Pumpkin Fettuccine Alfredo

Here's another fall pumpkin fix that comes in a comforting pasta dinner. When How Sweet It Is posted this recipe last year, I was immediately interested because of the mascarpone cheese. I love this ingredient in cream sauces. Even though this recipe uses a small amount, I recommend not skipping this creamy addition. We weren't fans of the fried sage leaves. I think in the future I would just add the ones that are baked with the pasta. I tend to be a little boring when it comes to certain herbs as a little often goes a long way for me.

You will need:
*1 pound whole wheat fettuccine
 (I used the usual box I find that is about 14oz)
*2 tablespoons unsalted butter
*
2 tablespoons flour

*2 garlic cloves, minced
*
4 cups low-fat milk
*
2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese

*1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

*3/4 cups pumpkin puree
*
1 tablespoons freshly chopped sage leaves
*
1/4 teaspoon salt

*1/4 teaspoon pepper

*1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
*freshly grated fontina (optional)
*breadcrumbs (optional)
*extra sage leaves if desired
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray or oil.

2. Boil water and cook pasta according to the product directions. Leave about 1 minute off the cooking time since you will be baking the pasta with the sauce. Drain and keep aside until needed.

3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once sizzling, whisk in flour and stir continuously until bubbly and golden, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute.

4. Stir the milk into the roux you just created. You want to keep stirring and steadily raise the heat as needed, until the mixture bubbles and starts to thicken-about 5-7 minutes. Next, mix in the mascarpone, parmesan, pumpkin, sage, salt, pepper and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until all ingredients blend and the sauce is thickened.

5. Add pasta to the prepared baking dish. Pour sauce on top and toss well to coat. If desired, add some grated fontina and a sprinkling of bread crumbs. Bake for for about 20 minutes, or until it is bubbly. Serve pasta immediately and top with sage leaves-listed in step 6.

6. If you'd like the fried sage leaves topping,  heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add a few sage leaves at a time to the hot pan and fry for about 30 seconds. Remove and place on a paper towel.

Prosciutto and Melon Pasta Salad

We've been lucky enough to travel to Italy on two vacations. Dining was often outdoors at a slow pace that feels quite opposite to us Americans used to only spending about an hour at restaurants. Prosciutto and melon was our go to appetizer in Rome and Venice. Eating this pasta salad took me back to many happy memories of those vacations. I was finally able to find a local deli with good prosciutto which helped to make all the difference. This recipe came from an idea I tagged in a Cooking Light magazine, and I added it to our weekly menu after it was posted on Prevention RD. We enjoyed this for dinner as an entree. It would also make a great side dish.

You will need:
* about 7 oz (2 cups dry) whole wheat pasta
*1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
*2 tablespoons olive oil
*1/8 teaspoon salt, and a pinch for pasta water
*1/8 teaspoon black pepper
*2 cups cantaloupe, cubed
*3 ounces prosciutto, ripped into pieces
*4-6 large basil leaves, cut into thin strips
*2 ounces Asiago cheese, finely grated

1. Boil 2 quarts of water in a large pot. Once boiling, add a pinch of salt and the pasta. Cook your pasta according to the box directions. You want it to be al dente. Drain the cooked pasta and briefly rinse under cool water to bring the pasta to room temperature.

2. While the pasta is cooking, squeeze the lemon juice into a medium bowl.Whisk in the olive oil; season with the salt and pepper.

3. Toss the pasta with the dressing mix. Gently stir in the cantaloupe, prosciutto, basil, and Asiago. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

We enjoyed leftovers for lunch the next day. This pasta salad is best when served immediately. I'd recommend making it the same day you will enjoy most of it.

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Pasta

Prevention RD is a fabulous blog and one of my favorite recipe sources. Nicole always posts the nutritional info and a result for each recipe. As soon as she posted this dish it went on my weekly menu. Believe or not, we had not had a pasta dish in a long time. I'm sure pasta will make more of an appearance when the weather gets colder again. The overabundance of zucchini right now is a perfect reason for you to make this quick dinner soon. If anyone has a lot of produce from their successful garden, feel free to send it my way! Maybe next year I'll attempt growing food. Right now we're still focusing on grass.

