Spinach Pasta with Roasted Vegetables

Roasted vegetables

1 large bunch of broccoli (about 1 ½ pounds), florets removed and sliced into bite-sized pieces

1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1-inch squares

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt

Spinach pasta

8 ounces DeLallo Whole Wheat Linguine or spaghetti

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 shallot bulb, sliced very thin (about ½ cup, sliced)

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

12 ounces baby spinach

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

Optional: 1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese* (about ¾ cup, grated), plus extra for garnishing

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. To prepare the roasted vegetables (optional, skip for a more simple spinach pasta): Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Transfer the sliced broccoli florets and bell pepper to the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss until the vegetables are lightly coated in oil (add a little more olive oil if necessary). Sprinkle with salt, arrange the vegetables in an even layer and bake until the broccoli is tender and caramelized on the edges, tossing halfway, about 25 minutes.

2. Once the vegetables are in the oven, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta just until al dente, according to package directions. Before draining, carefully reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain and return the pasta to the pot.

3. To prepare the balsamic spinach, in a large Dutch oven (a 5.5-quart Le Creuset is perfect here) or large sauté pan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil until shimmering. Add the sliced shallot, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot is translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. While stirring constantly, add several big handfuls of spinach at a time until they have wilted, then repeat until all of the spinach is in the pot. Once the spinach has reduced a bit but is still bright green in parts (this happens quickly!), pour in the balsamic vinegar and remove the pot from heat.

4. In your Dutch oven or in a large serving bowl, combine the roasted vegetables and cooked pasta with the spinach mixture. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil and optional Parmesan. Drizzle in about ⅓ cup reserved pasta cooking water and gently toss to coat. Season to taste with additional salt (mine needed about ½ teaspoon more) and freshly ground black pepper. Divide into bowls and serve immediately, with extra grated Parmesan on top for bonus presentation points.

NOTES:

CHANGE IT UP: Skip the roasted veggies for a simple weeknight pasta that’s full of greens, or change up the vegetables used.

MAKE IT VEGAN/DAIRY FREE: Use olive oil instead of butter and omit the Parmesan. This pasta is great without the Parmesan, but you could add a light sprinkle of nutritional yeast for some cheesy flavor, if you’d like. Another option for extra savory flavor would be to add about ⅓ cup freshly toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds.

*A NOTE ON PARMESAN: I always get a few comments on recipes that include Parmesan (“It’s not vegetarian!”) but Whole Foods actually makes a great animal rennet-free Parmesan. There’s plenty of flavor in here without the Parmesan, if you’d rather leave it out.

MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE: Choose a good gluten-free pasta (DeLallo makes one!).

Source: https://cookieandkate.com/spinach-pasta-recipe/

Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used whole milk)
1 pound rigatoni (I used penne)
10 oz frozen baby spinach, thawed and drained well (can substitute 1 or 2 9-oz bags fresh spinach)
12 oz precooked smoked chicken sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick (I used Trader Joe's Garlic Herb Chicken Sausage)
8 oz mozzarella cheese, 4 oz cut into 1/2-inch cubes and 4 ounces shredded (I just used all shredded)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until about a minute less than the al dente package directions. (If using fresh spinach, add it to the pot of boiling water right at the end and cook until wilted.) Drain, and return contents to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Cook for another minute.
3. Stir in tomatoes, oregano, and basil; simmer for 8-10 minutes. Add cream; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (I added 1/2 tsp salt.)
4. Add tomato sauce, sausage, spinach, and cubed mozzarella to the pot; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (I didn't add any more seasoning here.) Scoop pasta into lightly greased 9x13-inch pan (or divide evenly between two 8x8-inch pans.) Top with shredded mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.

Make ahead instructions: Prepare recipe until the baking step, and then cover with a double layer of aluminum foil. Freeze. Bake covered for 1 hour and 30 minutes, uncover and bake 30 minutes longer. Alternately, the dish can be prepared and refrigerated (covered) for up to 12 hours before baking. Bake as directed in the recipe, adding an additional 5-10 minutes if needed.

