Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 to 1-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces;

1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth;

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped;

8 ounces thin spaghetti;

1 tablespoon olive oil;

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper;

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese;

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Preparation:

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside. While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. add broth and mushrooms. Cook another 4 minutes, or until both asparagus and mushrooms are tender. When finished, kill the heat entirely. Pour pasta into skillet and toss with vegetables. Add parmesan and crushed red pepper and toss again. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with a little more parmesan.

Pasta with Sorrel Nettles and Lemon

Ingredients:

1/8 pound fresh stinging nettles, stems and all;

8 ounces pasta;

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil;

1 tbsp parmesan;

1/2 lemon for zest and juice;

1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped;

1 tablespoon fresh parley, chopped;

1 tablespoon chives, chopped;

salt and pepper, to taste;

1 oz. fresh sorrel leaves, washed and torn into bite sized pieces;

1 oz toasted pine nuts.

Preparation:

Get out two large pots of water. Fill them with water. Add salt. Bring to a boil. 

Carefully add nettles to Pot #1. Stir. Cook for 5 minutes. Very carefully, use tongs to place them in a colander. Drain. [I suggest using tongs when handling the nettles. I wore vinyl gloves surgical gloves (which I keep around for cleaning and chopping hot peppers) and then little stingers still poked through. - Leigh] Dirt should be gone/all left in the water. 

In Pot #2, cook pasta until al dente. Drain, making sure to reserve a cup of pasta water. Set pasta and water aside.

While pasta is boiling, "press most of the water out of the nettles and remove the leaves from the stems." Place in food processor. Puree. (At this stage, the sting will have mostly dissipated, so gloves will suffice for leaf removal. - Leigh) Slowly add olive oil while this is happening. Once smooth, stop processor and add parmesan, zest, juice, and herbs. Pulse until blended. Salt and pepper to taste.

Put pasta back in its pot. Add nettle pesto. Stir. Add sorrel and a little pasta water, until sauce reaches the consistency you like. Top with or stir in pine nuts. Serve.

American Chop Suey

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided;

1 ½ lbs ground turkey;

½ lb (2 c.) uncooked elbow macaroni;

½ cup minced onion;

½ cup chopped red bell pepper or celery;

2 8-oz cans tomato sauce;

1 cup water;

1 teaspoon salt;

¼ teapsoon pepper;

1-1 ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.

Preparation:

In a large nonstick skillet or saute pan, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add turkey. Cook until browned, breaking it up with the back of a spoon as you go. Remove turkey and place on plate or in bowl for time being.

Wipe the pan with a paper towel to get some of the grease out. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add macaroni, onion, pepper, and celery (if having). Cook for 5 or 6 minutes, until onion is soft and a little translucent, stirring occasionally. Add meat back into pan. Stir.

Add tomato sauce, water, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir everything and cover pan. Drop heat to medium-low and simmer about 20 or 25 minutes.Voila!

Pasta with Zucchini and Chickpeas

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. pasta like linguine or spaghetti;

1 tablespoon olive oil;

3 small or 2 medium zucchinis, chopped into ¼-inch half-moons;

salt;

2 cloves garlic, minced;

1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed;

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper;

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese.

Preparation:

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, making sure to keep 1/2 cup of pasta water for later. While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add zucchini. Add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Saute 4 or 5 minutes. Add garlic, chickpeas, and red pepper. Saute an additional 2 or 3 minutes. Kill heat.  Add pasta, your reserved pasta water, and 1/4 cup parmesan to skillet. Stir to combine. Serve with remaining parm sprinkled on top, take care to evenly distribute the chickpeas.

Pasta with Asparagus and Turkey Sausage

Ingredients:

8 ounces whole wheat rotini or penne;

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil;

10 ounces (3 links) sweet Italian turkey sausage;

3 large cloves garlic, minced;

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes;

1 pound thin asparagus, ends snapped off, cut into 1-inch pieces;

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained;

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper;

1/2 cup grated parmesan.

Preparation:

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving a little pasta water. Set aside. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add turkey sausage and brown, 5 to 8 minutes, breaking it up into bite-sized pieces as you go along. Spoon meat on to a plate and set aside. Add remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil to skillet. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant, stirring frequently. 

Add asparagus and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in tomatoes and cooked sausage. Heat through, 1 or 2 minutes. Kill heat. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Add pasta and stir to combine. If a little dry, add some reserved pasta water. Spoon pasta into bowls, sprinkle 1 or 2 tablespoons parmesan over each.

Pasta with Tomato and Basil Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups pasta;

5 cups water;

1 cup capsicum;

1/2 cup onion;

1 tbsp chopped garlic;

1/2 cup zuccini;

1 cup tomato basil sauce (Or Fresh Basil and Tomato Sauce Seperately);

2 tbsp olive oil;

1 tbsp chilli flakes;

salt to taste;

1/4 cup grated cheese;

Cilantro(Coriander Leaves) for garnish.

