Braided Spaghetti Bread

I found this recipe on the Rhodes blog, and it was calling my name even though I tend to not pay much attention to recipes put out by brands (weird, I know). But, I'm a firm believer that you absolutely cannot enjoy spaghetti without garlic bread, so I suppose that is what hooked me in with this recipe. Plus it just looked pretty!

It was really easy to put together, baked up perfectly, and was a hit with my husband and daughter (because even though this looked so good, all the carb-loading isn't diet friendly right now, so I had one little bite and then enjoyed my own personal skinny chicken parm with garlic kale). My husband said he expected it to be a heavy meal, but the dough actually baked up nice and light and fluffy, making it not feel heavy at all and was easy for both of them to enjoy - and I can verify this fact from the one bite I had! I've done something similar, with this Spaghetti Bruschetta, but I think I prefer this method...with just putting the pasta on already prepared garlic bread you get a crisp, crunchy bread versus a soft and chewy one with the uncooked dough.

I'm sure we'll be having this one again, and probably in the near future not only because it was a hit but also because the bread dough came in a pack of 5 :)

You can find the original recipe here, along with step-by-step pics of putting it together.

Ingredients

1 Loaf Rhodes Bread Dough or 12 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed to room temperature
6 oz spaghetti, cooked
1 cup thick spaghetti sauce
8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 –inch cubes (or 8 oz shredded)
1 egg white
Parmesan cheese
Parsley flakes (I used Italian seasoning and garlic powder)

Directions

1. Roll thawed bread dough into a 12x16 rectangle on parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 15 minutes.

2. Combine spaghetti and sauce. Remove plastic wrap from dough and place spaghetti on top of dough in a 4" strip down the center. Top with cheese.

3. Make cuts 1 ½-inches apart on long sides of dough to within ½-inch of filling. Begin braid by folding top and bottom strips toward filling. Then braid strips left over right, right over left. Finish by pulling last strip over and tucking under braid. Transfer parchment paper to a large baking sheet. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and slice to serve.

Cajun Mac & Cheese

*Photo from Food Network

I guess you could use the term "grown-up mac and cheese" to describe this, and although I don't really like using that phrase, when I make this and my 2 year-old gets a different version, I guess the "grown-up" term is a good description. Although using the wagon wheel pasta gives it a kid-like feel...hmmm...let's just call this a spiced-up mac and cheese :)

We really enjoyed this, a little twist on a plain macaroni and cheese that totally didn't feel like we were eating macaroni and cheese. You could use polish sausage or smoked sausage in place of the andouille if you don't want the extra spice, and I think it would be just as good!

Ingredients
Kosher salt
12 oz. wagon-wheel pasta (I found this in the bulk section of my store, it can be hard to find in the pasta aisle)
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
6 oz. andouille sausage, diced
2 bunches scallions, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper (red or green), chopped
1 Tbsp. Cajun spice blend
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes (I used mild cheddar since we aren't sharp fans) 


Directions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 1 minute less than the label directs. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.

2. Meanwhile, combine the olive oil and sausage in a large skillet over high heat and cook, stirring, until the sausage starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the scallions and bell pepper and cook until the vegetables are slightly soft, about 3 more minutes. Add the Cajun spice and flour and cook, stirring, 2 more minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and continue whisking until the sauce is thick and smooth, about 5 more minutes.

3. Add the pasta, cheese and reserved cooking water to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, tossing to coat the pasta in the sauce and melt the cheese, about 1 minute.

Lasagna Roll-ups

A little less time-consuming than a traditional lasagna, with all the same taste! I went with a spinach and mushroom combination for these, but you can use any filling you want...next time I'm going with a chicken and alfredo mix!

Ingredients

8 lasagna noodles

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

10 oz. cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 cup part-skim Ricotta cheese

2 oz. (1/4 block) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

1 tsp. dried basil

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 (26 oz) jar marinara sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

2. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain.

3. In a medium skillet,combine olive oil and Worcestershire sauce over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat.

4. In a large bowl, combine spinach, Ricotta, cream cheese, and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Mix well and season with basil, salt and pepper. Stir in mushroom mixture.

5. Lay out lasagna noodles on parchment paper or foil. Spread about 2-3 Tbsp. filling across each noodle, leaving about 1" free on one end. Roll up noodle over filling, then place seam side down in a square baking dish. Top with marinara sauce and remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Bake until heated through and cheese is melted and golden, about 25 minutes.

