Ham & Pea Pasta

I stole this picture (and recipe) from Krista - of Krista's Culinary Creations. It was quick and yummy!
1 cup frozen green peas

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 cup turkey ham, chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 lb linguine, fettucine or other long pasta (I used cavatappi - the spirals)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese or more to taste (I'm always liberal with cheese!)

Bring large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. While that cooks melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat; add mushrooms and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned. Add ham and cook 1 minute. Stir in peas, cream, salt, and pepper. Turn heat to low; keep warm, stirring occasionally, while pasta is cooking. Add Parmesan and toss. Serve immediately.

Lasagna...Thrown Together

I was interested in making a lasagna that could be frozen and used for later use...I threw in some stuff I had in the fridge for "secret ingredients" (which I am about to divulge), and it was honest-to-goodness the best lasagna we've ever had. I made 2 lasagna's out of the below ingredients, and my measurements are purely estimates, so take liberties where you see fit!

Lasagna (makes 2, 9x13 pans) - Make one for tonight, and freeze one for a friend!

about 17-18 lasagna noodles, uncooked

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 lb. pork sausage

1 15 oz. carton ricotta cheese

2 c. cottage cheese

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

3 eggs

28 oz. jar cabernet marinara (or your favorite spaghetti sauce)

2 cans diced tomatoes, partially drained

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 bag of fresh spinach leaves

1-2 cans mushrooms, drained

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tsp. fresh minced garlic

s&p to season

4 c. mozzarella - divided

2 c. fresh shredded parmesan

1 c. shredded or sliced muenster cheese

1 c. fresh shredded asiago cheese


In large sauce pan, brown sausage and ground beef with garlic and onion on medium. Meanwhile, in separate bowl, mix eggs, ricotta, s&p to taste, cottage cheese and cream cheese together until well blended, set aside. Once the meat is cooked, add spaghetti sauce, all 3 cans of tomatoes, Italian seasoning, spinach and mushrooms. Simmer for 20 minutes or so, continuing to stir until well incorporated. While that's simmering, mix all the rest of the shredded cheeses together.

In 2, 9x13 pans, pour enough sauce to thinly cover bottom of each pan. Cover that layer of sauce with the dry lasagna noodles (about 4 and a half, one will be broken to fit the short end of the pan). Pour a layer of sauce on top of this, then a layer of the wet cheese mixture, then a sprinkle of the dry cheese . To complete lasagna, place another layer of noodles, then cheese mixture, then sauce, then a whopping topping of the rest of the cheese for the top.

Set one of the fridge to get cool enough to put in freezer. Cover with foil. Freeze for later.

For the room temperature lasagna - Cover with foil, bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.

For the frozen lasagna - there are 2 ways to cook it. I write both on the foil and let the recipient decide. 1) From Frozen, leave foil on and bake at 375 for 1 hour, remove cover and bake for 30 additional minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly. -or- 2) Thaw in fridge for 8 hours. Bake with foil for 1 hour, remove foil, bake an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Sausage and Tomato Rigatoni by Guest Chef Amy

4 cups rigatoni pasta, uncooked
1 lb. Italian bulk sausage, cut into chunks
1 medium red onion, sliced
¼ cup tomato paste
¼ cup Kraft Sun-dried tomato vinaigrette dressing
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on package. Meanwhile, brown sausage in large nonstick skillet; drain. Stir in onions and tomato paste; cover. Cook 15 min. or until onions are tender and sausage is cooed through, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing. Toss sausage mixture with pasta. Sprinkle with parsley and cheese.
Makes 4 two cup servings.

Chicken Tetrazzini by Guest Chef Amy

4 chicken breasts, boiled, cubed
7 oz spaghetti noodles, cooked in chicken borth
1 jar sliced mushrooms
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
¾ stick margarine
8 oz. sour cream
Combine all ingredients and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 45 minutes.
(Breadsticks in picture will be posted next!)

Spitalfield Risotto by Guest Chef Emily

800 ml chicken broth
1 C water
2 chicken breasts
2 T EVOO
1 small onion
4 garlic cloves
1 c. white rice
4 c. uncooked spinach
¼ c. basil
½ c, parmesan cheese

1. Bring water/broth to boil, add chicken and cook.
2. Heat oil- add onion 5 min, then garlic 1 min
3. Add rice- 2 min, add ½ c. water—cook until absorbed
4. Add ¾ c. ck broth, simmer 2 min
5. Continue adding broth until rice is tender and creamy, stir about 25 min until almost all broth is absorbed
6. In the last 5 min, add spinach, chicken, ½ c. parmesan and ¼ cup of basil

This is my sister Betsy’s favorite dish!