You will need:
*10 ounces dry whole wheat pasta- I used rotini
*15 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes

*5 ounces goat cheese

*12 ounce jar roasted red pepper, drained
*
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

*2 small-medium sized zucchinis, sliced into 1/4 inch half moons
*
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Boil water in a pot and salt lightly; add pasta and cook according to the box directions (Usually around 9-11 minutes) Drain and set aside.

2. While your pasta is cooking, combine tomatoes, goat cheese, and peppers in a food processor and pulse until smooth. (You could use a blender if you do not own a food processor)

3. Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan. Add the zucchini along with some salt and pepper and saute about 3 minutes until the zucchini begins to soften. Add the goat cheese sauce mixture and simmer for about 7 minutes or until heated through.

4. Combine the pasta and sauce. Serve immediately.

Squash Macaroni and Cheese

This is another successful recipe from Cooking Light magazine. I tagged it in my September issue but kind of forgot about it until I spotted it on Prevention RD. The squash purèed and mixed with the cheeses makes this mac and cheese taste like it is terrible for you. Isn't that what you want in a bowl of mac and cheese?! This would be a great way to sneak a veggie serving to kids or other picky eaters. You can certainly taste the squash though, so I am not sure it would work for someone that despises butternut squash. (I find it hard to believe that such people exist!) I made this awhile back and am adding it to our menu again next week. I highly recommend you make this soon. I'd say it is one of the best new recipes we tried in 2011.

You will need:
*3 cups butternut squash (about 1 pound), cubed and peeled
*1 1/4 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
*1 1/2 cups skim milk
*2 garlic cloves
*1 teaspoon kosher salt
*1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
*2 tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt
*1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
*1 cup (4 ounces) grated pecorino Romano cheese
*1/4 cup (1 ounce) finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
*1 pound uncooked pasta (I used one 13.25 oz. box of whole wheat rotini)
*2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (omitted)

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Combine squash, broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium for about 25 minutes until squash is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from heat.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt, drain well.

4. Carefully, place the hot squash mixture in a blender. (I am lazy with blending recipes and always use my immersion blender!) Add salt, pepper, and Greek yogurt. If you use a blender, remove the top's center to allow heat to escape. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid to help prevent splattering. Blend until smooth.

4. Place blended mixture in a bowl. Stir in Gruyère, pecorino Romano, and Parmigiano-Reggiano until combined. Add pasta to squash mixture, and stir until combined. Sprinkle with parsley if desired, and serve immediately.

Penne with Cauliflower and Pancetta

Rachael Ray's cookbooks were some of the first I owned. I received a copy of 30-Minute Meals right after college when I still lived at home with my parents. While I experimented with her recipes, and I think Rachael was the first television personality who ever inspired me to try more cooking, I couldn't stand her mostly photo-less cookbooks. There's something about seeing the end result of a recipe that is important to me. I was very excited when she came out with Rachael Rays' Look and Cook, and I finally purchased a copy. This recipe jumped out at me when I first skimmed through the recipes and photos. The only change I would make to this recipe is to use less rosemary next time. I love the smell and taste of rosemary, but I do not like the texture of it. I have a weird thing when it comes to textures, but that's a whole other story! I recommend you give this pasta dish a try. You could make a vegetarian version of this dish by omitting the pancetta and replacing the chicken stock with a veggie stock. I also found a slightly different version of this recipe online that added spinach or watercress. Check out more of Rachael's recipes on Saturdays with Rachael Ray.

You will need:
*salt and pepper
*1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
(As you can see, I did not use penne. Any shape will do. I enjoyed rotini)
*1 head cauliflower
*2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
*1/4 pound pancetta, finely diced
*1 head cauliflower
*1 onion, finely chopped
*3 large cloves garlic, chopped
*2-3 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
*Freshly grated nutmeg (I used ground nutmeg)
*1/2 cup white wine
*1 cup chicken stock
*1 cup grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; salt the water, add the pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain.

