Million Dollar Spaghetti

 Ingredients:

• 1 lb spaghetti

• ½ tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 lb mild Italian sausage
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 28 oz jar marinara sauce (plus 1 cup water)
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Alfredo Sauce:
• 1 stick butter
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp dried parsley

Topping:
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a pan and sauté onion, bell pepper, and garlic for 5 minutes. Add ground beef and sausage, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned. Stir in marinara, water, and seasonings. Let it simmer with the lid slightly open, stirring occasionally.
2. While the sauce simmers, cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. In another pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in heavy cream, stirring constantly, and bring to a gentle simmer. Let it thicken slightly, then stir in Parmesan, garlic salt, and parsley until smooth.
4. In a deep baking dish, toss spaghetti with Alfredo sauce and spread evenly. Top with meat sauce, then sprinkle mozzarella.
5. Bake at 350°F for 25 min, then broil for 3-4 min. Garnish with parsley & enjoy!

Boursin Cheese Baked Pasta

Ingredients

• (2) 5.2 ounce pkgs. Boursin Cheese (Garlic and Herb)
  
• (2) pints Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
• 3 to 4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 Garlic Cloves (minced)
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• 10 to 16 ounces Pasta *
• 1/2 cup Pasta Water (reserved from pasta)
• 1/4 cup Fresh Basil (about 6 leaves)
• 1 cup Fresh Baby Spinach, optional (chopped)
• 1/2 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the two rounds of Boursin cheese and tomatoes into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, a generous amount of salt and pepper, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
• Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
• While baking, heat water in a large pot to boiling. Generously salt the water. Add your favorite type of pasta and cook according to package instructions. Remove 1/2 cup of water and set aside to add to sauce. Drain the pasta.
• Once the tomatoes are done roasting, toss with cooked pasta and reserved 1/2 cup of pasta water. Sprinkle with fresh basil, spinach (if using), and parmesan cheese.

One Pot Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Ingredients

• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 lb. Fettuccine 
• 1 small Vidalia onion
• 4 cloves garlic 
• 1 12 oz. jar roasted red peppers
• 1 15 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1/2 TBS dried basil
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional) 
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 4 oz. cream cheese (optional) 

Instructions

• Thinly slice the onion and mince the garlic. Remove the red peppers from the liquid in the jar and then slice them into thin strips.
• In a large pot, combine the broth, onion, garlic, red pepper slices, diced tomatoes (with juice), basil, crushed red pepper, and some freshly cracked black pepper (10-15 cranks of a pepper mill). Stir these ingredients to combine. Break the fettuccine in half, then add it to the pot, attempting to submerge the pieces as much as possible.
• Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat up to high. As soon as the pot reaches a full boil, give it a quick stir to loosen any pieces that may have stuck to the bottom, return the lid, and turn the heat down to medium-low.
• Let the pot simmer on medium low for 10-12 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom. Return the lid as quickly as possible after each stir. After ten minutes, test the pasta to see if it is al dente. Once the pasta is tender, remove it from the heat. (If the pasta becomes too dry before it is tender, simply add a small amount of water and continue to simmer.)
• Divide the cream cheese into tablespoon sized pieces, then add them to the pot. Stir the pasta until the cheese melts in and creates a smooth sauce (it will look lumpy at first, just keep stirring). Serve hot.

Notes

Breaking the pasta in half helps the larger pieces of tomato and pepper stir in evenly with the pasta. It also helps allow the pasta to be submerged under the broth.

Roasted Red Pepper Raviloli

Ingredients

• 3 red bell peppers
• 2-3 Tbsp onion
• 2 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1/4 C fresh basil
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1- 1 1/2 C half and half
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/3 C grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese
• 2 Tbsp butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat broiler. Cut peppers in half and remove seeds. Lightly coat the peppers with olive oil and place cut side down on cookie sheet. Place under broiler until skin is blackened and softened. Place in a paper bag an alllow to steam for about 5-10 minutes.
2. Remove the skin from the peppers and cut into small pieces.
3. In a frying pan saute the garlic, sliced basil, red peppers and onion in olive oil. Cook for 10 minutes.
4. Mix corn starch and half and half together well, no lumps.
5. Place mixture into blender (be careful it will be hot, leave the lid of blender slightly askew but not enough so that it will spray out) Mix to desired consistency.
6. Put mixture back in frying pan and heat to a boil. Add in half and half to the desired consistency.
7. Add in cheese and cook until cheese melts. Stir in butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. If it thickens too much add some additional half and half.