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

I love Fall because of all the great new recipe options it brings - especially for pumpkin! I was a little skeptical about this recipe at first, despite reading all the great reviews, just because I wasn't sure how the pumpkin/sausage combination would come together, especially with the cinnamon and nutmeg...but I'm glad I decided to try it because it is a definite winner! The final dish is a yummy, creamy pasta with a subtle pumpkin flavor that is just perfect. And sprinkled with some extra sage (which I LOVE) this dish just says "Fall" to me. I better stock up on canned pumpkin now so I can make this one all year long!


From Rachael Ray


Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade,about 2 tablespoons
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock, canned or paper container
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating (I used Parmesan)
Pumpernickel or whole grain bread, as an accompaniment

Directions

1. Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.

2. Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

3. Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves.

Fettucine Carbonara

Pasta. Cream. BACON.

It doesn't get any better than that.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, minced
12 oz. bacon, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. fettucine
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
3/4 cup half-and-half, at room temperature
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, at room temperature
1 - 4 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and bacon and cook until the onions are translucent and the bacon is beginning to crisp. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettucine according to package directions until al dente, about 11-12 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander and return to pan. Add in the bacon and onion mixture. Stir over high heat until pasta is coated with the pancetta mixture.

3. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and half-and-half and add to the pasta, along with the Parmesan and mushrooms. Remove the pot from the heat and toss the pasta until it is well-coated and the egg has had time to cook. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

Linguine with Eggplant Ragout

From Rachael Ray magazine. A yummy, light summer supper!

Ingredients

2 eggplants (about 2 lbs)
1 lb. linguine pasta
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced (my addition)
1 - 14.5 oz can chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup fresh basil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Pierce the eggplants all over, place on a baking sheet and cook until very soft, about 1 hour. Let cool slightly, then cut each eggplant in half and scoop the flesh into a bowl; discard the skin.

2. Meanwhile, in a pot of boiling salted water, cook the linguine until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice and cook until the liquid has reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir in the eggplant; heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Add the pasta and basil; toss to coat. Add the reserved pasta and cooking water as needed.

Baked Chicken Linguine

A little different way to serve up a chicken pasta...creamy and hearty and the french fried onion topping adds a perfect little bit of crunch.

Ingredients

1/2 lb. (1/2 box) linguine
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cup chopped onion
1 - 8 oz. pkg white mushrooms, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch fresh spinach, chopped (about 3 loosely-packed cups)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup milk
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 small can (2.8 oz) french fried onions

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook linguine according to package directions; drain.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat olive oil and Worcestershire over medium heat. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until just wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. In a large bowl, combine soups, mayo, milk, and lemon juice. Stir in chicken and spinach mixture, then stir in linguine. Pour into a lightly greased 8x8 baking dish.

4. Bake 25 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Top with french fried onions and cook 5 minutes more.

Pizza Pasta

A pasta with an identity crisis. Luckily this crisis involves tasting like pizza, so there is nothing to do but enjoy it.

Ingredients

12 oz. rotini pasta, cooked according to package directions
1 small onion, diced
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
1 (3 oz) package sliced pepperoni, chopped
1 can black olives, sliced (I like black olives a LOT, so I use a large can...half of them probably end up in my mouth rather than the pasta anyway)
2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. In a large skillet, combine onion and Italian sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally to crumble sausage, until cooked through and onion is tender.

2. Place sausage mixture in a large bowl. Add pepperoni, olives, spaghetti sauce, and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Stir to combine. Pour into a lighty greased 9x13 baking pan. Top with remaining mozzarella. Bake at 375 degrees 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and pasta is heated through.

Orzo with Fresh Tomatoes

I love orzo as a side dish, probably because I usually prefer rice over pasta, and since its a rice-like pasta it works out great! This is a really easy, fresh, and light side dish to put together (and its pretty!). I served it with chicken but it would go great with fish too.

Orzo with Fresh Tomatoes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups orzo
4 cups water or chicken broth (or a combination)
1 cup diced fresh tomato (about one large)
2 green onions, diced
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Dash garlic powder
2 Tbsp. butter
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, bring water or broth to a boil. Add orzo and cook, stirring occasionally, about 7-9 minutes or until tender.

2. Meanwhile, combine tomato, green onion, basil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Let sit 5 minutes.

3. Drain orzo and return to the saucepan over medium heat. Stir in butter and Parmesan cheese (if using) until melted and combined with the orzo. Remove from heat and stir in the tomato mixture.