2. While your pasta is cooking, trim the cauliflower and chop it into small florets.

3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta, if using, and cook until the fat renders(about 2 minutes). Stir in the onion, garlic, rosemary, and cauliflower; season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Cook covered, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes or until cauliflower is just about tender.

4. Add the wine and cook uncovered until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add the stock and reduce the heat. Keep covered until the pasta is finished cooking.

5. Once the pasta is drained, toss with the cauliflower pan and add the cheese. Adjust any seasonings to taste. (Add spinach or watercress topping if desired. I am going to try that next time)

Lemon Kale Pasta

I have developed a love for kale. I spotted this recipe on Annie's Eats, and I knew it was something I'd enjoy. Dave will eat things made with kale, but he tires of it quickly, so I need to spread out my recipes featuring this leafy green. This dish would make a perfect summer side hot or chilled. We used it as a main dish, and I think I would pair it with some more protein next time.

For the dressing, you will need:

*2 cloves garlic, minced
*1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

*1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

*5-6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

*juice of 2 lemons
*1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

*ground black pepper, to taste

For the pasta dish, you will need:
*
1 lb. whole grain pasta
*
1 bunch kale, stems removed, cut into 1/2 ribbon strips (don't forget to rinse and dry first!)
*
lemon slices and additional Parmesan, for serving if desired

1. 
Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, cook pasta according to the package directions.

2. While waiting for the water to boil, make the dressing. Sprinkle the minced garlic with 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt and smash this combination into a paste with a fork. Place the garlic paste in a small bowl and whisk to combine the Parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.

3. Place the kale ribbons in a large bowl and toss with the dressing to coat. When the pasta is finished, drain, and allow it to cool for 2 minutes.

4. Toss the pasta with the dressed kale until well coated. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and lemon slices.

Goat Cheese, Asparagus, and Sausage Pasta

I have many recipes starred in my Google Reader and/or saved on my computer. Sometimes, I find it overwhelming as I try to do my weekly menu plans and cycle through so many choices. We strive to cook at least one new dinner every week, and I always have plenty of choices from this ever expanding recipe collection. This is a recipe from Pink Parsley that I had saved almost a year ago. It is originally from the Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast cookbook. With roasted asparagus and goat cheese, why did we wait so long? This was delicious!

You will need:
*2 bunches of asparagus (about 2 pounds), woody ends removed
*olive oil
*3 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces
*kosher salt
*ground black pepper
*4 links chicken sausage-I used Italian
*13 oz. of a small-shaped pasta-such as penne, shells, rotini (We like whole grain Barilla)
*4 oz. fresh goat cheese, softened
*2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
*I also added a touch of garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 450. Toss or spray asparagus with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Top with salt and pepper. Slice chicken sausage into 1-inch rounds and add to the baking sheet alongside the asparagus. Roast until tender, tossing the asparagus and turning the sausage, after about 10-15 minutes. Slice asparagus into 2-inch pieces once it is roasted.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt to the boiling water, and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water; drain the pasta.

3. Whisk together the softened goat cheese, butter pieces, Parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder; whisk until smooth.

4. Return the pasta to the pot, and toss with the goat-cheese mixture, asparagus, and chicken sausage. Add pasta water a few tablespoons at a time until a thin sauce coats the pasta. You're ready to serve!

Escarole and Squash Lazy Lasagna

This Rachael Ray recipe was fabulous! With all the recent attention I've given to kale, I forgot how much I enjoy escarole in dishes. This is a recipe that uses many pots and pans, but the result is worth it. I felt like it gave us a hearty veggie serving, and I used skim milk to lighten the creamy sauce. We are planning on enjoying this again while it still feels like winter around here. This was enough food for days. We enjoyed it for dinner, a few lunches, and another leftover dinner. It would be a great dish to serve to company on a chilly night.
You will need:
*1 medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
*2 tablespoons olive oil with more for drizzling
*salt and pepper
*1 pound ruffle-edge lasagna noodles, broken into irregular shapes
*4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
*1 medium head escarole, chopped
*1 cup chicken stock
*1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese (I prefer part-skim)
*small handful of sage leaves, thinly sliced
*1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
*2 tablespoons butter
*2 tablespoons flour
*2 cups milk (I used skim)
*Freshly grated nutmeg (I used ground)
*1 1/2 cups Italian Fontina or Gruyère cheese (I used Gruyère)


1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange the squash on a baking sheet and lightly dress with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 35-45 minutes. Squash should be golden at edges and tender.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and under-cook pasta by about 2 minutes. While the water comes to a boil, heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan. Add garlic and stir a minute then add escarole and wilt. Season with a little salt and pepper, and add stock. Keep at a gentle simmer until ready to use.