Source: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/baked-pasta-with-chicken-sausage-2/

Try #1 - May 23, 2015
A nice alternative to my normal baked ziti. Everyone (except Lucy, of course) seemed to like it. The biggest difference I made was to layer the shredded mozzarella on the pasta like I would normally do for baked ziti, instead of mixing it in with the other ingredients.  This is mostly because I don't have anything other than shredded mozzarella on hand.

Broccoli and Sausage Pasta

1 lb spicy Italian sausage
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb cavatelli pasta
1 lb frozen broccoli
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a skillet, brown sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain, and reserve.
2. In the same skillet, cook garlic in olive oil until golden.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Three minutes before the end of the cooking time, add broccoli; drain pasta.
4. In a large serving bowl, toss together the sausage, olive oil and garlic, pasta and broccoli, and Parmesan cheese. Season with red pepper flakes.

Source: Bites

Green Alfredo Pasta

2 cups milk
1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese
2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
4 cups greens (spinach, kale, swiss chard, etc.)
1 Tbsp butter
1-2 garlic cloves
3/4 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 pound pasta of your choice (I like whole wheat)

1. Blend milk, cream cheese, flour, salt, and greens in a blender until smooth.
2. In a non-stick sauce pan, melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic. Saute garlic for about 30 seconds.
3. Add milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3 or 4 minutes or until it just comes to a boil and thickens. Remove the pan from the heat.
4. Stir cheese in and cover. Let stand for at least 10 minutes or longer to thicken.
5. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain, and add sauce to pasta.  Add walnuts and toss until coated.  Serve with grated Parmesan on top, if desired.

Note: Sauce can be frozen in quart-size freezer bags. Thaw frozen sauce completely and reheat leftovers adding 1 tablespoon milk or water to thin.

Source: Started with this recipe, then decided to sneak in some greens and nuts!

Try #1 - March 10, 2015
I started out wanting to make an alfredo sauce for dinner, and had planned to add broccoli to it.  But... turns out we didn't have any broccoli in the freezer.  So to improvise (and still try to add some green to the meal), I decided to try and blend in some fresh greens.  We had a big bag of spinach/kale/chard mix from Costco, so I threw in a few handfuls of that into the blender.  On a whim, I decided to add some walnuts to the pasta at the end.  Everyone enjoyed the meal, even the baby!  I'm pretty pleased with my sneaky way of adding vitamins to our meal!  Sorry that the picture looks kind of gross.

Thai Noodles with Peanut Sauce

12 ounces linguine (I used 16 oz spaghetti)

4 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1 cup finely shredded carrot
2 cups frozen stir fry vegetables (I used frozen broccoli and shelled edamame)
3 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup honey (I increased to 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (I increased to 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce (optional)

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions.  Drain and return to pot.  Add 2 Tbsp sesame oil and toss to coat.  Set aside.

2.  Heat remaining 2 Tbsp sesame oil in heavy pot over medium-high heat.  Add green onions, carrots, stir-fry vegetables, garlic, and ginger.  Saute until vegetables soften, about 4 minutes.

3.  Add honey, peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar and chili-garlic sauce and mix well.  (I mixed together in a separate bowl first and then added it all together to the vegetables.)  Simmer sauce 2 minutes.  Pour sauce over pasta and toss well.  

4.  Transfer to platter and serve warm.  Garnish with additional green onions, if desired. 

Source:  http://www.food.com/recipe/thai-noodles-with-spicy-peanut-sauce-99918

Try #1 - April 3, 2014

This was delicious!  I like it better than my other peanut sauce recipe.  I did increase the peanut butter and honey to 1/3 cup each because I was using 16oz instead of 12oz of pasta.  I could have probably put even a little more peanut butter in.  I omitted the chili-garlic sauce, but Nathan and I each added a few drops of hot sauce to our own servings.  The kids all loved this and asked for seconds and thirds!  This is a nice alternative to pasta with red or white sauce.

Try #? - May 12, 2015
I've made this several times.  The kids still love it!

