Pasta Party

Here are six yummy pasta recipes to help you through the day, including BLT Skillet Pasta and Healthier Cajun Chicken Pasta. Enjoy!

SPRINGTIME SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

This is from Tara Parker-Pope in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Tara wrote, “This lighter, brighter version of the classic Italian pasta dish is adapted from one found in “Almost Meatless: Recipes That Are Better for Your Health and the Planet” by Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond. It is incredibly simple – if you can chop vegetables, boil water and whisk eggs, you can make this dish – but it's also indubitably luxurious. Everyone will think you slaved for hours when, really, you slaved for about 20 minutes. Timing is everything in this recipe, so be sure to bring your eggs to room temperature before you start, and have all of the ingredients ready before you toss the pasta in the water.”

Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 20 minutes

This was featured in “An Almost-Meatless Diet” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

3 slices bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1/2 pound English peas, shelled (about 1 cup), or 1/2 cup frozen peas

1 pound spaghetti

4 ounces asparagus, sliced diagonally 1/8-inch thick (1 cup)

10 fresh basil leaves, sliced thin

5 eggs, whisked, at room temperature

2 tablespoons whole milk

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish (2 ounces)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the bacon, cooking for about 5 minutes, until crispy. Transfer the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel and set aside. Return the pan with the rendered fat to the stove top for future use.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the peas into the water and cook them for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a strainer with a slotted spoon or a spider basket. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, or until al dente.

While the pasta cooks, heat the bacon fat in the sauté pan over medium heat. Add the peas and asparagus, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the basil, and set aside.

Whisk together the eggs and milk. Have the egg mixture, vegetables and bacon ready to toss with very hot pasta.

Quickly drain the pasta and transfer immediately to a large serving bowl. Pour the eggs and cheese on top of the pasta, and toss vigorously to coat the strands and gently cook the eggs, forming a creamy sauce. Add the vegetables and bacon, and continue tossing to incorporate them. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Portion the spaghetti on plates and ladle any sauce left in the bowl over each serving. Grate additional cheese on top if you like.

BLT SKILLET PASTA

This also comes from Tablespoon.com. This one begins, “Bacon, arugula, and tomatoes in a creamy sauce.” Prep Time: 20 min; Total Time: 20; Servings: 3

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen™ fire roasted diced tomatoes

2 cups packed baby arugula

6-8 slices of bacon

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons heavy cream

7 ounces refrigerated fettuccine

Directions

Put a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, slice your bacon into 1/2-inch slices and put it into a hot skillet. Stir and cook on medium until cooked and starting to crisp, about 7 minutes. Strain out some of the fat but leave a good few tablespoons in the pan.

Add the can of tomatoes with the juices and the arugula and cook until the arugula is wilted, about 5 minutes. Whisk the mayo and cream together and pour it into the skillet. Stir well and turn heat to low.

The water should be boiling at this point, so make sure it is salted well and drop your pasta in. Cook the pasta for only about 3 minutes. Strain the pasta and add it directly to the skillet. Stir and cook for 2 minutes before serving.

HEALTHIER CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA

This is from Casey Barber on The Today Show website. The recipe begins, “It's easy to see why Cajun chicken pasta keeps popping up on fast-casual restaurant menus nationwide. Even picky eaters agree that the combination of spicy chicken and creamy sauce (not to mention mountains of irresistible noodles!) is across-the-board appealing. What's not to love? Well, the whopping waistline implications of indulging in all that Alfredo sauce and pasta can certainly add up.

“When you want the satisfaction of your favorite restaurant standby without the heavy-sauced hangover, give this at-home version a try. Clocking in at about 450 calories per serving, it's a healthy excuse to have what you're craving. Boost the health benefits even more by adding a handful of fresh or frozen spinach or broccoli to the pan with the red bell pepper.”

Cook Time: 20 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 4.

To view this online, go to http://www.today.com/recipes/healthier-cajun-chicken-pasta-t66376.

Ingredients

1/2 pound (8 ounces) linguini or penne

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3-4 breasts)

3 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 cup low-fat milk

1/4 cup water



1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 medium Roma tomato, finely diced

1 large scallion, thinly sliced into rounds

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a large (4-quart) pot of water to a boil and add the salt, stirring to dissolve. Add the pasta and cook for about 10 minutes or al dente. Drain and reserve.

While the pasta cooks, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Sprinkle the chicken breasts evenly on both sides with 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Carefully place the breasts in the skillet. Cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, until the chicken is deeply browned and crisp.

Transfer the chicken to the baking sheet and into the oven to finish cooking through. Remove the chicken when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees F.

Add the remaining teaspoon oil to the skillet and stir in the bell peppers. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers begin to soften, then stir in the garlic and cook for a minute more.

Pour the milk into the skillet and bring to a simmer.

Whisk the water and cornstarch together in a measuring cup, then pour into the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Turn the burner off and stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted, then stir in the cooked pasta.