Asparagus-Goat Cheese Pasta by Guest Chef Nanette

1 pound asparagus
1/2 pound thin spaghetti
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 14 1/2-ounce can chicken broth
4 ounces goat cheese
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Heat a large pan of lightly salted water to boiling over high heat. Peel the asparagus stalks and trim the ends. Cut the stalks into 2-inch pieces. Blanch in boiling water 3 minutes or until bright green and crisp-tender when tested with a small knife. With a slotted spoon, remove the asparagus and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to the label directions until al dente. Drain.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Blend in the flour with a whisk. add the broth and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Blend in the goat cheese and the lemon peel.

Toss the spaghetti with the asparagus, sauce and half the Parmesan. Serve with the remaining Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.



Yield: Makes 4 first-course or 2 main-dish servings

Creamy Tomato Zucchini Sauce

I love creamy pasta sauce, and this one is a cinch.
3 TBS. butter
2-3 TBS. flour
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
pinch pepper
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 cup half and half or cream (use milk if you want less fat, just add more flour to thicken)
1/2 can petite diced tomatoes
1 c. zucchini, grated into large shreds
1/2 c. shredded parmesan, divided

Melt butter in frying pan on med-high. Add flour, garlic salt, pepper and minced garlic, stir well into butter to create a roux (thick paste). Slowly add cream and continue to stir until incorporated, reduce heat if thickening too much. Add 1/2 can of petite diced tomatoes, zucchini shreds and 1/3 c. parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Pour over hot pasta. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Serve with crusty french bread and roasted chicken. mmmmmmmm.

Homemade Gnocchi

My cousin Brooke gave me this recipe, courtesy of Mario Batali on the Food Network. I modified it quite a bit to suit my liking and it was delicious, especially with Creamy Tomato Zucchini sauce which I will post next. If you've never tried gnocchi, but like pasta, you should try these, they are a delicacy, and pretty easy to make.
3 pounds russet potatoes (about 12 medium) at least 3 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg, extra large
1-2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup canola oil

Boil the whole potatoes until they are soft (about 45 minutes). While still warm, peel and mash well (don't leave any lumps).
Set 6 quarts of water to boil in a large spaghetti pot. Set up ice bath with 6 cups ice and 6 cups water near boiling water.

Make well in center of potatoes and sprinkle all over with flour, adding more flour as necessary until dough is still wet but heavy and thick. Place egg and salt in center of well and using a fork, stir into flour and potatoes, just like making normal pasta. Once egg is mixed in, bring dough together, kneading gently until a ball is formed. Knead gently another 4 minutes until ball is dry to touch.

Roll baseball-sized ball of dough into 3/4-inch diameter dowels and cut dowels into 1-inch long pieces (I used a pizza cutter to do this part). Flick pieces off of fork or concave side of cheese grater until dowel is finished. Drop these pieces into boiling water and cook until they float (about 1 minute). Meanwhile, continue with remaining dough, forming dowels, cutting into 1-inch pieces and flicking off of fork. As gnocchi float to top of boiling water, remove them to ice bath. Continue until all have been cooled off. Let sit several minutes in bath and drain from ice and water. Toss with 1/4 cup canola oil and store covered in refrigerator up to 48 hours until ready to serve. I like to warm mine up and serve them with Creamy Tomato Zucchini Sauce.

This made a ton! You could easily cut the recipe in half if you are feeding 4 or less.

Spaghetti Bake - It's Ta Die For!

12 oz. spaghetti - broken in half and cooked al dente
8 oz. mozzarella mixed with 8 oz. colby jack cheese (or more if you're a cheesaholic)
1.5 lbs. ground beef, cooked with 1 c. chopped onion, 2 cloves garlic finely chopped, and 1/2 c. sliced mushrooms, then add:
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. salt (or more)
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil leaves
Let sauce and meat simmer on low for 20-25 minutes.

Layer noodles, cheese, then sauce two times in a 9x13 pan. Top with 1/2 c. shredded parmesan. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Easy Stroganoff

About a pound of lean ground beef
1/2 onion finely chopped

Brown beef and onion in skillet, add salt and pepper to taste.

