Category Archives: Pasta

Beef, Pasta, Stew

Spaghetti Beef Stew

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2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
2 medium onions, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large red sweet pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 14 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 pounds zucchini, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
Salt
Pepper
Hot cooked spaghetti

Trim fat from roast. Cut roast into 1-inch cubes. In a 3-1/2- to 4-quart electric crockery cooker layer beef, onions, and red sweet pepper. Add spaghetti
sauce. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 9 to 10 hours or cook on high-heat
setting for 5 hours.
If cooking on low, turn cooker to high. Add zucchini; cook 1 hour more or until
meat is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over hot cooked spaghetti.

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6

Amount Per Serving
Calories 350
Protein(gm)32
Carbohydrate(gm)20
Fat, total(gm)15
Cholesterol(mg)101
Saturated fat(gm)6
Dietary Fiber, total(gm)3
Sodium(mg)505
Vegetables()3
Other Carb()1
Lean Meat()4
Fat()1

Italian, Main Dish, Pasta

Red Pesto and Vegetable Penne

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1/4 cup olive oil
1 eggplant, cubed
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 orange bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
12 ounces dry penne pasta
3 tablespoons red pesto sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
fresh ground black pepper
8 ounces feta cheese basil leaves (to garnish)
Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the eggplant and peppers, and sauté over a moderate heat for 10 minutes until the eggplant is golden and the peppers softened and browned at the edges.  While the vegetables are sautéing, cook the penne in a large pan of boiling water for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain, return to the pan and add the red pesto, stirring until the penne is coated. Add the rice vinegar to the eggplant and pepper mix, and season with black pepper. Spoon the penne on to warm plates and pile the vegetables on top. Crumble over the feta cheese and serve garnished with basil leaves.
4  Servings
Main Dish, Pasta, Vegetarian

Ravioli in Mushroom-Walnut Cream Sauce

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12 oz ravioli or tortellini, cooked according to package directions
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Sauté mushrooms and walnuts until mushrooms are golden brown. Add heavy cream stir frequently for 5 minutes, until sauce has slightly thickened. When cream stops simmering, turn heat to warm. Add pepper and Parmesan cheese; stir until sauce is smooth. Do not boil.   Drain pasta and place on a serving plate. Pour sauce over pasta.   Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.
4  Servings
Main Dish, Pasta

Pumpkin Ravioli with Gorgonzola Sauce

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For a new way to enjoy pumpkin this season, try these pumpkin ravioli with a rich yet mellow Gorganzola sauce. You can assemble the ravioli a day ahead, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. The ravioli will float when they are perfectly cooked. Pour a chilled chardonnay.
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
30 round wonton wrappers
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Cooking spray
1 cup fat-free milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
3 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, toasted
Spoon pumpkin onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels, and spread to 1/2-inch thickness. Cover with additional paper towels; let stand 5 minutes. Scrape into a medium bowl using a rubber spatula. Stir in breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt, minced sage, pepper, and nutmeg. Working with 1 wonton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers with a damp towel to keep from drying), spoon 2 teaspoons pumpkin mixture into the center of wrapper. Brush edges of wrapper with water and fold in half, pressing edges firmly with fingers to form a half-moon. Place on a large baking sheet sprinkled with cornstarch. Repeat procedure with remaining wonton wrappers and pumpkin mixture.
Fill a large Dutch oven with water; bring to a simmer. Add half of ravioli to pan (cover remaining ravioli with a damp towel to keep from drying). Cook 4 minutes or until done (do not boil), stirring gently. Remove ravioli with a slotted spoon; lightly coat with cooking spray, and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining ravioli.
Combine milk and flour in a saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook for 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter, stirring until butter melts. Gently stir in Gorgonzola. Place 5 ravioli in each of 6 shallow bowls, and drizzle each serving with 3 tablespoons Gorgonzola mixture. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons hazelnuts. Serve immediately.
6  Servings
Bacon, Chicken, Italian, Main Dish, Pasta, Seafood

Penne Rustica

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Gratinata Sauce:
2 teaspoon Butter
2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1 cup marsala wine
1/4 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 cups heavy cream
Saute butter, garlic , and rosemary until garlic begins to brown but do not burn the garlic.  Add marsala wine and then reduce by one-third. Add remaining ingredients and reduce by half of original volume. Set aside.
Penne Rustica:
1 oz. pancetta or bacon
18 shrimp peeled and deveined
12 oz. grilled chicken breast, sliced
4 1/2 cups of granita sauce
3 lbs. cooked Penne Pasta
3 teaspoons pimentos, minced
6 oz. butter
1 teaspoon chopped shallots
1 pinch of salt and pepper
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon paprika
6 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Sauté pancetta until it begins to brown. Add butter, shallots, and shrimp. Cook until shrimp are evenly pick but still translucent, you do not want to overcook the shrimp or else it will be rubbery. Add chicken, salt, pepper, and mix thoroughly. Add granita sauce and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and simmer until the sauce thickens. In a large bowl, combine shrimp and chicken mixture with precooked pasta. Place this mixture into single serving dishes or one large casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and pimentos and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 475 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. Remove and garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs.
6  Servings