To serve, divide the pasta between 4 bowls. Slice the chicken into bite-size pieces and divide evenly between the pasta dishes, then top each with handfuls of tomato and scallion. Serve immediately.

Note: The pasta sauce will thicken as it cools. Reheat in a covered skillet over medium-low heat, stirring in 1-2 tablespoons water as needed to help the sauce retain its consistency.

KID FRIENDLY PASTA SALAD

This is from Ree Drummond of The Food Network’s The Pioneer Woman.

Total Time: 35 minutes; Active: 15 minutes; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

12 ounces fun-shaped pasta, such as radiatore

8 slices thin bacon

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup whole milk

4 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dash sugar, optional

10 ounces grape tomatoes (yellow and red), halved lengthwise

1/2 pound Cheddar, cut into small cubes

3 green onions, thinly sliced

Ground black pepper

24 whole basil leaves, chiffonade

Directions

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Then drain and rinse in cold water until cool. Set aside.

Cut the bacon into 1/2-inch pieces and throw into a large skillet. Saute until slightly crisp, and then remove to a paper-towel-lined-plate.

For the dressing, mix the mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, salt, and sugar if using in a small bowl.

Stir together the pasta, dressing, tomatoes, bacon, Cheddar and green onions in a large mixing bowl. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed.

Stir in the basil at the end.

CHICKEN SPAGHETTI

Is it a chicken dish? Spaghetti? Both! This yummy recipes is from Ree Drummond of The Food Network’s The Pioneer Woman, and begins, “With spaghetti and mushroom sauce, and light and dark meat chicken with bell peppers, Ree Drummond's casserole is like two meals in one. Cooking the spaghetti in the same liquid as the chicken infuses it with flavor, and the Cheddar thickens the sauce so it coats each piece of meat.”

Total: 1 hr 40 min; Active: 20 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/chicken-spaghetti-recipe.

Ingredients

1 whole raw chicken, cut into 8 pieces

1 pound thin spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces

2 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar

1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper

1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Two 10 3/4-ounce cans cream of mushroom soup

1 medium onion, finely diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chicken pieces to the boiling water and boil for a few minutes, then return the heat to medium-low and simmer, 30 to 45 minutes.

Remove the chicken and 2 cups of the chicken cooking broth from the pot. When the chicken is cool, remove the skin and pick out the meat (a mix of dark and white) to make 2 generous cups.

Cook the spaghetti in the same chicken cooking broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When the spaghetti is cooked, combine with the chicken, mushroom soup, 1 1/2 cups cheese, the green peppers, red peppers, onions, seasoned salt, cayenne, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in 1 cup of the reserved chicken cooking broth, adding an additional cup if needed.

Place the mixture in a casserole pan and top with the remaining 1 cup cheese. Cover and freeze up to 6 months, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days or bake immediately until bubbly, about 45 minutes. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

VEGAN ANGEL HAIR PASTA PRIMAVERA

This comes from Jolinda Hackett, About.com's Vegetarian expert. She writes, “Primavera is a healthy main dish easy enough to prepare on a weeknight. Made from a simple creamy homemade white sauce and plenty of garlic and basil for flavor, this is a healthy and filling vegetarian pasta dish perfect for a quick and easy vegetarian dinner.”

She adds, “With lots of veggies and a soymilk-based sauce, this vegetarian and vegan pasta primavera with angel hair is very low in fat.”

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp dried basil

6 tbsp flour

3 cups soy milk

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 small head broccoli, cut into florets

1 medium carrot, sliced

1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

1 cup frozen peas

salt and pepper to taste

1 pound angel hair pasta

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic and basil until the onion becomes translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the flour to make a paste.

Slowly add the soy milk, stirring constantly. Stir in the nutritional yeast, then cook over low heat until the mixture thickens.

Steam the broccoli and carrot, and add to the sauce along with the mushrooms and peas. Add salt and pepper to taste, then cook until heated through.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, then serve sauce over pasta.

Wednesday Recipes

A little late again today, but at least the recipes are here. Enjoy!

PEACH DUMP CAKE

This comes from Tablespoon.com, and begins, “Quick and simple, this delicious peach cake is the perfect way to enjoy fresh spring peaches. Just dump in the ingredients, bake and serve!” Prep Time: 10 min; Total Time: 60 min; Servings: 16.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 to 8 ripe peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

3 whole eggs

1 cup white sugar

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 (18.25 oz) Betty Crocker SuperMoist™ white cake mix

1 cup sliced almonds (optional)

3/4 cup butter, melted

8 cups vanilla ice cream, for serving if desired

1 cup salted caramel sauce, for serving if desired

Direction

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix peaches, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon until well blended. Spread peach mixture in prepared baking dish. Mixture will be very wet. Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly on top of the batter. (Do not prepare cake batter.)

If adding pecans, sprinkle them over the top of the dry cake mix. Pour melted butter evenly over the top of the cake mix. Bake 50 minutes. Let cool. Top with ice cream and caramel sauce as desired.