Tuna-Noodle Casserole

3 cups medium noodles (4 oz) or 1 cup elbow macaroni (3.5 oz) - I always use a box of pasta, 12 to 16 oz
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour - I double the flour, salt, and milk when I use a full box of pasta
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups milk
1 9- or 9.25-oz can tuna, drained and broken into chunks, or two 6-oz cans skinless, boneless salmon, drained
1 cup cheddar cheese cubes (4 oz)
1/4 cup chopped roasted red sweet pepper or pimiento
1 cup frozen vegetables, thawed

1. Cook noddles according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.  Meanwhile, combine bread crumbs and 1 Tbsp melted butter; set aside.
2. For sauce, in a medium saucepan cook celery and onion in 1/4 cup hot butter until tender.
3. (See note above about doubling sauce.)  Stir in flour, salt, dry mustard, and black pepper.  Add milk all at once; cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly.
3. Combine cooked noodles, sauce, tuna, vegetables, cheese cubes, and roasted pepper.  Transfer to a 1 1/2 quart casserole (or larger if using full box of pasta).  Sprinkle with crumb mixture.  Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Try #??
I've made this many times, this is just the first time I'm recording it on this blog.  Four ounces of pasta is a ridiculously small amount, in my mind, so I always use a full package (12 to 16 oz) of pasta.  If I do that, I double the flour, salt, and milk (but not the butter) to make more sauce.  Broccoli is a good addition to this casserole.

Squash Lasagna

2 cups marinara sauce, homemade or purchased
9 lasagna noodles, cooked
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh pepper
2 cups roasted winter squash
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. In the bottom of an 8×10 casserole, spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce and top with three lasagna
noodles.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, salt and pepper together until foamy. Add the roasted squash and beat it into the egg until combined. Don’t worry if there are a few lumps.
4. Sprinkle the thyme and the Parmesan into the squash mixture and mix well. Spread the mixture over the lasagna noodles in the pan. Sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
5. Layer another 3 noodles in the casserole and top with 1 cup of marinara sauce. Place the remaining 3 noodles in the dish and spread the last 1/2 cup of sauce over the top of them.
6. Finish the lasagna with 1 cup of grated mozzarella cheese and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Top with 5-7 roasted tomatoes, if you wish.
7. Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until the cheese is golden and the sides of the lasagna are bubbling.
8. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

Source: Let's Eat!

Linguine with Leeks, Radicchio, and Walnut Pesto

8 ounces linguine
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 cups thinly sliced leeks (including some dark green parts)
1/2 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus shaved Parmesan for garnish
1/4 cup walnut pieces (about 1 ounce) plus additional for garnish
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups thinly sliced radicchio

1. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add leeks; season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook until tender and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

3. Puree parsley, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 1/4 cup walnuts, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons oil in mini processor until coarse puree forms. Season pesto with salt and pepper. 

4. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Add pasta, pesto, and radicchio to leeks; toss, adding cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Garnish with walnuts and shaved Parmesan.

Source: Epicurious

Winter Vegetable Pasta with Cheese

12 oz angel hair or linguine pasta
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled and cut into small wedges
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
4 cups cooked winter vegetables (such as parsnips, rutabagas, winter squash, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale), cut into bite size pieces
2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
3 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
6 oz cheese (such as feta, goat, Cheddar, or Monterey Jack), crumbled or shredded
1/4 cup (1 oz) grated Romano, Parmesan, or Asiago cheese

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Drain and place in a large bowl.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes, or until almost soft.  Add the garlic, vinegar, and broth.
3. Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the cooked vegetables, oregano, and parsley and season with salt and pepper.  Simmer for 3 minutes, or until heated through.  Pour over the pasta, top with the cheeses, and toss to coat well.

Source: Your Organic Kitchen

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

1 (1-pound) top round steak (1 inch thick), trimmed
1 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp black pepper
8 oz (2 cups) mushrooms, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
8 oz sour cream
2 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles (about 1 1/2 cups uncooked pasta)
Chopped fresh dill (optional)

1. Cut steak diagonally across grain into 3/4-inch slices.  Place steak and next 8 ingredients (all except sour cream, noodles and fresh dill) in a 3-quart slow cooker; stir well.
2. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife.  Place flour in a small bowl, and gradually add broth, stirring with a whisk until blended.  Add broth mixture to cooker and stir well.  Cover and cook on HIGH 1 hour.  Reduce heat to LOW, and cook 7 to 8 hours or until steak is tender.
3. Turn cooker off, remove lid.  Let stroganoff stand 10 minutes (this is important so as to prevent the sour cream from curdling).  Stir in sour cream.  Serve over noodles.  Sprinkle with chopped dill, if desired.