3. In a small bowl, stir together ricotta, sage, salt, pepper and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

4. In a saucepot, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour; cook a minute or so then whisk in milk. Increase the heat a bit and season sauce with salt, pepper, and a little freshly grated nutmeg. Let sauce thicken to coat the back of a spoon then taste to adjust seasonings.

5. Drain lasagna noodles and add them back to hot pot. Stir in ricotta cheese mixture, then fold in roasted squash and escarole. Transfer to a casserole dish and pour the milk sauce evenly over the top. Cover with scant layer of Fontina or Gruyère cheese, and place in the hot oven on center rack. Switch oven to broil and leave casserole in oven until lasagna is brown and bubbly all over, about 4 minutes.

*Find more Rachael Ray recipes on Saturdays with Rachael Ray hosted by Taste and Tell.

Smoked Sausage Supper

January. The crash after the holiday rush, and a time for reflections and goals. I love the feel of a fresh start, but as I've mentioned before, I tend to get that feeling each September with that start of the school year and a new crop of students. Most of my 2011 resolutions are to continue with what was going well in 2010. One of these big intentions is to continue making many dinners at home. I also want to use my cookbooks more this year.

After battling the new onset of members at my gym this week, I came home to cook dinner and regain sanity. We've discovered another weeknight friendly recipe that is a nice change of pace from what we usually eat. I found this recipe on Kate's Recipe Box. I increased the recipe so that we could have leftovers available for lunches.

You will need:
*1 pound smoked sausage, coin sliced
*medium green pepper, chopped
*small yellow onion
*1 garlic cloves, minced
*
1 teaspoon dried oregano
*1 teaspoon dried basil
*
1 tablespoon olive oil

*1 1/2 cups V8 juice

1. In a large skillet, saute the sausage, green pepper, onion, garlic, oregano and basil in oil until vegetables are crisp-tender.

2 Add V8 juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 7-8 minutes or until thickened.

3. Serve over rice or small-shaped pasta.

Pasta with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce

This is a recipe that screams fall. We enjoyed it back on Halloween while we were waiting for trick-or-treaters. I have only ever used my pumpkin puree for baking, so I liked the opportunity to use it in a main dish. The sauce was a little bland for me. If I was to make it again, I think I would add some more spices to it. The need for salt is noted in the recipe below, and you must be generous to help balance the flavors. Therefore, this is not a low sodium friendly recipe. It is something easy to throw together, and I recommend it if you are in need of a break from prepping and turkey this week. This recipe comes from Martha Stewart. The only change I made was to use cider vinegar instead of white wine vinegar.

*12 ounces short pasta, (I used whole wheat penne)
*Kosher salt
*2 tablespoons olive oil
*1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
*1 can (15 ounces) pure pumpkin puree
*1 garlic clove, minced
*1/2 cup half-and-half
*1/3 cup grated Parmesan
*1 tablespoon cider vinegar
*1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for garnish

1, Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and set aside.

2. In pasta pot, heat oil over medium. Add rosemary and fry, stirring, until starting to brown. This should take1 to 2 minutes.

3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer rosemary to a paper towel, leaving oil in pot.
Carefully (to avoid oil splatter) add pumpkin puree, garlic, Parmesan, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, 1 cup reserved pasta water, and half-and-half to pot. Stir sauce until heated through-About 3 minutes.

4. Add pasta to sauce, and toss to coat. If sauce is too thick, add some reserved pasta water. Season generously with salt.

