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Posts Tagged ‘Pasta’

Recipe Exploration: Baked Ziti

April 25, 2012 Leave a comment

Name: Baked Ziti
By: Renee

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 30 min

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound Ziti
  • 1 pound lean ground beef or Italian Sausage
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 tsp chopped garlic
  • 1 24 oz jar of spaghetti sauce
  • 6 oz sliced provolone cheese
  • 6 oz sliced mozzrella cheese (can use shredded if you don’t have sliced)
  • 1 ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup fresh basil


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. In a large skillet, brown beef or sausage over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; saute until tender. Drain off fat and add spaghetti sauce; simmer for about 15 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  4. In a lightly greased 3 quart baking dish, place about half of the pasta; top with a layer of provolone and mozzarella cheese slices. Spread on a layer of sour cream and half the spaghetti sauce mixture.
  5. Cover with remaining pasta, cheese and sauce; sprinkle a layer of Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
  6. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until cheese and sauce are bubbly; serve.


Notes:

  • You can substitute any tubed pasta.  I used penne.

Recipe Exploration: Strumpet’s Super Simple Pasta Salad

March 12, 2012 1 comment

 

Name: Strumpet’s Super Simple Pasta Salad
By: Renee (based on Strumpet’s Recipe)

Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

  • 1 package pasta (bowtie was used)
  • 1 lb. spicy Italian sausage
  • 1 cup fresh mushrooms, diced
  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • 1 lemon (or lemon juice equivalent)
  • 1 package baby mixed greens – whichever kind you like best
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (can use flavored if you like)
  • ½ cup to a cup parmesan (shaved or grated)
  • ½ cup feta cheese

Directions:

  1. Boil the pasta according to the package directions.
  2. While waiting for the pasta water to boil, brown the sausage.  Add in the mushrooms and peppers and saute until mushrooms are tender.
  3. Toss sausage mixture in with the salad.
  4. Squeeze the juice of the lemon out of the lemon
  5. Chop (mince) garlic and mix with the lemon juice and oil.
  6. Drain pasta and toss in salad.  Add lemon dressing and toss again.
  7. Add parmesan toss a final time.  Sprinkle with feta.

Notes:

  • If all of it isn’t gone that night, this will serve as a cold salad the next day.
  • It’s good with fresh cracked black pepper.

Recipe Exploration: Cajun Chicken Pasta

January 19, 2012 Leave a comment
Name: Cajun Chicken Pasta
By: Renee (modified from All Recipes.com)

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 15 min

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces linguine pasta
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 4 fresh baby bella mushrooms, sliced (optional)
  • 4 stalks of green onion, minced
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese


Directions:

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguini pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
  2. Meanwhile, place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl, and toss to coat.
  3. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute chicken in butter until no longer pink and juices run clear, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add green and red bell peppers, sliced mushrooms and green onions; cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat, and stir in heavy cream. Season the sauce with basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper, and heat through.  Add more Cajun Seasoning if desired.
  4. In a large bowl, toss linguini with sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.  If sauce is too thin, let the bowl sit until sauce thickens.


Notes:

  • Can also use rotisserie chicken cut up into pieces.  That works out well!
  • If sauce is consistently too thin even after sitting, you can add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with or water to thicken.
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