Source: "Cooking Light Slow Cooker"

Try #1 - March 19, 2013
This was really excellent.  Restaurant quality, in my opinion.  I think it's important not to substitute anything for the sour cream... I will sometimes substitute plain yogurt for sour cream in recipes, but the sour cream definitely makes this dish.  Everyone except silly William loved it.  Something I could definitely serve to guests... and super easy since it just goes in the crockpot!

Try #2 - May 1, 2013
William liked it this time!  Yay!

Noodles with Peanut Sauce

12 oz lo mein noodles (or 8 oz thin spaghetti)
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp mirin (rice wine) or dry sherry
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp chili oil
1/2 small garlic clove
1/3 cup sliced scallions

1. Cook the noodles according to package directions.  Drain and rinse under cold water until cool.
2. While the noodles are cooking, place the peanut butter, soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, sugar, chili oil, and garlic in a blender or food processor.  Cover and process until thoroughly combined.
3.  Toss noodles with peanut sauce and scallions.

Variation: Toss 1 cup blanched bean sprouts or julienned cucumber with the noodles and sauce.

Note:  Although you can make this dish ahead, the noodles soak up the sauce and you may want to stir in some water before serving.  Or just make the noodles and store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, prepare the sauce, then combine them and add the scallions just before serving.

Source: 100 Best Vegetarian Recipes, by Carol Gelles

Try #1 - February 2013
I thought this was pretty good.  I made a few changes - I used rice vinegar instead of rice wine by accident, and used a few drops of hot sauce instead of chili oil.  I also totally missed the direction about cooling the spaghetti, so I served ours hot.  I used whole wheat spaghetti because Trader Joe's didn't have any lo mein that I could see. :)  The hot sauce gave it just enough kick - the perfect amount, I thought, but the kids declared it to be too spicy and wouldn't eat it.  But Nathan and I enjoyed it, and it made good leftovers.  I think this would have been excellent with the addition of chopped peanuts on top... but I didn't have any peanuts to add.

Creamy Stove-Top Mac-N-Cheese

2 c. elbow macaroni
1 T. butter
2 eggs
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. plain Greek yogurt
1 t. salt
3/4 t. pepper
3/4 t. dry mustard
1 1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1. In a large pot, boil and cook elbow macaroni according to package directions.  Drain well and return pasta to the pot.  Stir in butter.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, yogurt, salt, pepper and mustard.  Pour the egg/milk mixture into the pot and stir.  Add the cheese and continue stirring over medium heat until sauce has thickened and is very creamy {will take a few minutes}.  Serve hot.

Source: http://www.sweetandsavoryfood.com/2013/02/creamy-stove-top-mac-n-cheese.html

Crockpot Pasta Fagioli

1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained
1/2 large red onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (and juice)
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups beef broth
1 jar (26-ounce) pasta sauce
2 tsp oregano
1 T Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup dry pasta, to add at end of cooking time
10 oz chopped spinach, to add at end of cooking time (optional)

1. Use a 6 quart or larger crockpot, or cut the recipe in half. This makes a lot.
2. Brown the meat on the stovetop, and drain well. Let it cool a bit.
3. Chop up the carrots, onion, and celery. Add it to the empty crockpot.
4. Drain and rinse the beans, and add them. Add the whole cans of tomatoes, and the pasta sauce. Add the beef broth. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, and Tobasco sauce. Stir in your meat.
5. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4. When the vegetables are tender, stir in the 1/2 cup of dry pasta.
6. Cover and cook for another hour on low, or until the pasta is tender. It will swell quite a bit.
7. Serve with a bit of parmesan cheese if you have it.

