Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe from Holly via Megan. Haven't tried it yet.

1 1/2 c elbow macaroni
3 T butter or margarine
1/4 c onion, minced
3 T flour
1 1/2 c milk
1/2 t salt
dash pepper
3 c sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 t paprika

Cook macaroni in boiling, salted water until tender; drain. In another sauce pan melt butter. Add onion, cook until soft. Blend in flour and milk. Cook and stir until thick. Add salt, pepper, cheese and paprika. Heat and stir until cheese is melted. Mix sauce with macaroni. Pour into greased 1 1/2 qt casserole dish. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake 30 mins until bubbly and browned, 350 degrees.

Salmon Macaroni Salad

1/2 pound (about 2 cups) macaroni pasta
Salt
2 (7-ounce) cans salmon
1/2 cup mayonnaise (plus more to taste or for added smoothness)
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped shallots, red onions, or green onions (with onion greens)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill)
2 stalks celery, chopped
Tabasco to taste (we used about 10 drops)
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a pot of water (2 quarts) to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Add the dry macaroni pasta and cook, uncovered, in a rolling boil for about 10 minutes, or until the macaroni is al dente (slightly firm). Remove from heat, drain, rinse briefly in cold water (macaroni should be still warm after rinsing) and drain again.

In a large bowl mix the salmon, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix in the shallots, parsley, dill, and celery.

Mix in the cooked macaroni while it is still warm. Add Tabasco and freshly ground pepper to taste. As the macaroni absorbs the mayonnaise, you may need to add some water to the salad to keep it from being dry. Adjust seasonings.

Chill before serving. Serves 4.

Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cheese

This Cooking Light recipe turned out looking just like the picture and was really good. It is a nice variation from the regular hamburger pasta dish. I substituted Asiago cheese for Parmesan because it was cheaper. When you bake pasta I think it helps to boil it a little longer (past al dente) so it doesn't get dried out in the oven. One of the reviews on the site where I found it recommends adding 2 tsp balsamic vinegar and 1 tsp sugar to sauce just before combining with pasta. That sounds good to me--I'll try it next time!

1 (1-pound) package uncooked ziti (short tube-shaped pasta)
1 pound hot turkey Italian sausage links
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain the pasta, and set aside.

Remove casings from sausage. Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine cooked pasta, sausage mixture, and basil. Place half of the pasta mixture in a 4-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with half of mozzarella and half of Parmesan. Repeat layers. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

Fettuccine with Clams and Tomato Sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion (1 small)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups low-sodium tomato juice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 48 littleneck clams in shells, scrubbed (about 2 3/4 pounds)
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 4 cups hot cooked fettuccine (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 4 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Add juice and next 5 ingredients (through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until shells open. Remove clams from pan. Discard any unopened shells. Add parsley to pan; cook until liquid is reduced to 4 cups (about 15 minutes). Serve clams and sauce over pasta.

Asparagus and Parmesan Pasta Toss

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 pound uncooked mostaccioli pasta (tube-shaped pasta)
• Cooking spray
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups presliced mushrooms
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 3/4 cups (1-inch) pieces asparagus (about 12 ounces)
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan, divided

Preheat broiler.

Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and cut into strips.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Add mushrooms; cook 4 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Add bell pepper, crushed red pepper, and the next 5 ingredients (through tomatoes). Bring to a simmer; cook for 7 minutes. Stir in asparagus; cook 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Combine mushroom mixture, pasta, and 1/4 cup cheese in a large bowl, tossing well to combine. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over pasta.

Baby Shrimp Scampi and Angel Hair Pasta

This was super tasty but I made a few changes to the recipe based on what I had on hand. I used yellow onion instead of shallot. My shrimp were not baby, just the regular sized frozen ones. I used chicken broth instead of white wine and I reduced it by about half because of the moisture that cooks out of frozen shrimp. The last thing is I used cilantro and lime zest instead of lemon zest and chives.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 lemon, zested
1/3 pound baby shrimp, 300 count
1/4 cup dry vermouth or white wine, eyeball it
1/2 cup grape tomatoes
1/3 pound angel hair pasta, cooked to al dente

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons chopped or snipped fresh chives

Get your pasta water going. Start the scampi sauce when you drop your pasta into boiling water to cook. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and melt the butter into it. Add shallots and cook a minute or 2, stirring constantly. Add lemon zest and shrimp and heat shrimp through, another minute or two. Add vermouth or wine and tomatoes. Toss another minute to heat the tomatoes through. Add cooked pasta to the pan and toss to coat evenly in sauce and to distribute the shrimp. Season liberally with salt and pepper and serve with chives to garnish.

Penne with Roasted Asparagus

• 1 pound asparagus
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 pound penne
• 1/4 pound butter, cut into pieces
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1. Heat the oven to 400°. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut the spears into 1-inch pieces. Put the asparagus on a baking sheet and toss with the oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, put the vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer until 3 tablespoons remain. Stir in the brown sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove from the heat.

3. Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just done, about 13 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with the butter, vinegar, asparagus, Parmesan, and the remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt. Serve with additional Parmesan.

Variations: Penne with Roasted Broccoli and Balsamic Butter: When asparagus is not in season, cut 1 pound of broccoli into small spears for roasting. Toss them with 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and roast for about 15 minutes. Continue with step 2.

Penne with Roasted Vegetables, Toasted Nuts, and Balsamic Butter: Toss in 1/3 cup of toasted pine nuts, hazelnuts, or walnuts at the end with either asparagus or broccoli.

Rachael Ray's Penne Wise Pumpkin Pasta

Salt

1 pound whole-wheat penne

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, finely chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated
2 cups chicken stock
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup cream
1 teaspoon hot sauce, to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
2 pinches ground cinnamon
Salt and black pepper
7 to 8 leaves fresh sage, thinly sliced plus more, for garnish
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions
Heat water for pasta, salt it and cook penne to al dente.
Heat the oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic to the pan, saute 3 minutes. Stir in chicken stock and combine with pumpkin, stir in cream then season sauce with hot sauce, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 5 to 6 minutes more to thicken. Stir in sage, toss with pasta with grated cheese, to taste.

Rigatoni with Tomatoes and Mozzerella

This recipe is one of Matthew's favorites and I just made it for my parents at Lake Powell a couple of weeks ago and it was a hit so I thought I would share it. It's from Martha Stewart Everyday Food June 2004.

Coarse salt
3/4 pound rigatoni, or other short tubular pasta
2 pounds plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, diced

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine tomatoes, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside.
In a small skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring often, until tender and just beginning to take on color, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in red-pepper flakes.

Stir garlic mixture into reserved tomato mixture. Add parsley, oregano, mozzarella, and pasta; toss.

My interpretation:
Grape or cherry tomatoes are usually more flavorful than plum tomatoes so use those if you can. I don't bother using fresh garlic since it is so easy to substitute garlic powder--then you don't have to worry about dirtying another pan. You can eat it hot or cold but I think it's yummy to mix everything in with the warm pasta and serve immediately.

Rachael Ray's Spaghetti and Meatballs

This sauce turns out a little on the thin side but I really like it that way. Matthew doesn't so much so you'll have to decide for yourself. The meatballs are great.

1 pound spaghetti
Salt, for pasta water

Meatballs:
1 1/4 pounds ground sirloin
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano cheese
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper

Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup beef stock, available on soup aisle in market in small paper boxes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
A handful chopped flat-leaf parsley
10 leaves fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced
Grated cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano, for passing at table
Crusty bread or garlic bread, for passing at the table

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place a large pot of water on to boil for spaghetti. When it boils, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente.

Mix beef and Worcestershire, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Roll meat into 1 1/2 inch medium-sized meatballs and place on nonstick cookie sheet or a cookie sheet greased with extra-virgin olive oil. Bake balls 10 to 12 minutes, until no longer pink.

Heat a deep skillet or medium pot over moderate heat. Add oil, crushed pepper, garlic and finely chopped onion. Saute 5 to 7 minutes, until onion bits are soft. Add beef stock, crushed tomatoes, and herbs. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.

Toss hot, drained pasta with a few ladles of the sauce and grated cheese. Turn meatballs in remaining sauce. Place pasta on dinner plates and top with meatballs and sauce and extra grated cheese. Serve with bread or garlic bread (and some good chianti!)

Giada's Marinara Sauce

I made this the other night with Rachael Ray's meatballs in it and it was tasty. I added a little bit of red pepper flakes to spice it up too. It has a nice sweet flavor.

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves

In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

Indonesian Pasta

1/2 c chicken broth
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 Tbsp dried minced onion
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp brown sugar
18 fresh cut asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
2 tsp olive oil
6 oz uncooked angel hair pasta
1/2 c sliced green onions

In a small saucepan, combine the first seven ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; keep warm. In a large skillet, saute asparagus and red pepper in oil for 6-8 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Add green onions to the asparagus mixture; saute for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Drain pasta; toss with vegetable mixture and reserved sauce.

Fettuccini Alfredo

1 t salt
2 c ½” egg noodles
4 T butter
½ c cream or half and half
1 egg
½ c grated fresh parmesan
½ t black pepper

Bring 3 qt water with salt added to full boil in kettle. Add noodles and boil exactly 8 mins, then remove from heat and pour into colander to drain. Melt butter over low heat in medium skillet. As soon as butter is melted, add drained noodles to skillet, then stir in the cream. Remove from heat, beat egg separately in small bowl, then stir into noodles, add Parmesan cheese by sprinkling over surface of noodles and stirring. Cover skillet and allow noodles to heat through without boiling. Just before serving, sprinkle again with cheese and with pepper.