Pasta

If you've followed this for a while, you are probably aware that I love Pasta. Today's post deals with that particular yumminess, and includes Basic Baked Spaghetti, Manicotti, and One-Pot Pasta Bolognese. Enjoy!

BEEF NOODLE SKILLET

This is from Ree Drummond on the Food Network.

Active Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/beef-noodle-skillet-8053162.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons salted butter

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground chuck

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

12 ounces egg noodles

2-1/2 cups beef broth

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

A few dashes Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Directions

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground chuck and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the meat, crumbling as you go, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds.

Add the noodles, broth, 1 cup hot water, the mustard, paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Give a big stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and allow everything to simmer, stirring occasionally and adding up to 1/2 cup more water if necessary, until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened, about 12 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and heavy cream and cook for 1 additional minute or until the pasta is tender.

Remove from the heat. Sprinkle over the chives and serve directly from the pan.

MANICOTTI

This is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Kay wrote, "Manicotti are very large ridged pasta tubes that are stuffed and baked. The filling is a tasty combination of cheeses, often with the addition of ground meat or vegetables. In this simple weeknight version, the pasta is stuffed with a three-cheese filling flavored with garlic and nutmeg. Ricotta adds creaminess, mozzarella melts and binds, and Parmigiano-Reggiano adds nutty flavor and salinity. For ease and speed, this recipe suggests the use of store-bought marinara sauce. If you’d like to add some greens to the dish, thaw a 10-ounce package of frozen spinach, squeeze out all the water, then finely chop the spinach and add it to the filling before stuffing the manicotti."

Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023360-manicotti.

Ingredients

Olive oil, for greasing the dish

Salt and pepper

1 (8-ounce) box manicotti shells (about 14)

1-1/2 pounds/3 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese

8 ounces/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

1 garlic clove, minced

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 large egg, beaten

3 cups store-bought or homemade marinara sauce

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, cook the manicotti shells according to package directions until al dente. Rinse them under cold water until cool enough to handle; drain well.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, the Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, garlic and nutmeg; mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add egg and mix until smooth. Transfer to a large resealable plastic bag or a pastry bag fitted with a round piping tip.If using a resealable plastic bag, use scissors to snip off a corner tip of the bag. Pipe the cheese filling into the cooked and cooled manicotti.

Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the prepared baking dish. Arrange the manicotti in a single layer in the dish. Top evenly with the remaining 2 cups marinara sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until filling is heated through and cheese is melted and golden, about 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.

CLASSIC MARINARA SAUCE

This recipe is from Lidia Bastianich and adapted by Julia Moskin in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Julia wrote, "Homemade marinara is almost as fast and tastes immeasurably better than even the best supermarket sauce — and it's made with basic pantry ingredients. All the tricks to a bright red, lively-tasting sauce, made just as it is in the south of Italy (no butter, no onions) are in this recipe. Use a skillet instead of the usual saucepan: the water evaporates quickly, so the tomatoes are just cooked through as the sauce becomes thick. (Our colleagues over at Wirecutter have spent a lot of time testing skillets to find the best on the market. If you're looking to purchase one, check out their skillet guide.)"

Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 3-1/2 cups, enough for 1 pound of pasta

This was featured in "Marinara Worth Mastering," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015987-classic-marinara-sauce.

Note: Take time to read the article ("Marinara Worth Mastering"). It's an interesting read.

Ingredients

1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes, certified D.O.P. if possible

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

7 garlic cloves, peeled and slivered

Small dried whole chile, or pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large fresh basil sprig, or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, more to taste

Preparation

Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and crush with your hands. Pour 1 cup water into can and slosh it around to get tomato juices. Reserve.

In a large skillet (do not use a deep pot) over medium heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add garlic.

As soon as garlic is sizzling (do not let it brown), add the tomatoes, then the reserved tomato water. Add whole chile or red pepper flakes, oregano (if using) and salt. Stir.

Place basil sprig, including stem, on the surface (like a flower). Let it wilt, then submerge in sauce. Simmer sauce until thickened and oil on surface is a deep orange, about 15 minutes. (If using oregano, taste sauce after 10 minutes of simmering, adding more salt and oregano as needed.) Discard basil and chile (if using).