Bring pot of water to boil, boil package of your favorite noodles (wavy egg noodles work nicely).

To skillet add:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 TBS. lemon juice
2 cans mushrooms (pour 1/2 can of the mushroom juice in the skillet, and drain the rest of the juice)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 c. milk (add more or less for desired consistency)

Let simmer for 10 minutes until well mixed.

Pour over cooked noodles (or rice if you prefer), serve hot, with spinach salad and cooked carrots.

Shrimp & Avocado Fettucine

***I've had LOTS of requests for this easy and better-than-restaurant quality pasta dish***
½ pound dried fettuccine (boiled until al dente)

In large sauce pan stir until mixed, and shrimp is warmed:
3 Tbls olive oil

1 lb. Shrimp peeled and de-veined (I use frozen cocktail shrimp)

3 Tbls chopped fresh parsley

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ red or green jalapeno chili pepper, seeded and minced (wear rubber gloves)

¼ cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 avocados, halved pitted and diced

1 cup grated parmesan cheese (fresh)

4 Tbls. fresh cilantro chopped

1to 2 tsp. fresh lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Mix sauce with pasta and serve warm with garlic bread.

Easy Pasta Bake

1 bag wide egg curly noodles (or whatever type you like) - boiled in salt water for 7 minutes (no longer - you don't want them to get mushy).
2-3 c. cut up veggies (I used zucchini, mushrooms, carrots and onions)
3-4 chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
1 can spaghetti sauce (any flavor)
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. italian seasoning
2 c. mozzarella cheese (shredded)

Preheat oven to 350. Cook all ingredients (except noodles and cheese) in a pot until it's well combined and comes to a boil (about 10 minutes on medium-high). Pour over cooked noodles in casserole dish, sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Stir to mix well. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese on top is melted and bubbly.

Mother-in-Law's Tangy Pasta Salad

16 oz. farfalle pasta
*Prepare pasta according to directions on box.
1 c. vegetable oil
2/3 c. bottled teriyaki sauce
2/3 c. white vinegar
Small bunch of green onions chopped
6 T. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
*Combine above ingredients (except pasta) in blender, blend well until smooth. Coat pasta in sauce and marinate in fridge for at least 2 hours (or overnight). After marinating, add:
2. cups cooked chicken, cubed
1 c. honey roasted peanuts or cashews
1 bag fresh spinach leaves
2 small cans mandarin oranges
1 c. dried cranberries (I like to use a mix of dried berries)
1 T. parsley flakes
*Toss until mixed well. Can be served as a main dish, or a side salad.

Mushroom & Asparagus Pasta

10-15 stalks fresh asparagus, chopped into 1 in. pieces
2 cans drained mushrooms (or 1 pack fresh mushrooms)
2 c. fresh shredded parmesan (divided)
16 oz. wheat penne pasta (or noodles of your choice)
1 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
2 TBS. olive oil
1 TBS. flour
2-3 cloves of roasted garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Boil noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 350.
While noodles are boiling, in a large sauce pan, heat olive oil, cream, chili powder, garlic and flour in pan. Mix well to create a cream sauce. Add more flour or cream/milk to create desired sauce consistency. Add salt & pepper to desired taste. Add 1 1/2 c. parmesan cheese. Bring to a low boil until sauce thickens and cheese is mixed in, but is still runny enough to mix and coat noodles (add more cream if necessary). Add asparagus and mushrooms, cook for 2-3 more minutes until asparagus is blanched. Coat noodles w/ sauce. Pour into casserole dish, cover w/ remaining parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.

Melanie Stephen's Pad Thai Peanut Butter Chicken

Cook one package of spaghetti (or I prefer to use the Pad Thai rice noodles).
While spaghetti is cooking also cook 2 large cut chicken breasts in a
skillet with:
4 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1Tbs. ginger (I use the powder and I don't use that much, I just
sprinkle some in)
black pepper

In the largest bowl you have add:
5 Tbs. of chicken stock (if you don't have any then use the spaghetti
broth)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. ginger
2 Tbs. peanut butter (it is good with regular or crunchy) make sure it's sweet.
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. soy sauce
Chopped English cucumber or zuccini
Chopped carrots

Add spaghetti and chicken to bowl and mix well.