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

Warning: This recipe uses almost a whole stick of butter. And half-and-half. And 3 different cheeses. Its not light or healthy or any of that boring stuff - it is straight up a plate of amazing cheesy goodness. So don't say I didn't warn you...but also don't let that stop you from enjoying it!

The "buffalo" flavor is very subtle, but it adds just that little something special that takes a plain macaroni and cheese to a new level. And with the cheese combo and the panko topping, this is a delicious, comforting guilty pleasure.

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup hot sauce (preferably Frank's)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 pound yellow sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.

Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top.

Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Macaroni Mambo

I found this recipe on Eating Well, and although it seemed like a glorified hamburger helper, it had lots of good ingredients and was something even Baby Madyson could eat, so I went for it.

The only issue was that it was originally called "Hamburger Buddy". Seriously. How unappetizing is that name? It sounds like a toy from a happy meal or something, not dinner. So I decided that if I were going to take a chance with this one, it would have to be called something different. And that is how we came to enjoy Macaroni Mambo.

Its pretty good, and I think I'll be making it again because you can disguise lots of veggies in it (I added in some fresh spinach) and the overall flavor is mild enough for picky eaters.

Ingredients
adapted from Eating Well
3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
10 ounces white mushrooms, large ones cut in half
1 large onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound 90%-lean ground beef
1/4 tsp. ground thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
4 cups beef broth, divided
8 ounces whole-wheat elbow noodles, (2 cups)
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 Tbsp.chopped fresh parsley, or chives for garnish

Directions

1.Fit a food processor with the steel blade attachment. With the motor running, drop garlic through the feed tube and process until minced, then add carrots and mushrooms and process until finely chopped. Turn it off, add onion, and pulse until roughly chopped.

2.Cook beef in a large straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped vegetables, thyme, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften and the mushrooms release their juices, 5 to 7 minutes.

3.Stir in water, 1 1/2 cups broth, noodles, spinach and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

4.Whisk tomato paste with the remaining 1/4 cup broth in a small bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour until smooth. Stir into the hamburger mixture. Stir in the sour cream. Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley (or chives), if desired.

Pasta Taco Salad

I was looking for a different sort of side dish to bring to a family BBQ this past weekend, and I found this pasta salad on a blog called Cara's Cravings (her picture is definitely better than mine, I was only able to capture the leftovers). There were rave reviews, and I just happened to have some leftover wagon wheel pasta, so I gave it a go.

My review: It was a nice change from the usual pasta salad, and the flavors were good. I used a very mild salsa and limited chili powder to cater to some picky palates, and I definitely think it needed more spice. In fact, we kicked up the leftovers with some spicy picante-style salsa later on, and I liked it much better. Also, I don't think the "vinaigrette" is necessary - do we really need to be adding a 1/2 cup of oil to this otherwise pretty healthy salad? I used a lot less, and I think it would be fine omitting it completely and just mixing in the lime juice and spices right into the pasta. But, I'll post the recipe as-is and you can judge for yourself!


Ingredients

1 lb. wagon wheel pasta
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 10 oz. package frozen corn (if you are going to make this at least several hours ahead, no need to defrost first)
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
8 oz. shredded Mexican-blend cheese (I didn't add this)
1 1/2 cups salsa
1/2 cup olive oil
3-4 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. cumin
1-2 tsp. chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
freshly ground salt and pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 avocado, diced

Directions

1. Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. In a large bowl, combine the black beans, corn, tomatoes, salsa, and cheese. Add the cooled pasta and mix well.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin and chili powder. Pour over the pasta salad, add the cilantro, and mix well. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

4. Just before serving, stir in the diced avocado

Spaghetti Bruschetta

I stole this idea from Picky Palate, and when I first found the recipe I totally thought it was genius...you can't eat spaghetti without garlic bread, so why not put the spaghetti on the garlic bread!

This is another "No Recipe Needed" creation too...just make up some spaghetti (I cut up the pasta into small pieces before cooking so it would be easier to eat on the bread), put it on garlic bread, top with mozzarella cheese and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly. You'll need a knife and fork for it, but its delish!

Penne with Asparagus, Mushrooms and Italian Sausage

Adam: "I like this better than that other pasta you made with asparagus"

And there you have it.

Ingredients

12 oz. penne pasta
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. fresh crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
1 - 14 oz. can tomato puree
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 lb. hot Italian sausage, cooked, crumbled into large pieces and drained
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

2. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, then add the asparagus and cook 5 minutes more. Add the tomato puree, season with salt and pepper, and let simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half and the Italian sausage and simmer 10 minutes more. Season again with salt and pepper, if desired.