Source: A Year of Slow Cooking

Try #1 - April 22, 2013
This was a quick and easy meal, with ingredients I usually have on hand.  It was good, although fairly rich, and too salty for my taste.  Next time I would omit the 1/2 tsp extra salt. I added 1 cup of pasta instead of 1/2 cup because 1/2 cup just sounded ridiculously small.  I also just added a few drops of hot sauce instead of a full Tbsp because I didn't want to risk it being too spicy for the kids.  It was not spicy at all and they seemed to like it.  I also added about 10oz of frozen chopped spinach just before serving, because I wanted to give the meal some green.  The spinach made no difference in the taste or texture, since it was finely chopped, so I think it was a good addition.

Penne with Chicken Thighs

8 whole chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 jars (24 oz each) marinara sauce
Fresh basil - to taste
Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling
16 oz penne or rigatoni

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown chicken thighs quickly on both sides until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a separate pan.
3. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp grease/oil. Add onions and garlic to pan and stir around to cook, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in marinara sauce and stir to heat. Add chicken thighs back into the sauce. Cover and place in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. (You may also simmer on the stovetop on the lowest heat possible, or place in crock pot for 4 hours on high - see note below.)
4. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Serve one chicken thigh with sauce over pasta, adding more marinara if needed. Sprinkle with Parmesan and basil strips and serve.

Source: thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/10/penne-with-chicken-thighs/

Try #1 - November 1, 2012
Megan made this for me after Lucy was born, and it was delicious! My first try was just as good.  I used a mix of one jar of marinara sauce, plus about 14oz diced tomatoes, plus about 1/2 cup of leftover homemade pasta sauce.  I used 6 thighs.  I ended up having to split it into two casserole dishes for baking (I don't have a Dutch oven), but it worked fine.  We ended up with about a cup of leftover pasta sauce, which is fine with me - it was delicious and I'll gladly use it for a quick pasta lunch!

Try #?? - January 9, 2014
I've made this several times, and it's been a hit every time.  This time I decided to try it in the crockpot... and the end result seemed to be the same.  I still browned the thighs in the skillet, although they were still partially frozen on the inside and went into the crock pot that way.  I cooked it for 4 hours on high, and it came out great!  My crock pot is much roomer than any of my oven casserole dishes, so I think I'll use this method from now on.  Plus it's more energy efficient. :)

Chicken Kale Casserole

Coarse salt and ground pepper
3/4 lb large pasta shells
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bunches kale, tough stems and ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped
2 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken (from 1/2 rotisserie chicken)
1 container (48 oz) part-skim ricotta
3 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
3/4 cup Parmesan (2 1/4 oz), grated, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large pot of boiling slated water, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; return to pot.
2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add kale, cover, and cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to pot with pasta.
3. Stir in chicken, ricotta, lemon zest, and 1/2 cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a 9x13 inch baking dish; top with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake until top is golden, 30 minutes.

Source: Tiny's Organics Newsletter, August 29, 2012

Try #1 - August 2012
This was pretty good, although I only used 16 oz of ricotta cheese, which to me is the standard size ricotta container.  There are 32 oz containers, but I've never seen a 48 oz container.  However... 16 oz was not enough.  Probably 32 oz would be fine, but with just 16 oz it was too dry (although I also increased the amount of pasta to 1 lb...).  In addition to the kale, I also added some coarsely chopped beet leaves.  An overall decent dish, but I would definitely add more ricotta next time.

Spanish Noodle Skillet

2 slices bacon (optional)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 lb ground beef
1 tsp salt
dash pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
2 cups pureed or stewed tomatoes
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cup egg noodles

1. Cut bacon into 1 inch pieces and fry until crisp. Set aside.
2. Saute onion, green pepper, and ground beef in bacon drippings. Pour off any excess fat.
3. Add salt, pepper, oregano, tomatoes, and water. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Bring to a boil and add egg noodles a few at a time.
4. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 more minutes. Top with reserved bacon and serve.

Options:
1. Omit bacon. Saute vegetables with ground beef, adding a little oil if beef is dry.
2. Stir in 3/4 cup shredded cheese with noodles. Top with 1/4 cup additional cheese just before serving.