5. Serve pasta sprinkled with fried rosemary and, if desired, more red-pepper flakes.

Pasta with Butternut Squash and Sage

Baby, it's cold outside! Pasta dishes are the ultimate warming comfort food for me. When you make them with multigrain pasta, these pasta dinners become more filling which results in eating a few less carbs. This recipe came together easily, and it was definitely full of fall flavors. The bacon gives this its great flavor. I found this recipe on Koko Cooks who adapted it from Cook's Illustrated.

You will need:
*3 slices of bacon, sliced thinly crosswise
*3 Tbs fresh sage, minced
*1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
*1 Tbs butter
*1 cup thinly sliced scallions, light green and green part only
*¼ tsp ground nutmeg
*2 cups low sodium chicken broth
*1 box of pasta (mine was just over 13oz, I wouldn't do more than a pound)
*2 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese
*4 tsp lemon juice

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Add 2 Tbs of the sage, and cook for another minute. Remove bacon and sage to a plate, keeping as much of the bacon drippings in the pan as possible. Set aside bacon-sage mixture.

2. Turn heat to high. Add the squash in an even layer and cook until the squash begins to brown. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the squash is spotty brown on all sides. This should take from 10-15 minutes total.

3. Add butter and let it melt. Add ¾ of the scallions, nutmeg, and rest of the sage. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until scallions are softened, another minute or two. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Turn down heat to medium and cook until the squash is tender, another 3-4 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cook pasta to al dente. Drain, reserving ¼ c of pasta water.

5. Return pasta to pot used to cook it. Add the squash mixture, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and bacon-sage mixture. Use pasta water to help the sauce adhere to the noodles if needed. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

Baked Tortellini

It has been a busy, stressful couple of weeks around here. This has been changing our meal times, and some nights we have not even had dinner. (Luckily, things are starting to look up!) I was craving comfort food big time last week. Comfort food to me=cheesy. I made this for lunch one day, and then Dave was able to enjoy it for dinner. It definitely hit the spot.

You will need:
*cheese tortellini-13 oz.
*tomato sauce-1 1/2 cups
*cream cheese-about 4 oz.
*garlic powder-1 tsp
*shredded mozzerella-1/2 cup
(you can use the amount you need. I made this in my 8x8 pyrex)

1) Preheat oven to 350.Cook tortellini according to package instructions. While tortellini is cooking, heat the tomato sauce and cream cheese in a small sauce pan stirring occasionally.

2) Once the cream cheese melts, add the garlic powder.

3) Pour cooked tortellini into a baking pan and cover in the sauce mixture. Top with shredded mozzerella.

4) Bake for about 20 minutes.

Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Rolls

Sometimes, I think that we could eat Italian every night of the week. One combination I love is alfredo sauce mixed with tomato sauce. As soon as I saw this recipe on the Delish blog, I knew that they would be even better topped with some tomato sauce after baking. Alfredo sauce is tasty, but the overwhelming amount of butter and cream does not often sit well for me. I used a lighter alfredo sauce that I found on Stephanie Cooks. This made a filling, tasty dinner, and we had enough leftovers for lunch throughout the week. If I was to make this recipe again, I would not cook the lasagna roll ups as long because mine seemed to dry out a bit.

First, I made the alfredo sauce.
You will need:
*1-1/4 cups fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
*4 tsp. flour
*1/3 cup PHILADELPHIA 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese
*3 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese, divided
*1/8 tsp garlic powder
*1/8 tsp. pepper
*2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1) Beat the broth and flour in medium saucepan with a whisk until well blended. Add the cream cheese, 2 Tbsp. Parmesan, nutmeg, garlic powder, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes or until mixture comes to boil and thickens, stirring constantly. (This took awhile for me. Although, I think it is a fault of my own because that always happens with cream sauces!)