3. Stir the mozzarella and the pasta into the sauce and heat through.

Tomato Sauce with onion and butter

No picture for this one. I wasn't even going to attempt it. I realized that I should probably stop taking pictures of my food until I a) Get better at it and more importantly, b) Get a really good camera. Not sure when either one of those things are going to happen...so we might be picture-free for a while.

Luckily though, there is an easy way around this - in this case, I'll just direct you to where I got the recipe from because I know the pictures there are a million times better than anything I could produce.

So, if you want to see what this looks like, head on over to Smitten Kitchen and I'll just thank her for during the work for me.

But on to this recipe...can I just say YUM! I was very intrigued by this recipe because of all the rave reviews, and yet it seemed too simple to be true! The title lists all the ingredients: tomatos, onion, butter. That's it. A perfect, 3 ingredient tomato sauce? Can it be?

I have to add my name to the list of believers (if you go to the Smitten Kitchen link, you'll see that there are over 500 comments on this recipe, and ALL are good) because this sauce was fantastic! I've never been a big fan of any sort of jarred spaghetti sauce, and so I'm glad I have discovered this little gem that I can use instead.

The end result is a sauce thats fresh and sweet, and the butter adds that little extra something that takes it up a notch. Oh, and don't just throw away that onion once you remove it - that thing tasted darn good too!

Last night I served it over plain spaghetti noodles with some cheesy garlic bread on the side, of course. I wish there were leftovers that I could be eating right now, but alas, this stuff was too good to last long!

Tomato Sauce with onion and butter

Ingredients

28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes (San Marzano are the recommended brand, and those are what I used. A little more pricey than the others, but apparently its worth it. I found them at my local Albertson's)
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium-sized yellow onion, peeled and halved
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Place tomatoes, onion and butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and then lower the heat to keep the sauce at a slow, steady simmer for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free of the tomatoes. Stir occasionally, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon (I don't mind a slightly chunky sauce, so I didn't smash them up too much). Remove from heat, discard the onion, add salt to taste (I didn't add any) and keep warm while you prepare your pasta.

Monterey Spaghetti

Ingredients

6 oz. spaghetti, cut into 2" pieces
1 egg
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 (10 oz)package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 (4 oz) can sliced mushrooms
1 (2.8 oz) can french fried onions

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.

3. In a small bowl beat egg. Add Parmesan, sour cream, and garlic. Add spaghetti, Monterey Jack cheese, spinach, mushrooms and 1/2 the onions. Pour into greased 8x8 baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Top with remaining onions and bake 5 minutes more.

Mizithra in Browned Butter Pasta

1 Box Pasta of your choice (I'm personally in love with Rozoni Smart Taste Penne)

1 Stick of Butter

Mizithra Cheese to taste (Kind of hard to find sometimes, usually in the deli)

Another super easy and good "recipe" from me.

Cook pasta according to directions on box. Remember to salt the water.

Drain pasta.

In large frying pan, melt butter over low heat stirring constantly until it starts to turn brown.

Sprinkle in cheese and coat all noodles well.

Enjoy!

Mascarpone and Mushroom Ravioli with Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper Cream Sauce

I have a few things to say about this recipe:

1. The filling is fantastic, and the mascarpone is the reason. It is GOOD stuff. I'm never using ricotta or regular cream cheese in ravioli ever again.

2. You don't need to adjust the color on your monitor - that sauce really is that lovely, bright shade of orange! I'm glad it tasted good, because there was something just a little too unnatural about the color (even though its from the roasted peppers). Wonder how it can be toned down?

Overall though, I'm going to give myself a pat on the back for coming up with this one - it was delish!

Mascarpone and Mushroom Ravioli with Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Ingredients

Ravioli
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. minced onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz. cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, chopped
1 Tbsp. green onions, finely chopped
1/8 tsp. ground thyme
1 cup roughly chopped baby spinach
8 oz. mascarpone cheese
Won ton wrappers (I used round ones)
1 egg, slightly beaten

Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper Puree
3 red bell peppers, roasted, seeded, peeled, and sliced (or 1 cup jarred roasted red peppers)
3 garlic cloves, roasted

Sauce
2 cups half-and-half (I used fat-free)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup Parmesan Romano cheese (or just Parmesan if you can't find the blend)
Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper Puree

Directions

1. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and saute until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, mushrooms, and green onion, cook 5-7 minutes longer, until mushrooms are tender. Turn off heat and stir in thyme and spinach. Continue stirring until spinach is wilted and combined with the mushrooms. Remove mixture to a bowl and set aside. Once cooled, stir in the mascarpone cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste (I did this step the day before and let it sit in the fridge over night).