Source: More-with-Less

Try #1 - March 2012
Easy, but nothing particularly special. The bacon flavor didn't really come through on this one. I doubled the ingredients so that I could use a whole package of egg noodles.

Mac and Cheese

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 cups whole milk
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 bay leaf
pinch of grated nutmeg
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 lb macaroni, shells, or other shapes
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) mixed grated hard cheeses such as aged Cheddar, Gruyere, and Parmesan
1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 10-inch square or similar baking dish or 4-6 individual baking dishes.
2. To make the sauce, in a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk, 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until smooth. Return the pan to medium heat and whisk until the mixture comes to a boil.
3. Add the onion, bay leaf, and nutmeg, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl and cover to keep warm. You should have about 2 1/2 cups.
4. Bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Drain, transfer to a bowl, and stir in the butter. Add the sauce, 1 cup of the cheese, and the cream, and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Pour the pasta into the prepared dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the top. Bake until golden and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Source: Family Meals

Try #1 - February 13, 2012
Abby requested macaroni and cheese for her birthday dinner, so I decided to try out a new homemade recipe (my other one hasn't been as much of a hit with the kids recently). We also let Abby pick out the pasta shaped she wanted (bowties!). The kids did seem to like this one better, whether it was the recipe, the fact that Abby got to pick the pasta (oh, and she helped me make it too), or the fact that it was Abby's birthday. This was a little creamier than my other recipe, although I did halve the amount of heavy cream to 1/4 cup. By the time I got to adding the cream, the sauce looked creamy enough, so I figured I didn't need to add that much more fat. For the cheese I used grated Parmesan and shredded Cheddar.

Light Alfredo Sauce

2 cup low-fat milk
1/3 cup (3 oz) low-fat cream cheese
2 Tablespoon flour (can use whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon butter
1-2 garlic cloves, optional
3/4 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Blend milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender until smooth.
2. In a non-stick sauce pan, melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic. Saute garlic for about 30 seconds.
3. Add milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3 or 4 minutes or until it just comes to a boil and thickens. Remove the pan from the heat.
4. Stir cheese in and cover. Let stand for at least 10 minutes or longer to thicken.

Note: Can be frozen in quart-size freezer bags. Thaw frozen sauce completely and reheat leftovers adding 1 tablespoon milk or water to thin.

Source: http://momonamission.me/

Try #1 - December 30, 2011
This was very yummy! Another crowd pleaser. I sauteed some mushrooms at the beginning with the garlic and butter. After the sauce had thickened, I added broccoli and ham, and tossed it with spaghetti. Delicious! I made a little over 1/2 a pound of pasta, and there was about half of the sauce leftover for another meal.

Try #3? - September 5, 2012
Note: This sauce makes enough for about 1 lb of pasta.

Classic Marinara Sauce in Slow Cooker

1/2 lb ground beef
1/4 lb Italian sausage
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 16oz can chopped tomatoes
1 16oz can tomato sauce
10 button mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp basil
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
hot, cooked spaghetti

1. In a skillet, cook the ground beef, sausage, onion and garlic until the meat is brown and onion is tender; drain off the fat.
2. In a slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms, green pepper, bay leaf, oregano, basil, pepper and salt. Stir in the meat mixture. Cover; cook on Low for 10-12 hours or High for 5-6 hours. Remove bay leaf and serve over spaghetti.

Source: CrockPot Cook Book

Try #1 - September 12, 2011
This was great! I used ground turkey and no mushrooms (forgot to buy them). I've been looking for a go-to pasta sauce recipe, and I think this will be it. Next time I may double or triple the recipe and leave out the meat and then freeze some jars of sauce.

Linguine with Walnut-Tomato Pesto

1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup walnut pieces
2 cloves garlic
6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
6 Tbsp olive oil
12 oz linguine

1. Chop basil, walnuts, and garlic and food processor. Add tomatoes, cheese, salt, and red pepper. Pulse to combine, scraping down sides. Drizzle in oil with machine running. Process to a coarse paste.
2. Cook pasta per package directions. Add 1 cup of cooking water to processor and pulse until smooth. Toss pesto with drained pasta in warm pot.

Source: Prevention Magazine, February 2011