Now for the lasagna rolls...
You will need:
* 1 lb. chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
* 4 oz. softened cream cheese
* 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped fine
* 1 cup white mushrooms, chopped (omitted because I am an accommodating wife)
* 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese, plus more for topping
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1 tsp. black pepper
* 2 tbs. fresh chopped Italian parsley
* 2 cloves minced garlic
* 8-10 lasagna noodles, cooked as directed and cooled slightly (I cooked these as I made the alfredo)
* 2 cups Alfredo Sauce
*1 cup of tomato sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, cream cheese, spinach, mushrooms, cheese, salt, pepper, parsley & garlic.
3. Spread a ladle or two of Alfredo sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
4. Lay out one lasagna noodle on cutting board, spread about 1/4 cup of the mixture along the noodle and roll up from one end to the other. Lay the roll seam side down in the Alfredo sauce.
5. Repeat with remaining noodles and filling, laying each in the sauce. Then, top the rolls with mozzarella cheese.
6. Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes until heated through and cheese is browned slightly on top.
7. Heat the tomato sauce and top as desired.

Red Wine Pasta

We have had this dinner a few times. It is something that Dave often requests, so I take that to mean that he really likes it! Because I use whole wheat spaghetti, it is often more a brown/maroon tone. If you used white pasta, I imagine that the color would be a bit more vibrant. We love the little kick that this pasta gets from the red pepper flakes. I found this recipe on Pink Parsley who adapted it from Food and Wine. Another filling and simple weeknight dinner.

You will need:
* 5 cups water
* 3 1/4 cups dry red wine (I use Pinot Noir)
* salt
* 3/4 pound spaghetti (I use whole wheat or whole grain varieties)
* 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (I use minced garlic)
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
* 1 cup walnuts toasted and coarsely chopped
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
* Freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine the water with 3 cups of the wine in a medium saucepan. Add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil.

2.Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, stirring often. Drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.

3. Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and red pepper, and season with salt. Cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the remaining 1/4 cup wine and the reserved cooking liquid and bring to a simmer.

4. Stir in the pasta and continue cooking to absorb most of the liquid. This will take about 2 minutes.

5. Mix in the parsley, nuts, 1/2 cup cheese, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with additional salt and pepper. Serve with additional cheese if desired.

Pioneer Woman's Baked Lemon Pasta

I have read mixed reviews on various food sites/blogs about this recipe. Well our opinion-We loved it! It is different to have a lemony pasta, but both Dave and I liked the change. This will be a great addition to our week night meal rotations. This is the first Pioneer Woman recipe that I have tried, and I can say that we will be trying some more. Whenever I make these heavier pasta dishes, I use a whole wheat or grain pasta. I find it makes them more filling which holds us back from eating too much. We also had a large side salad to pair with this.

You will need:
* 1 pound Thin Spaghetti (I used a 13 oz package of whole wheat spaghetti)
* 4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
* 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
* 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
* 1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested (Dave was excited to use the microplane!)
* 2 cups Sour Cream
* 1⁄2 teaspoons Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste
* Grated Parmesan Cheese
* Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped
* Extra Lemon Juice

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.

2) In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over low heat. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.

3) Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.

4) Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (I baked it for 8 more minuntes once the foil was removed)

5) When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

I this could work with some chopped/shredded chicken added in as a protein. Maybe I will try that some time in the future...

Tortellini Primavera

This was an incredibly rich dinner. It smelled amazing while it was cooking and it tasted even better. I really should call it tortellini and spinach because that is basically all we put in it! This quick and easy recipe is great for a filling weeknight meal. It would be amazing with the mushrooms added, but that is not an option for me because then Dave wouldn't touch it. We will certainly make this splurge meal again.

I found this recipe on Stephanie Cooks and she got it from Annie's Eats

You will need:
1 cup mushrooms, chopped (omitted)
1⁄2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp. margarine
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (we used fresh chopped)
8 oz. cream cheese (reduced fat is all I usually buy)
1 tomato, chopped (omitted)
1⁄4 cup milk
1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
family sized frozen cheese tortellini (our store only has a 10 oz bag-so we used that)

Directions:
1) Heat margarine in a skillet. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic and sautee.
2) Add all remaining ingredients except tortellini. Heat until all have melted together and are well blended. Cook until the mixture just begins to boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in tortellini.

Baked Ziti with Marscapone

This was absolutely delicious! I was craving some rainy day comfort food and this delivered. I used the exact recipe posted here: Stephanie Cooks, so I am just going to send you to her blog to see it. We will definitely be making this again! I have some thoughts of how I may try to attempt a little bit healthier in the future so stay tuned...