Extra For Garnish 
1/2 cup Frozen Peas

Preparation Instructions

First, prep the vegetables. Chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, about 1 to 1 ½ cups worth. Dice half a yellow onion. Chop 3 to 4 cloves of garlic. Slice carrots on the bias (diagonally), and do the same for the zucchini and yellow squash. Roughly slice the mushrooms and slice the red pepper (seeded) into strips.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic together and cook for a minute or two, until they start to turn translucent. Then throw in the broccoli. Stir, and add in the carrots.
Stir it around, and PLEASE, PLEASE cook it for only a minute, tops. Transfer the mixture to a plate. Add in the red pepper strips to the skillet. Stir them around for a minute or so, then transfer them to the plate.
Add pasta to slightly salted boiling water and cook to al dente.
Add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Add squash and zucchini, cook for less than a minute, then transfer to plate. Cook mushrooms for a minute or two (add salt to taste), and again transfer to the plate.
FOR THE SAUCE
To make the sauce, pour ¼ to ½ cup dry white wine into the skillet (see note below). Add ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth, a tablespoon of butter and scrape the bottom of the skillet to pull up the flavor left behind by the veggie cooking. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the liquid starts to thicken.
Add 1 cup whipping cream and 1 cup half-and-half. Measure out ½ cup grated Parmesan; add to the skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chiffonade 5 to 6 fresh basil leaves and add that to the sauce; stir.
Dump veggies and mushrooms into the sauce along with ½ cup frozen peas right out of the freezer. Add pasta al dente and stir. If the sauce seems a little thick, or if there doesn’t seem to be enough sauce, add a good splash of chicken broth and a little more half-and-half. Top with more Parmesan, salt, pepper, and basil to taste.
Note: if you’re averse to wine, add chicken broth instead. But watch the salt later.

Laura's Favorite Seashell Pasta
a la Laura

1/2 c olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 t salt
1/2 t red pepper
1 pint small tomatoes, cherry or teardrop, sliced in half
1 lb medium pasta shells
1/2 c Parmesan cheese
1/2 c fresh basil leaves, thinly cut in strips

simmer together the oil, garlic, salt, red pepper together for about 5 minutes on low heat, careful not to burn the garlic. add half of the tomatoes and simmer for another 5 minutes, just to sweat them down. remove from heat and place in large bowl with the rest of the tomatoes. let sit for about 30 minutes.
meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. drain, and toss in bowl with tomatoes. add cheese and basil, and toss. serve hot!

chef's note: this is a great, light pasta. it is great as a side dish, but i would add grilled chicken or add bacon for a main dish. it makes plenty to have for lunch the next day.

pasta e fagioli
a la farm girl in the suburbs

1 lb. ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 large carrot, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 quart of tomatoes (or 2 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes)

1 15-oz. can red kidney beans (w/ liquid)

1 15-oz. can Great Northern Beans (w/ liquid)
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce

1 T. white vinegar

1 ½ t. salt

1 t. oregano

1 t. basil

½ t. pepper

½ t. thyme

½ lb. Ditali pasta

1.  Brown the ground beef in a large stock pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat.

2. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and saute for 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

3. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring often.

4. At 50 minutes into simmer time, cook the pasta according to package directions, until al dente.  Drain the pasta and add to the pot of soup.

5. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve.  Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Crock Pot Minestrone Soup
a la Mom

1/2 onion, chopped
1 c carrots, chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed (cannellini or navy)
3 c fat free chicken broth
1 oz chunk of good Parmesan cheese rind
1 fresh rosemary sprig
2 bay leaves
2 T chopped fresh basil
1/4 c chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
salt and fresh pepper
1 med zucchini, chopped
2 c chopped fresh or frozen (defrosted) spinach
2 c cooked small pasta like ditalini or elbows (al dente)
extra Parmesan cheese to top

Rinse and drain beans. Puree beans with 1 cup of the broth in a blender.
In a crock pot, combine broth, tomatoes, pureed beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs, cheese rind, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Forty minutes before soup is done cooking, add zucchini and spinach. Cover and cook 30 minutes more. Add cooked pasta, cook 10 minutes more. Remove bay leaves, rosemary sprig, parmesan cheese rind, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Lasagna
a la Mom

8 oz lasagna noodles
4 cloves garlic
2 can tomato sauce
1 t dried basil
2-3 t salt
1 to 1 1/2 lb browned hamburger
3/4 lb mozzarella cheese
2 medium onions
3 T olive oil
2 t dried oregano
1/4 c chopped parsley
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
2 c ricotta or cottage cheese

Cook noodles until tender. Rinse in colf water and set aside. Saute chopped onions and minced garlic in olive oil until soft and transparent, but not brown. Stir in tomato sauce, oregano, basil, parsley and salt. Cook in the sauce about 30 minutes, simmering and stirring often until it is thickened. Stir in sauteed mushrooms and hamburger.
Assemble lasagna- layer noodles, sauce, ricotta or cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese. Repeat twice for 3 layers. Bake 375 for 20 minutes.

Spaghetti Sauce
a la Grandma Bertoglio

1 no 10 can (6lbs. 4 oz) crushed all purpose tomatoes
1/2 can tomato can of water
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 c sweet basil
2 onions, chopped
1 T salt
1/2 c parsley
2 large bay leaves
1 T sugar
24 oz tomato paste

Brown onions and garlic in very little olive oil. Add the tomato, tomato paste, water and spices, stirring well. Bring to a gentle boil and then simmer for about 2 hours.