Preparation:

Take 5 cups water in a deep sauce pan and let it boil. Add a little salt and oil to boiling water to prevent pasta to stick to each other. Let it boil for 30 sec then add pasta shells. Let it cook till tender and drain the water and run under cold water some 1 minute then drain again and keep the pasta aside as cold water will help the pasta to cool down quickly and prevent stickiness. Cut onion ,capsicum,zuccini length wise 1/2 inch strips. Heat oil in pan and add onion,garlic and saute for 2 mins. Add capsicum ,zuccini and saute for 3 min. Next add the sauce to the above and cook it till the sauce binds nicely with veggies(approx 3 min). Add chilli flakes,salt to the above and mix it nicely. Add the cooked pasta to the above sauce and stir till the pasta blends nicely with the sauce. Add the grated cheese to the above and mix it well. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Maggi Noodles

Ingredients:

2 pck Maggi noodles;

3 chopped spring onions;

1/2 cup chopped bell paper;

1/2 cup chopped tomato;

a handfull of of parsley;

1/2 tsp chopped garlic;

1 tbsp olive oil;

1/2 tsp chilli flakes;

1 tsp grated parmasen cheese;

salt to taste(only for veggies).

Preparation:

Heat oil in a sauce pan add garlic n spring onion ,stir for 1 min. Add bell paper and stir fry for 1 more min. Add chopped tomato and fry till it become soft. Add chopped parsley and salt n stir for a while then add 3 cupS(750 ml) water n let it boil. In the mean time maggi masala packets into the pan. When the water starts boling ,then break the noodle bars into 4 pieces n add to the pan and stir occasionally. When noodles cooked add the chilli flakes n parmesan cheese. Stir for a while n take out of the flame.

Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

2 cups Rotini/or any pasta;

1 cup chopped cilantro;

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley;

3/4 cup milk;

1 tsp chopped garlic;

3 tbsp chopped walnuts;

3 tbsp olive oil;

3 tbsp finely grated cheese;

2 tbsp butter;

1/2 tsp chilli flakes;

1/8 tsp pepper powder;

salt to taste.

Preparation:

Preparing the pesto.

In a grinder or blender, combine garlic ,walnut ,salt ,coriander ,parsely,oil,chilli flakes and cheese and blend until finely chopped into a coarse paste .

Preparing the pasta.

Bring a large sauce pan of salted water to boil,add pasta n cook until done.Drain water n keep pasta aside.Melt 2 tbsp butter on a pan . Add pasta and toss well sprinkle some pepper on it n mix well. Keep aside.

Mix milk with pesto sauce in a large pan and boil. Simmer for 1 min. Add pasta to pesto sauce, toss well and serve.

Enchilada Pasta Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef;

1/4t cayenne pepper;

1/2t chili powder;

1/4t cumin;

5oz cream cheese;

1/4 cup sour cream;

1 (10oz) can red enchilada sauce;

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided

1 cup corn kernels;

1 (4oz) can diced green chilies;

12oz egg noodles.

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook egg noodles according to package directions. In the meantime, in a large skillet, brown ground beef and drain the fat. Add chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine. Add cream cheese and stir until melted. 

In a large bowl, combine sour cream, enchilada sauce, half of the cheeses, corn kernels and green chilies. Pour over beef mixture, stir, and let simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

Drain pasta and add it to the beef mixture, making sure everything is coated in sauce. In a large casserole dish or 9x13 pan, pour in pasta mixture and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is completely melted and bubbly.

Aubergine Tomato Pasta

Ingredients:

500 grams pasta;

2 tablespoons olive oil;

1 large eggplant; cubed;

2 cans diced tomatoes;

1 tablespoon tomato paste;

3 tablespoons hot water;

1 medium onion; diced;

1 tablespoon white vinegar;

4-5 cloves garlic; chopped;

1 tablespoon sugar;

1/2 tablespoon salt;

1/2 tablespoon pepper;

1 teaspoon chili flakes;

2 tablespoons Parmesan chees.

Preparation:

Heat your olive oil over medium heat. Add your diced onions and let them sweat for a couple of minutes. Don't let it burn.

Add HALF of your aubergine. Let it sauté for 8-10 minutes until it gets a little tender. Fry the other half of the aubergine separately until it browns up. Take it out of the oil, drain the excess oil and leave it on the side to cool.

Add the diced tomatoes and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Dump in the vinegar, chopped garlic, tomato paste and hot water. Mix it all in and sprinkle the sugar all over the top and let it seep in. Add the chili flakes, the fried aubergine, grated Parmesan then add your salt and pepper to taste. Leave it to simmer for 10 to 20 minutes. The time yours takes depends on whether your aubergine is tender enough and if your sauce has thickened. If your sauce becomes too thick, thin it out with hot water or, even better, hot pasta water. You should boil your pasta in salted water once you've left the sauce to simmer. Once your pasta has boiled, fold the pasta into the sauce.