Mini Bow Ties with Bacon and Peas

We love this recipe!  I always double it so we have leftovers.

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked mini farfalle (bow tie pasta)

3 center-cut bacon slices, chopped

1/2 cup pre-chopped onion

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 cup unsalted chicken stock

1 cup frozen green peas

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

5/8 teaspoon kosher salt (if you cook your pasta in salt, you might not need this)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid; set aside.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon.

3. Add onion and carrot to drippings in pan; cook 5 minutes. Add stock; bring to a boil. Add peas; cook 2 minutes.

4. Remove pan from heat; stir in reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid, bacon, thyme, salt, pepper, and cream cheese. Add pasta to pan; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Chicken Parmesan with Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta

This is so delicious!!

From the Recipecritic

Crispy, tender and juicy parmesan crusted chicken over the most incredible creamy lemon garlic pasta! This is a must make meal!

Serves: 4

Ingredients

·      2 Chicken Breasts, sliced in half

·      6 Tablespoons butter, divided

·      ½ cup Italian Bread Crumbs

·      ½ cup grated parmesan

·      ¼ cup flour

  Creamy Lemon Garlic Pasta

·      8 ounce pasta of choice, I used spaghetti

·      ½ cup heavy whipping cream (to lighten things up, try fat free half & half!)

·      ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

·      Juice of one lemon

·      1 teaspoon garlic powder

·      ½ teaspoon salt

·      ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1.    In a large skillet over medium heat melt 2 Tablespoons butter. To make the chicken: Melt remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and flour. Dip the chicken in the butter and then coat in the bread crumb mixture and place in skillet.

2.    Cook on each side for about 3-4 minutes until the outside is crispy and the chicken is cooked throughout. (It shouldn't take too long because the chicken should be thin).

3.    Meanwhile cook the pasta according to package directions and drain. In a medium sized skillet add the heavy whipping cream, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Whisk together and cook over medium high heat until it starts to thicken. Remove from heat and add the pasta to coat in the sauce.

4.    Serve the chicken with the pasta and garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

End of Summer Pasta

Ingredients:

2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 1/2 pounds boned, skinned chicken breast halves or thighs, rinsed
1 pound zucchini
2 red bell peppers (12 oz. total)
2 portabella mushroom caps (7 oz. total)
1 red onion (12 oz.)

grape or cherry tomatoes (add to grill near the end)

1 package (1 lb.) dried penne pasta
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and fresh-ground pepper
1/2 cup slivered fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, mustard, and garlic. 
Reserve 1/2 cup marinade for basting vegetables; pour remaining into a 1-gallon zip-lock
 plastic bag. Cut chicken lengthwise into 1-inch-wide strips and add to bag. Seal bag and 
turn to coat. Chill about 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, rinse zucchini, bell peppers, and mushroom caps. Slice zucchini lengthwise 
into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Stem and seed bell peppers; quarter lengthwise. Peel onion and
 slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Brush vegetables with reserved marinade.
3. Cooking in batches if necessary, lay vegetables and chicken (discard marinade) on a
barbecue grill over a solid bed of hot coals or high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your 
hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds); close lid on gas grill. Cook, turning once, until
 vegetables are slightly charred and chicken is no longer pink in center of thickest part 
(cut to test), 6 to 10 minutes total. Let cool a few minutes. Chop vegetables and chicken
 into 1-inch pieces.
4. Meanwhile, in a 6- to 8-quart pan over high heat, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add
 pasta, stir, and cook, uncovered, until barely tender to bite, 9 to 13 minutes. Drain.
5. In a large bowl, mix pasta parmesan cheese, half the chopped vegetables and chicken, 
and salt and pepper to taste. Top with remaining vegetables and chicken. Garnish with 
sliced basil and a balsamic glaze (optional).

Shrimp Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:

1 (12 ounce) package penne pasta 1 lb. shrimp 1 yellow squash, chopped 1 zucchini, chopped 1 carrot, julienned 1/2 red bell pepper, julienned 1/2 pint grape tomatoes 1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces 5 spears asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces 1/4 cup olive oil, divided 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 1 tablespoon butter 1/4 large yellow onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 2 teaspoons lemon zest 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2.	Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3.	In a bowl, toss squash, zucchini, carrot, red bell pepper, tomatoes, green beans, and asparagus with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning. Arrange vegetables on the baking sheet, and roast 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until tender.
4.	Heat remaining olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook until tender. Add shrimp and sauté. Mix in cooked pasta, lemon zest, basil, parsley, and balsamic vinegar. Gently toss and cook until heated through. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with roasted vegetables and sprinkle with Romano cheese to serve.