Manhattan Deli Salad
a la Mom

1 lb. box pasta (spiral, ziti or shells)
1 1/4 c black pitted olives, sliced
1 c red or green bell peppers, chopped
1/4 lb pepperoni, thin slices
1 small red onion, thin rings
1/4- 1/2 c Parmesan cheese
1/4 c finely chopped parsley
8 oz Mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 large bottle Wish-Bone Italian dressing

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse. Combine all ingredients. Pour dressing over top. Chill and serve.

Stuffed Shells
a la Mom

1 (12 oz) pkg jumbo pasta shells
2 lbs Ricotta cheese
8 oz Mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 c Parmesan cheese
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 T Italian seasoning
1/4 t pepper
4 c spaghetti sauce (mom likes Prego)

Cook pasta 9 minutes in boiling water. Drain and rinse with water. Cook spinach and drain, squeezing out juice. Combine spinach, cheeses, eggs and seasoning. Blend well. Fill shells with cheese mixture. Pour some sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan to cover. Place shells in a single layer, pour sauce over top of shells. Cover with mozzarella cheese (save a bit out). Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until hot. It usually makes more than one pan full.

pop these in the freezer, defrost and bake as directed.

Spaghetti Squash
a la Leeann

1 spaghetti squash, cut lengthwise and seeded
2 T vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 c chopped tomatoes
3/4 c crumbled feta cheese
3 T sliced black olives
2 T chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a baking sheet. Place squash cut sides down on the prepared pan and cook for 20 minutes, or until a knife can be inserted with only little resistance. Remove squash from oven, and allow to cool to be easier to work with.
Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion until tender. Add garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes until warm.
Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy squash and place in a medium bowl. Toss with sauteed vegetables, feta, black olives and basil.

Grandma Bertoglio's Italian Soup
a la Carlie

1 1/2 lbs sweet Italian sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 large can Italian tomatoes (progresso)
3 cans beef broth or bouillon cubes in water
1 1/2 c dry red wine or water
1/2 t basil leaves, crumbled
3 T chopped parsley
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
sliced mushrooms
3 c uncooked bowtie pasta
Cook sausage (take out of casing); break up. Add garlic and onion. Cook until tender. Add tomatoes, cut up. Add broth, wine and basil. Simmer 1 hour. Add pepper, celery, parsley and noodles. Cook until tender. Serves 6-8.
Try it with a bread bowl! this soup is so hearty and delicious.

chef's note: i have started cooking the pasta in a separate step and adding it, cooked, to the soup. uncooked, it seems to soak up too much of the liquid and make it more casserole-like.

Macaroni Grill- Pasta Milano
a la Mom

Alfredo Sauce:
1/4 c butter
1 c heavy cream
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 c grated fresh parmesan cheese
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Then add garlic and cheese whisking quickly while heating through. Stir in parsley and add to recipe below.

Pasta Milano:
1 t olive oil
1 t fresh garlic
1 c fresh sliced mushrooms
1 T sun dried tomatoes
1 t fresh parsley
2 oz chicken stock
3-5 oz cooked pulled chicken
1 c alfredo sauce (from above)
4 oz cooked bow tie pasta (about 2 cups cooked)
1 T grated fresh parmesan cheese
Cook pasta in water. While pasta is cooking, heat a 10 inch saute pan. Add olive oil, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, parsley, chicken stock, chicken and garlic. Add alfredo sauce, bow tie pasta and toss. Put in large pasta bowl and garnish with parsley, parmesan cheese, fresh tomatoes and fresh basil.

Easy Lasagna
a la Janelle

1 lb ground beef
32 oz jar of spaghetti sauce
3/4 c water
2 c cottage cheese
1/4 c parmesan cheese
3 c shredded mozzarella cheese
uncooked lasagna noodles
Brown ground beef and drain off fat. ( I add in some spices-garlic, onions, pepper) Add sauce and water to meat and set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine your cheese. In a 9x13 pan, layer sauce mixture, noodles, then cheese mixture, ending with the sauce layer. Throw some cheese on top. Bake, covered tightly with tin foil, at 375 for one hour.
Note: I make this sometimes in the morning, put the tin foil and a lid on it and throw it in the fridge. I will pull it out to bake it so it's right in time for dinner. Probably add an extra 10 minutes or so if it's refrigerated.

Creamed Chard and Spring Onions
a la Tina

1 1 pound bunch Swiss chard, thick stems removed and leaves sliced into ribbons
3 spring onions, ends cut off, white and some green sliced into thin coins
3 T butter
3 T flour
1 1/4 c milk
salt and pepper
Wash your chard, but no need to dry it. Just put it in a pot over high heat. Cook, covered, with just the water clinging to the leaves, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 6 minutes.
Pres or squeeze out excess liquid in many ways- use a cheesecloth, strainer with spatula to press out water, or wait until it is cool enough to squeeze with your hand.
Wipe out the large pot so you can use it again. Heat milk in small saucepan, stirring until warm. Keep warm. Meanwhile, cook onion, garlic and butter in large pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes.Whisk in flour and cook roux, whisking, about 3 minutes. Add warm milk in a slow stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps, and simmer, whisking, until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in chard, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook until heated through.
Note: You can swap cream or half and half for any portion of milk. You can also add a few tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.
To make with pasta: Use 1 3/4 c milk instead of 1 1/2. Stir in 1/4 c finely shredded parm cheese and save some for topping. It should be enough for 1/2 pound of pasta.

Pasta Bake
a la Erin

Cook macaroni pasta, about 3 cups and drain
Cook ground beef or chicken
Put meat and pasta together in a baking dish, and add sauce until pasta is covered. Sprinkle with parsley flakes. Cover with mozzarella cheese. Then cover with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.