ONE-POT PASTA BOLOGNESE

This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "This flavorful one-pot pasta is rich, meaty and filling--perfect for a fast weeknight dinner the whole family will enjoy."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, diced (about 3 cups)

2 carrots, diced (about 1 cup)

1 teaspoon salt

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1/4 cup canned Muir Glen™ organic tomato paste

1 can (28 oz) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

1 carton (32 oz) Progresso™ beef broth

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 lb uncooked spaghetti

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

Directions

In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook onions, carrots and salt in oil 5 to 8 minutes or until softened. Add beef; cook 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned.

Stir in tomato paste and tomatoes. Stir in broth, pepper flakes and Italian seasoning; heat to simmering. Break pasta in half, then thoroughly rinse under cold water. Tuck pasta into simmering liquid, covering completely. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 13 to 15 minutes or until pasta is soft and sauce is reduced slightly.

Top with Parmesan cheese and basil.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

tip 1

Mix up this dish with different shapes of pasta, like penne or fusilli.

Tip 2

For an extra veggie boost, stir in a couple of cups of spinach or baby kale just before serving.

COWBOY CAVIAR PASTA SALAD

This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "The popular, Texas-inspired cowboy caviar can take the form of dip, garnish, side dish and more, but in this recipe, it becomes a complete meal, and one that’s much better than anything you’d find in the grocer’s deli case. Packed with vegetables, beans and pasta, and dressed in a light and tangy dressing, it's flavorful, fresh and hearty enough to feed the whole family. And it comes in at a great price, since it can be made with leftover rotisserie chicken and seasonal vegetables—although frozen and canned work well, too! In the summertime, this cold salad is perfect dinner on a sticky night and a guaranteed potluck hit. Even better, it’s easily made ahead. So next time you’re in the kitchen, why not put on a pot of water to boil. With a few minutes of chopping, you can rustle up tonight’s—or tomorrow’s—dinner!"

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Times: 25 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 box Betty Crocker™ Suddenly Salad™ classic pasta salad mix

3 tablespoons cold water

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped cooked chicken

1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon (5 slices)

1/2 cup Progresso™ canned black beans or black-eyed peas, drained, rinsed

1/2 cup frozen corn, cooked as directed on bag, cooled

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup diced fresh tomato

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped red onion

Directions

Pour pasta (from Suddenly Salad box) into 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta. Rinse with cold water; drain well.

In large bowl, stir together seasoning (from Suddenly Salad box), cold water, oil, lime juice, honey, cumin, pepper flakes and salt to make dressing.

Add pasta, chicken, bacon, beans, corn, bell pepper, tomato, cilantro and red onion to dressing mixture in bowl; toss to gently coat. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

tip 1

For food safety purposes, frozen corn must be cooked before adding to pasta salad. If you want to skip this step, use canned, cooked or fresh sweet corn.

tip 2

Prep ingredients ahead of time, and refrigerate so everything is ready to throw together when it’s time to eat. If you’ve made your pasta salad ahead, you might need to stir in a few teaspoons of olive oil to moisten the salad before serving.

tip 3

This salad is delicious with either black-eyed peas or black beans—or both.

Tip 4

Turn your leftover rotisserie chicken or other leftover cooked chicken into a new meal with this recipe.

tip 5

No time to cook bacon? Precooked bacon is convenient to use and sold in the meat section of the grocery store.

tip 6

Add chopped jalapeño or serrano pepper for more heat.

Tip 7

In place of diced tomatoes, feel free to substitute halved grape or cherry tomatoes.

BASIC BAKED SPAGHETTI

This is from Wendy at AllRecipes. It begins, "Easy baked spaghetti made quickly in the oven. Use different cheeses to create your signature dish."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Makes 6 servings; Yield: 1 9X13-inch dish

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18440/basic-baked-spaghetti/.

Ingredients

3/4 pound lean ground beef

1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

1 pound spaghetti

1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Cook beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crumbly and brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir spaghetti sauce into beef. Reduce heat and simmer.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in spaghetti; cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

Add spaghetti to meat mixture; mix well. Transfer to a 9x13-inch dish. Top with Cheddar cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and cheese is bubbly, about 30 minutes.