VANILLA SCONES

This come from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list. Makes 8 servings.

2 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 t. baking powder

1/8 t. salt

1/2 cup butter, cut up

2/3 cup whipping cream

1 large egg

1 T. vanilla extract

1 egg white

1 t. water

2 T. sparkling sugar

Combine first 4 ingredients.

Cut butter into flour mixture with pastry blender or fork until crumbly.

Whisk together whipping cream, egg, and vanilla; add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; pat into an 8 1/2 inch circle. Cut into 8 wedges, and place 1 inch apart on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Whisk together egg white and 1 t. water. Brush over tops of scones. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: Sparkling sugar has larger crystals that give the scones a festive look. Sparkling sugar is available in stores that carry cake decorating supplies, gourmet grocery stores and on line. Granulated sugar can be substituted for sparkling sugar is desired.

For chocolate sprinkle scones, make the vanilla scones as directed, stirring 1 finely chopped (4 oz) semisweet chocolate bar into the flour mixture before adding the wet ingredients.

TOMATO-MOZZARELLA SALAD

I'm frequently amazed at where I find good recipes. This one is from Florence Fabricant in The New York Times's emailed newsletter. Serves 6 in 20 minutes (not including marinating time).

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes

1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup finely minced fresh basil

1 tablespoon drained capers

Generous pinch hot red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Dice the tomatoes into one-inch pieces. Place in a bowl.

Dice the mozzarella into one-half-inch pieces. Add to the tomatoes along with the rest of the ingredients and gently fold everything together.

Allow salad to marinate an hour at room temperature, then serve.

VEGETARIAN BAKED ZITI WITH ZUCCHINI AND SUNDRIED TOMATOES

Sometime I find recipes in places other than cooking sites, such as this one from the GE Appliances site; but then, they do make stoves and refrigerators, so it's not too far a stretch. Anyway, this one begins, “Comfort food you can indulge in without all the guilt. Creamy ricotta cheese teams up with tangy sour cream, shredded mozzarella, and sauteed veggies. When this dish is bubbling away in the oven, you know it's going to be a good night.” Makes 10 servings in 40 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

16 ounce box ziti or other tubular pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, cut into strips

4 cups tomato-based pasta sauce (jarred or homemade)

1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

8 ounces sour cream

8 ounces ricotta cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous pinch of salt, then add pasta. Cook for about 8 minutes, or approximately 2/3 of the time recommended on the pasta package directions. Drain.

While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and cook until translucent but not brown, 6-8 minutes. Add zucchini and garlic. Cook until zucchini begins to soften but still has a crunch to it, 5-7 minutes. Remove vegetables from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the sour cream and ricotta. Add the vegetables, sundried tomatoes, basil and cooked pasta. Mix well.

In a 9"x 11" dish, layer half the pasta mixture and top with half the shredded mozzarella. Carefully spread half the tomato sauce over the pasta in a thin layer. Add the remaining pasta and then remaining mozzarella. Spread the rest of the pasta sauce over the top, and finally top with the Parmesan cheese.

Cook for 40 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

END OF SUMMER VEGETABLE CASSEROLE

Here's another recipe from GE Appliances site. This one makes 8 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

3 cups seasoned stuffing crumbs

1/3 cup melted butter

2 medium zucchini, chopped

2 medium carrots, shredded

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 10-3/4 ounce can cream of chicken soup (can use fat free)

1/2 cup sour cream (can use fat free or reduced fat versions)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix seasoned stuffing crumbs with melted butter. Combine zucchini, carrots, onion, red bell pepper, cream of chicken soup, sour cream and 1/2 stuffing mixture.

Place in a 9-inch x 13-inch or equivalent size casserole dish. Top with remaining stuffing mixture. Bake for 25 minutes until bubbly.

CROCKPOT ZUCCHINI CHICKEN PARMESAN

Zucchini is one of those vegetables that tends to grow really well. If you have a garden and have planted zucchini, chances are you have an overabundance of the stuff.

This recipe comes from SmileSandwich, and was featured in The Today Show's food email newsletter. (Hint: If you haven't signed up for The Today Show's newsletters, I recommend them, especially – as far as this blog goes – their food newsletter.) Their July 24 newsletter, which concentrates on zucchini, can be viewed by clicking here.

To view this on the SmileSandwich site, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds (about 4) chicken breasts, cut into cubes

1 small onion, diced

1 large zucchini, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 1/2 cups pasta or pizza sauce (or tomato sauce)

1 cup low fat shredded cheese

Instructions

Spray your slow cooker with non-stick spray. Combine all ingredients but shredded cheese and stir to combine.

Cover and cook on high for about 3-4 hours or low for about 6-8, or until chicken is cooked through. In the last 30 minutes of cooking, add cheese and cook until it's melted.

Serve over pasta or quinoa sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, if desired.