Penne with Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter

Everyone loved this!  The second time I made it, I decreased the pasta and increased the asparagus.  Even better!

 

(Mel's Kitchen Cafe)

 

Note: If asparagus aren’t in season, cut 1 pound of broccoli into small spears for roasting. Toss them with 2 tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and roast for about 15 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh asparagus spears
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon light or dark brown sugar
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut the asparagus spears into 1-inch pieces. Put the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with the oil and ¼ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ of the pepper. Roast until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
2. While the asparagus roasts, put the vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until the vinegar is reduced to about 3 tablespoons, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Remove from the heat.
3. Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling salted water until just done, 11-13 minutes. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Stir in the butter and vinegar mixture. Toss to combine well. Add in the asparagus, Parmesan, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese for serving.

Spinach, Mushroom, & Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Source:  http://www.handletheheat.com/2011/03/spinach-mushroom-ricotta-stuffed-shells.html
Adapted from Real Simple
Serves 4-6

• 20 jumbo pasta shells (about half a 12-ounce box)
• 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce (or 3 cups homemade sauce)
• 1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta
• 2 cups baby spinach, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 8 oz chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella (4 ounces)

1. Set an oven rack to the highest position and heat oven to 400° F. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and run under cold water to cool.
2. Spread the marinara sauce in the bottom of a large broilerproof baking dish.
3. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, basil, mushrooms, Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Spoon the mixture into the shells and place them on top of the sauce. Alternatively, transfer mixture into a large ziploc bag, snip one corner, and pipe filling into shells.
4. Sprinkle the shells with the mozzarella and bake until heated through, 10 to 12 minutes.
5. Increase heat to broil. Broil the shells until cheese begins to brown, 2 to 5 minutes. Serve with the salad.

Spinach and Chicken Pasta Salad

From the Recipe Shoebox.

The ingredients:
1 box (16-oz) bow tie pasta, cooked al dente
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (I used 2 Costco cans (12.5-oz. each))
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 bag (9-oz.) baby spinach leaves, chopped
3/4 cup honey roasted peanuts
3/4 cup Craisins
2 cans (11-oz. each) mandarin oranges, drained

MARINADE:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup teriyaki sauce
2/3 cup white vinegar
6 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Directions:  For marinade, combine ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Set aside.

For salad, mix together cooked pasta, cooked chicken, chopped spinach, and chopped green onions in a large bowl or large Ziploc bag.  Pour marinade over pasta and chicken mixture, stir well, and allow to marinate for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.

To serve, heap a generous portion of the chicken, spinach, and pasta mixture onto a plate.  Sprinkle with peanuts, Craisins, and mandarin oranges over all.  Makes 8 servings.  Enjoy! 

Cheesy Vegetable Lasagna

(www.joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com)

1 T olive oil
2 large carrots, shredded (~1 c)
2 c fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 c onion, diced
16 oz tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
2 t dried oregano
10 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 lb fresh spinach, raw and trimmed
1 lb cottage cheese
1 lb Monterey Jack cheese, sliced (I used grated mozzarella)
1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated - for top

Cook mushrooms, carrots and onion in olive oil until tender, but not brown.

Stir into veggies the tomato sauce, tomato paste and oregano.

In a greased 9x13 pan, layer:  sauce, noodles, cottage cheese, spinach Jack cheese and sauce.

Repeat, beginning with noodles, and ending with sauce.  Sprinkle Parmesan on top.

Cover and bake at 375° for 40 minutes.  Uncover and continue cooking 15-20 minutes or until noodles are tender and cheese is nicely browned.

Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

When I made this the second time I used grated zucchini in place of mushrooms.  The sauce was really thick but somehow it cooks those noodles.  Yummy!!

Garlic Chicken Pasta with Spinach

Yum!  I followed this recipe exactly and everyone (girls anyway - boys didn't try it) loved it.

From the Recipe Shoebox.

The ingredients:
6 Tbs. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 box (1-lb) penne pasta
5-oz. fresh spinach, chopped
1 Tbs. dried basil (or 1/2 cup fresh)
6 Tbs. lemon juice (fresh)
1 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions: 
Heat olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in  a small glass bowl in the microwave for about 1 minute to blend flavors.  Pour about 1 tablespoon of the flavored oil in a skillet.  Salt and pepper chicken and cook in the oil over medium high heat until chicken is browned and juices run clear.  Add the chopped and spinach and saute with the cooked chicken for 1 minute (or until just barely wilted) and remove from heat.   Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package; drain well.  Add cooked chicken/spinach to pasta, along with basil, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese.  Then stir in the remainder of the flavored olive oil.  Toss lightly until all ingredients are well-combined.  Serve immediately.  Makes about 6 servings.  Enjoy!

Tiff's Spaghetti Sauce

For years I've tried to convince my family that homemade spaghetti sauce is better than Ragu.  They wouldn't go for it.  Then we visited my friend Tiffany and she made this sauce.  I nervously watched her add all the veggies (and meat, which I knew Jason didn't like) and hoped my family would eat it.  They ate it and they loved it!  We've been making it ever since.

1 lb ground beef or ground pork (we use ground turkey)
1 1/2 c sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 c chopped green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 16-oz cans tomatoes, cut up
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 t sugar
1 t dried oregano, crushed
1 t dried basil, crushed
1 t dried thyme, crushed
1 bay leaf
6 c hot cooked spaghetti

Cook meat, mushrooms, onion, green pepper and garlic until meat is brown.  Drain fat.  Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano, basil, thyme, bay leaf, 1/2 t salt and 1/4 t pepper.  Bring to boil; reduce heat.  Cover; simmer 30 minutes.  Uncover; simmer 10-15 minutes more or to desired consistency, stirring occasionally.  Discard bay leaf.  6 servings.