Pasta

Ingredients
1 pound gnocchi
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
¹⁄₂ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
Salt and black pepper
¹⁄₂ pound cherry tomatoes, cut in halves
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
 
Instructions
1. Bring large pot of salted water to boil and cook according to package directions.  Drain well.  Heat oven to 350*F. 

2. Heat oil in large skillet.  Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.  Add tomato paste, chicken broth, salt, pepper, thyme and basil.  Remove from heat.

3. Add gnocchi and tomatoes to sauce and stir.  Transfer to casserole dish, top with Parmesan, and bake 15 minutes or until top is golden. 

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Comments
This recipe is from Dr. Ola’s Kitchen.  It has potential for sure, but the sauce was super wet and the gnocchi were just little lumps.  Next time I would add the tomatoes to the skillet and simmer the sauce until the tomatoes break down and the sauce reduced.  I’d also sauté the gnocchi after boiling to get some brown on them.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons ginger, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon shallots, minced
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey or sugar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 pinch red pepper flakes
Kosher salt, to taste
10 ounces ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded and cooked according to package instructions, and drained

Instructions
1. Heat oil in saucepan over high heat.  Add green onions, cilantro, ginger, garlic, and shallots.  Stir quickly to coat in hot oil then remove pan from heat.  Add fish sauce, sesame oil, honey or sugar, red pepper flakes, and salt, to taste.  Let sauce sit for 15 minutes. 

2. Toss sauce with pasta. 

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Comments
This recipe is from Inquiring Chef.  I doubled it and served it with meatballs and it was fantastic.  Who knew ramen could be so delicious?

Ingredients
12 ounces center cut bacon, cut into small pieces
¹⁄₂ cup water
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 ¹⁄₂ ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
3 large eggs, plus 1 large yolk
1 teaspoon pepper
1 pound spaghetti or other pasta
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions
1. Bring bacon and water to simmer in large skillet over medium heat; cook until water evaporates and bacon begins to sizzle, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until fat renders and bacon browns, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Strain bacon mixture through mesh strainer set in bowl. Set aside bacon mixture. Measure out 1 tablespoon fat and place in medium bowl. Whisk Parmesan, eggs and yolk, and pepper into fat until combined.

2. Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Set colander in large bowl. Add spaghetti and salt to pot; cook, stirring frequently, until al dente. Drain spaghetti in colander set in bowl, reserving cooking water. Pour 1 cup cooking water into liquid measuring cup and discard remainder. Return spaghetti to now-empty bowl.

3. Slowly whisk ¹⁄₂ cup reserved cooking water into Parmesan mixture. Gradually pour Parmesan mixture over spaghetti, tossing to coat. Add bacon mixture and toss to combine. Let spaghetti rest, tossing frequently, until sauce has thickened slightly and coats spaghetti, 2 to 4 minutes, adjusting consistency with remaining reserved cooking water if needed. Serve immediately.

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Comments
This recipe is from Cook’s Illustrated 2013.   Yet another recipe in my search for the perfect carbonara.  While this is a pretty foolproof recipe, it was certainly not my perfect carbonara.  Still super tasty, but not the creamy, rich, delicious dish I’m searching for.

Ingredients
12 ounces egg noodles
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 ¹⁄₂ cups half and half
2 ¹⁄₂ cups chicken broth
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
4 ounces American cheese, chopped
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 ¹⁄₂ cups frozen peas
25 Ritz crackers, crushed coarse

Instructions
1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add noodles and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until just al dente, about 3-4 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water until cool, about 2 minutes. Drain again and set aside.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in now-empty pot over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside. In now-empty pot, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in half and half and broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425*F. Remove pot from heat and stir American and cheddar cheeses into sauce until smooth. Stir noodles, bell pepper mixture, peas, 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons salt, and 1 ¹⁄₄ teaspoons pepper into cheese sauce.

4. Top mixture with crushed crackers.  Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 15 minutes. Let casserole cool for 10 minutes before serving. 

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Comments
This recipe is from Cook’s Country 2013.  I admit, I didn’t actually get a chance to eat it since I noticed Ritz crackers have HFCS in them while I was making it and then I ran off to play trivia.  I opted out of the leftovers due to the HFCS thing.  Art and Lance both seemed to enjoy this dish, though, and all of the leftovers were eaten.  I’m not sure it’s worth it to find an HFCS-free cracker just to be able to make this again.

Ingredients
2 pounds pasta
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 handfuls baby carrots, half carrots diced, half sliced in thin strips
1 onion, diced
2 medium leeks, cut into half moons
2 bunches green onions, chopped, white and green parts separated
10 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 ¹⁄₂ cups milk
²⁄₃ cup tomato paste
¹⁄₃-²⁄₃ cup Sunchang Gochujang
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1-3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Sesame oil

Instructions
1.  Cook pasta as directed by package instructions and drain. 

2. Heat oil in large skillet and sauté mushrooms until browned.  Add diced carrots, white onion, leeks, and white parts of green onions.  Sauté until soft and translucent.  Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. 

3. Add ¹⁄₂ cup chicken broth and stir.  Add ground meats, 1 cup of broth, season with salt and pepper, and cook 8 to 10 more minutes or until meats are cooked through. 

4. Stir in milk and cook until half of liquid has evaporated.  Add tomato paste, gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, and remaining chicken broth.  Continue cooking until sauce starts to thicken, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Adjust seasoning to taste. 

5. Remove skillet from heat and add jalapenos and remaining carrots.  Garnish with sesame seeds, green parts of green onions, a drizzle of sesame oil, and serve over cooked pasta. 