2. Meanwhile, prepare the roasted garlic and red pepper puree: Combine roasted red peppers and roasted garlic in a food processor or blendor (I used our magic bullet!); puree until smooth. Makes about 1 cup of puree.

3. In a large saucepan, heat the half-and-half over medium heat. When it starts to bubble slightly (do not let boil), whisk in the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Once butter is combined, slowly add the cheese, stirring constantly. Continue stirring (very important, otherwise your sauce might "break" like mine started too), and once the cheese is all melted in add the red pepper puree and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm over low heat.

4. On a large work surface, lay out the desired amount of won ton wrappers (recipe should make at least 16-20, depending on how much filling you add in). Brush a little of the beaten egg onto the edges of the wrappers. Place a small spoonful of the mascarpone mixture onto the center of each wrapper, then place a second wrapper over the top and press the edges together to seal well.

5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ravioli a few at a time and cook until they float to the top, about 3-4 minutes.

6. Serve the ravioli topped with the red pepper cream sauce and extra Parmesan cheese, and of course some yummy, cheesy garlic bread.

Scallops with Angel Hair

I had this recipe hand-written on a scrap of paper sitting in my recipe pile forever, so I have no idea where it came from but I suppose that's okay since I made quite a few changes anyway. It was a nice, light pasta, easy to put together and it makes me happy that I got to use scallops because I love those little guys!

Scallops with Angel Hair

Ingredients

2 tsp. olive oil, divided
1/2 lb. bay scallops
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup diced roasted red pepper
1 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup vermouth or dry white wine
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
3 tsp. cornstarch
3 tsp. water
8 oz. angel hair pasta, cooked and drained
1/4 cup minced fresh parsely
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. sliced green onions

Directions

1. In a large skillet, cook scallops in 1 tsp. olive oil over mediume heat until firm and opaque. Remove and keep warm.

2. In the same skillet, saute onion in remaining 1 tsp. oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 min longer. Stir in the roasted red pepper, broth, wine, lemon juice, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Gradually stir into pan. Cook and stir 2 minutes until sauce thickens.

3. Stir in cooked angel hair and parsley; mix well. Place pasta on serving plates and sprinkle with Parmesan and green onions.

Baked Angel Hair with Eggplant

Holy Goodness.

This is another recipe that we have Giada De Laurentiis to thank for.

I must admit to serious skepticism before trying it out though. I mean:

Spaghetti...Good.
Eggplant...Delish.
Puff Pastry...Heaven.

But all together in one dish? Not sure how that was going to work out (especially with the puff pastry on both the top and the bottom), and I was bummed that there wasn't a picture posted to go along with it (and sorry, I forgot to take one as well)...but it definitely did not disappoint! Its like a fantastic little spaghetti pie that you just want to keep eating and eating and eating :)

Baked Angel Hair with Eggplant
from Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 to 6 Japanese eggplants (about 2 lbs total), cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 lb. mild Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1/3 cup dry red wine
3 cups marinara sauce
1 tsp. dried crushed red pepper flakes
8 oz. angel hair pasta
1 lb. mozzarella, diced
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 (17.25 oz) package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

Directions

1. Heat 1/3 cup of oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the eggplant and toss to coat in the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute the eggplant until it is golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium. Add half of the garlic and saute until it is tender, about 2 minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggplant mixture to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the remaining eggplant and garlic.

2. Add the sausage and wine to the same frying pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the wine evaporates and the sausage is brown, breaking the sausage into pieces with the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. Add the sausage, marinara sauce, and crushed red pepper to the eggplant mixture, and toss to combine.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the angel hair and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until pasta is still slightly crunchy and undercooked. Drain. Toss the angel hair with the eggplant mixture. Cool completely. Add the mozzarella and Parmesan and toss to combine.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

5. Roll out 1 pastry sheet on a floured surface to a 13 1/2-inch square. Transfer to a 9-inch springform pan, allowing the excess pastry to hang over the rim. Spoon the pasta mixture into the pan. Place the second pastry sheet atop the pasta filling. Pinch the edges of the pastry sheets together to seal. Trim the overhanging pastry edges to about 1-inch. Fold the pastry edges in to form a decorative border. Cut a slit in the center of the top pastry to allow the steam to escape.

6. Bake until the pastry is brown and puffed on top, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let stand for 20 minutes. Remove the pan sides and serve.