Pasta Rustica

This is a Williams-Sonoma recipe that a friend made me after one of my kids was born.  It's a really yummy/naughty pasta recipe!

2 T. olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

¾ lb. chicken or pork sausage, casings removed

1 t. dried basil

1 t. dried oregano

¼ t. hot red pepper flakes

1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes in puree

Salt, to taste

1 lb. penne pasta

1 ¼ c. ricotta cheese

½ c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, warm oil.  Add onion and cook until golden, about 5 min. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 min.  Add sausage and cook, breaking it up into bite size pieces, until no longer pink, about 6 min.  Stir in basil, oregano and red pepper flakes.  Add tomatoes with puree and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 – 12 min.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking dish.  Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat.  Salt the water, add pasta, stir well and cook until barely al dente (tender but firm to the bite), 10 – 12 min.  Drain well.  In a large bowl, toss pasta with sauce, ricotta and mozzarella.  Spread in prepared baking dish and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Bake until cheeses are melted and tips of pasta are crusty, about 30 min.  Let stand 5 min. before serving.  Serve hot.  Serves 6 – 8.

Baked Ziti and Summer Veggies

This recipe appeared in Cooking Light.  After coming home with a load of veggies from the farmer's market, I decided this looked like the PERFECT summer recipe.  Tell your kids it's mac & cheese with some colorful veggies and they'll love it.  I usually double the recipe so we have leftovers for lunch.

 Ingredients

• 4 ounces uncooked ziti
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chopped yellow squash
• 1 cups chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped tomato
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided (any cheese blend will work) 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Cooking spray

Preparation

• 1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
• 2. Preheat oven to 400°.
• 3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan. Add squash, zucchini, and onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomato and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.
• 4. Combine ricotta, remaining salt, and egg. Stir into pasta mixture. Spoon into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 301
• Fat: 12.1g
• Saturated fat: 5.3g
• Monounsaturated fat: 5g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 0.9g
• Protein: 16.5g
• Carbohydrate: 32.8g
• Fiber: 4.1g
• Cholesterol: 65mg
• Iron: 1.9mg
• Sodium: 640mg
• Calcium: 291mg

Summer Pasta

Ingredients

• 8 ounces angel hair pasta
• 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 zucchini, sliced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 12 leaves fresh basil
• 2 t. fresh oregano (or 1/2 t. dried)
• 4 ounces feta cheese, shredded
• Shredded mozzarella or parmesan (to sprinkle on top)

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Pour in oil and saute garlic until golden. Stir in zucchini, oregano, salt and pepper. Saute 2 minutes, then mix in tomato and cook a few minutes more. Stir in feta until it melts. Chop basil and add to vegetables right before mixing with pasta.
3. Combine pasta and vegetables. Serve topped with mozzarella or fresh parmesan if desired.

Ravioli Lasagna

This one came from my friend Stephanie Taylor.  Two great tastes that taste GREAT together... ravioli and lasagna.
1 jar spaghetti sauce
2 (16 oz.) packages frozen ravioli – keep frozen
2 c. small curd cottage cheese
4 c. mozzarella
3 T. parmesan cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 T. dried parsley
1 c. water

1.       Combine cottage cheese, 3 c. mozzarella, 2 T. parmesan, beaten eggs and parsley.  Set aside.

2.       In a 9x13* pan, spread 1 c. spaghetti sauce on bottom of pan.  Over this, arrange 1 – 16 oz. package of ravioli.  Spread cheese mixture over this.  Add 2^nd package of ravioli.  Cover with rest of spaghetti sauce and 1 c. water.  Sprinkle the remaining 1 c. mozzarella and 1 T. parmesan over top.

3.       Refrigerate overnight.  Bake at 350⁰ for 1 hour.  Let stand 5 – 10 minutes before serving.

*or… bake half and freeze half for another night!

Nutty Pasta Sauce with Shrimp

(from Cooking Light)

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons  minced fresh cilantro
• 2  tablespoons  grated peeled fresh ginger
• 4  tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce
• 4  tablespoons  crunchy peanut butter
• 2  teaspoons  sugar
• 2  teaspoons  rice vinegar
• 1/2  teaspoon  hot sauce (or less if you have little people eating this!)
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 2  teaspoons  dark sesame oil
• 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1  cup  vertically sliced onion
• 1  red bell pepper, cut into (1/4-inch) strips
• 2  cups  bagged prewashed spinach
• 4  cups  hot cooked rigatoni (about 1 1/4 cups uncooked pasta)

Preparation
Combine first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, and sauté for 3 minutes or until done. Remove shrimp from pan. Add onion and bell pepper to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add soy sauce mixture, shrimp, and spinach. Reduce heat to medium; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Serve shrimp mixture over pasta.