Comments
This recipe is from Sushi Bytes and it was excellent!  Leftovers were devoured in short course.  The sauce was nicely spicy and we all enjoyed it.  This is definitely a nice spin on traditional spaghetti sauce.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1 cup enchilada sauce
¹⁄₂ cup sour cream
1 pound pasta
1 cup monterrey jack cheese, shredded
1 bunch green onions, chopped

Instructions
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add chicken to skillet and cook until no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. 

2. Bring large pot of water to boil and cook pasta as instructed by packaging.  Drain well. 

3. Combine pasta, sauce, sour cream, and chicken mixture in pot or skillet.  Cook over low heat until heated through.  Top with shredded cheese and green onions. 

Comments
This recipe is from Budget Bytes.  A while back I started using Rick Bayless’s taco sauce when I made tacos and then I picked up a pouch of enchilada sauce.  I knew I didn’t want to make enchiladas, but I had been keeping my eyes open for something to use the sauce for.  This recipe caught my eye and it turned out great!  We all enjoyed it quite a bit!

Ingredients
1 pound pasta, such as penne
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
3 teaspoons cajun spice, such as Emeril’s Essence
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into thin slices
¹⁄₂ large red onion, cut into half moons
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pints small tomatoes, quartered or halved
2 cups chicken broth
¹⁄₂ cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
2 ounces cream cheese, cut into small pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, optional

Instructions
1. Bring large pot of salted water to boil over high heat.  Cook pasta as directed on packaging. Drain well.

2. Sprinkle half of Cajun seasoning over chicken pieces and toss to coat.  Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in heavy skillet over high heat.  Add half chicken and cook, without stirring, until browned on one side.  Stir and continue cooking until cooked through.  Remove chicken to clean plate.  Repeat with remaining chicken. 

2. Add remaining olive oil and butter to skillet.  Once butter is melted, add bell pepper, onion, and garlic.  Sprinkle remaining Cajun seasoning over vegetables and cook over high heat until vegetables brown.  Add tomatoes and cook 2 minutes.  Remove vegetables to plate with chicken. 

3. With pan still over high heat, add wine and chicken broth.  Cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring to deglaze the pan.  Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream.  Stir in cream cheese until melted.  Continue stirring until sauce begins  to thicken, about 5 to 10 minutes.  Season sauce with salt and pepper if necessary. 

4. Add chicken, vegetables, and pasta to sauce.  Stir well to combine.  Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired. 

Comments
I found this recipe on a cooking blog but the instructions were pretty poor.  Thankfully, the blogger had linked to her source, so I was able to use the original from Pioneer Woman.  This was a tasty dish although the sauce was reluctant to thicken.  The sauce did thicken up for leftovers which Art and Lance greatly enjoyed during the week.  Unlike my last attempt at Cajun Pasta, this was really delicious and not too spicy at all!

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups onion, diced
2 cups red bell pepper, diced
2 cups zucchini, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 pound ground beef
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
1. Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat.  Add carrots, onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Add tomatoes and stir to combine.  Cook, partially covered, about 30 minutes. 

2. Once tomatoes are soft and have begun to cook down, puree with immersion blender to desired consistency.  (I pureed mine completely.)  Bring sauce to simmer over medium-high heat and cook, uncovered, about 20 to 30 minutes. 

3. Meanwhile, cook beef in skillet over medium heat until cooked through.  Drain and add to sauce.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Comments
This recipe is from My Kitchen Addiction.  It makes quite a lot of sauce, enough for about three pounds of pasta.  We had leftovers for days and they were all super delicious.  This is a nice, vegetable-rich pasta sauce, it doesn’t have a super heavy tomato base. 

My vague memory of Spaghetti-Os is overcooked pasta swimming in thin ketchup and this recipe is nothing at all like that.  Thank goodness!

Ingredients
1 pound orzo
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
¹⁄₄ cup fresh parsley, minced
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced, or ¹⁄₄ teaspoon dried oregano
¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
¹⁄₄ teaspoon black pepper
1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes with garlic and oregano
1 (7 ounces) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and diced
¹⁄₂ cup (2 ounces) Parmesan cheese, grated
¹⁄₂ cup (2 ounces) soft goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions
1. Bring large pot of salted water to boil over high heat.  Cook pasta as directed on packaging. Drain well, return to pot, and toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil. 

2. Heat remaining teaspoon oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add zucchini and cook 7 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add garlic and cook 3 minutes, stirring.  Stir in parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, tomatoes, and red bell peppers.  Cook 5 minutes or until heated through.  Stir sauce and cheeses into pasta then serve. 

Comments
This recipe is from Cooking Light 2003.  The pasta was tasty and we all enjoyed it!  It’s a great way to use up delicious summer tomatoes and zucchinis.

Shown here with Grill-Roasted Beef Short Ribs with Mustard Glaze.

Ingredients
2 pounds pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
2 cups whole milk
¹⁄₂ cup tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded

Instructions
1. Bring large pot of salted water to boil over high heat.  Cook pasta as directed on packaging. Drain well. 

2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add sausage and continue cooking until sausage is well browned, about 5 to 10 minutes. 

3. Add milk and tomato paste and stir to blend.  Season with salt and pepper then simmer until thickened, but not dry, about 1 to 2 minutes. 

4. Serve pasta topped with sauce and Parmesan cheese. 

Comments
This recipe is from The Essential New York Times Cookbook.  This is a super simple and quick ragu sauce.  It was filling and delicious – we all enjoyed it quite a bit.  This is enough sauce for two pounds of pasta, which the recipe calls for, but you don’t need to make all the pasta at once.  You can freeze half and the sauce for later and just make the pasta when you’re ready. 

Shown here with Baked Zucchini Fries.