Recipes Discovered – Recipes

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage, or sausage links with casing removed
• 4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tablespoons
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock, canned or paper container
• 2 cups pureed roasted pumpkin or squash
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• 8 ounces penne or fusili, cooked to al dente and drained
• 1 tomato, seeded and diced
• Romano or Parmigiano, for grating as a garnish
• Sage leaves, for garnish

Directions:

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the tablespoon of oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add the sage and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Add the pasta to the sauce, and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with diced tomatoes, shaved cheese, and sage leaves.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I made this recipe before with canned pumpkin, and can definitely says it’s worth the effort to use freshly roasted pumpkin or squash. It makes the sauce taste so much better. Excellent pasta dish.

To roasted the pumpkin or squash, peel, seed, and dice the pumpkin or squash and spread on a foil lined baking sheet. Toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Roasted in a 425 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until soft. Puree in a food processor or blender with a little chicken stock.

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
• 5 ounces pepperoni
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 43 ounces tomato sauce
• 13 ounces rotini pasta
• 8 ounces mozzarella

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine green pepper, onion, pepperoni, mushrooms, garlic, and seasonings. Cook for 5 minutes, until softened, and then add the tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute before adding the tomato sauce. Cover, and simmer for one hour.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the pasta together with the sauce. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, alternate pasta mixture with cheese. Top with remaining mozzarella.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Spicy Shrimp:

• 2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
  
• 1 lemon, juiced
  
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
  
• Coarse salt, about 1 teaspoon
  
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  

Aglio Olio:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 2 ounces anchovy fillets
  
• 6 to 8 large cloves garlic, crushed and minced
  
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  
• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• Coarse salt
  
• 1 pound spaghetti, cooked to al dente

Directions:

Combine shrimp with next 6 ingredients and toss to coat shrimp evenly.

Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium high heat, then add half of the shrimp. Cook shrimp 3 minutes until pink and just firm. Remove shrimp to a warm platter.

Return pan to heat and reduce heat to medium low. Add 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Add anchovies, garlic, and pepper flakes to oil. Break up anchovies with a wooden spoon until they melt away into the oil and garlic mixture.

Toss spaghetti in the pan with parsley and the garlic oil, then season with a little coarse salt, to your taste. Top servings of garlic and oil spaghetti with spicy shrimp.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces spaghetti
• 10 plum tomatoes (2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 4 medium zucchini or squash (2 pounds)
• 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 cup basil leaves
• Freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Drain.

Put the tomatoes along with the garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Cook until saucey, about 15 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree. Put the sauce in a bowl and set aside. 

Trim the blossom off the zucchini. Use a mandolin or a very sharp knife to slice the zucchini lengthwise into very thin strips. Discard the center seedy pieces and separate the slices. Slice the strips into julienne cuts, similar to the shape of the spaghetti.

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and zucchini and toss until just barley wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and bring to simmer while tossing. Add cherry tomatoes and remove from heat. Add basil and pasta and toss again. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Pasta Salad:

• 4 ounces whole wheat pasta
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups cucumber, defrosted
• 1/2 pint grape tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon walnuts
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Pesto:

• 1 tablespoon walnuts
• 1 tablespoon garlic, (3 cloves)
• 1 cup basil, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
• 2 ounces frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool.

To make the pesto, place the walnuts and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. Add the oil and chicken stock and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Add the spinach, lemon juice, and mayo and puree.

Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, cucumber, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Serves 2 as a main dish.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• Salt
• 8 ounces spaghetti
• 4 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup limoncello
• Zest from 2 lemons
• 1 cup basil leaves (loosely packed), shredded
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Directions:

Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and reserve the pasta in the cooking pot.

While the pasta is cooking, combine garlic, cream, and limoncello over medium-high heat in a medium size saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the pasta to the sauce, along with the torn basil and grated lemon zest. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss to combine. Sprinkle the Parmigiano Reggiano over the pasta.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Sauce will thicken more as the cheese melts into it and it cools so don’t worry if it seems thin to begin with.

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Salad:

• 1 package (8 ounces) thin rice noodles (vermicelli)
• 2 cups fresh spinach, cut into strips
• 1 large carrot, shredded
• 1/2 cup diced pineapple
• 1 green onion, chopped

SESAME PEANUT DRESSING:

• 1/4 cup unsalted peanuts
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup lime juice (1 lime), plus zest
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, carrot, pineapple, and onion.
In a bowl, combine the dressing ingredients; cover and whisk until blended. Drain noodles and rinse in cold water; drain well. Add to spinach mixture. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Serve immediately. 

Serves 4 as a main dish, 8 to 10 as a side dish.

Nutrition:

Comments:

Very bland.

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 9 ounces extra firm tofu, drained
• 1 cup onion, coarsely grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 eggplant, diced
• 2 zucchini, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• Pinch of sugar
• 14 ounces diced tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup fresh basil

Directions:

Place the tofu, onion, garlic, mustard, cumin, parsley, soy sauce, and ground almonds in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Roll into about 20 walnut sized balls.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, then cook the balls, turning them gently until brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. Heat the oil for the sauce in the same pan, add the onions and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes, until soft.

Add the eggplant, zucchini, red pepper, and sugar, season with salt and pepper, and stir fry for 10 minutes until the vegetables are beginning to soften and brown. Stir in the tomatoes and stock. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the sauce it thick. Place the tofu balls on top of the sauce, replace the lid, and heat through for 2 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of salted, boiling water according to the package directions. Drain. Sprinkle the sauce with the basil and check the seasoning again before serving over the spaghetti.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

The tofu balls need to be made in a non-stick skillet or they just stick to the pan and fall apart. If you don’t have a non-stick skillet, place the balls on a foil lined baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

Recipe courtesy of Mediterranean, 500 Best-Ever Recipes

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces small pasta (shells, elbow, ect)
• 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil,
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 small to medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed Italian tomatoes
• 1/2 cup, 10 to 12 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup store bought basil pesto sauce
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 8 ounces mozzarella, shredded

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt the water. Add pasta and cook the pasta to al dente doneness which means that the pasta will still have a bite to it or be a little chewy. The pasta will soak up more juice and keep on cooking after we drain it, so we need it to be a little under cooked. The pasta will probably cook about 9 or 10 minutes.

Preheat a deep, big skillet or a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pan. Add the garlic to the oil. Add the chopped up onion to the garlic and oil. Cook, stirring a lot, 5 minutes until the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes to the onions and stir. When the tomatoes come to a bubble, reduce the heat under the sauce to low. Stir in basil pieces to wilt them. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to your taste.

Preheat your broiler to high and place a rack in the center of the oven.

Drain pasta and add them to a casserole dish. Add pesto sauce, 1 cup of ricotta cheese and a handful of grated Parmigiano. Stir carefully and coat the hot pasta with the pesto and cheeses. Pour the hot tomato and basil sauce over the pasta, as much as you like. You can always serve a little extra at the table, to pass around. Scatter mozzarella over the pasta. Add a final sprinkle of Parmigiano to the mozzarella as well. Place the casserole under the broiler in the middle of oven, 10 to 12 inches from the heat. Let the cheese melt and bubble on top, 3 to 5 minutes.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked macaroni
• 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 small onion, grated
• 3 celery stalks, finely diced
• 1/4 cup relish
• 2 tablespoons mustard
• 1/2 cup sugar (or less according to taste)
• 3 tablespoons vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups Miracle Whip

Directions:

Cook pasta to “al dente” in salted water according to package directions. Drain. Add the remaining ingredients to a large bowl, and once cool, add the pasta. Mix carefully to combine. Refrigerator at least 4 hours before serving, best if left overnight.

Serves 8.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Sharon Gibbons.