Roasted Red Pepper Ravioli was originally written by Leigh Anne Wilkes

Spinach and Chickien Pasta salad

• 16 oz. bow tie pasta cooked al dente
• Dressing:1 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup Yoshida's gourmet sauce
• 2/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 6 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• Salad consists of:
• 20 oz. bag of spinach
• 1 6 oz. bag craisins
• 3 cans mandarin oranges drained
• 2 cans sliced water chestnuts drained
• 1/2 cup parsley chopped
• 1 bunch green onions chopped
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds toasted
• 6 oz. peanuts
• 2 cups chicken cut into pieces

Instructions

1. Blend dressing in blender
2. Mix dressing and pasta and marinade for 2 hours (in a ziploc bag)
3. Combine rest and add pasta and dressing and toss
    
   Recipe and picture courtesy of yourhomebasedmom!!!

Baked Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
• 1 large or 2 small to medium onions, finely chopped, divided
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped or grated
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano or marjoram, half a palmful
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1/3 palmful
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed by pressing under flat of your knife
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, 5 to 6 sprigs
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 28-ounce cans Italian crushed tomatoes
• 1 pound medium or large shell pasta (not extra-large stuffing shells)
• 2 boxes frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung dry in clean towel
• Freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/4 teaspoon
• 2 cups fresh ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus some to pass at table
• 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

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Preparation

In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add 4 cloves of chopped garlic, 3/4 of finely chopped onion and the carrot. Season with salt, pepper, oregano or marjoram, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds and thyme, and gently sauté 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in parsley, stir, then add wine and reduce a minute. Add stock and tomatoes, bring sauce up to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer sauce 45 minutes.

After sauce has been simmering for 30 minutes, preheat oven to 375˚F.

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt water and cook pasta 5 minutes.

While pasta water comes to a boil, heat remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO in a small skillet over medium heat. Add remaining garlic and onion and sauté to soften, 5 minutes. Add spinach, pulling it apart and separating it as you add it to pan. Stir to combine well and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Turn off heat.

Drain undercooked pasta and return it to the hot pot. Add spinach mixture to pot along with ricotta and grated Parm. Stir to combine, adjust salt and pepper then add eggs and stir.

Pour a thin layer of marinara sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish. Fill dish with pasta then top with another thin layer of red sauce. Save remaining sauce to pass at table. Bake 30 minutes until bubbly.

Serve casserole directly from casserole dish, passing extra sauce and cheese at the table.

Remember when we used to make stuffed shells - well this is as good but not as much work. It is fantastic - especially the sauce.

Quick Lasagne

2 Cups low-fat ricotta cheese
1 Cup low-fat cottage cheese
2 TBS dried parsley
1 tsp chopped garlic
4 Cups spaghetti sauce
4 oz grated, part-skim mozzarella cheese
3/4 pound uncooked lasagne noodles
1/4 Cup parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with Pam. Mix ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, parsley and garlic. Pour 1 cup sauce in bottom of pan. Layer in this order 1/3 noodles, 1/2 cheese mixture, 1/2 mozaraella cheese, 1 Cup sauce; repeat to make second layer. Top with last 1/2 noodles, remaining sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for one hour. Yield 12 servings.

Asparagus Artichoke Pasta

1 Cup chopped asparagus
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts
1 jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 box whole what pasta, cooked
2 TBS olive oil
minced garlic to taste
Balsamic vinegar

Saute asparagus and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes and cook 2 minutes. Add pasta and cook 2-3 minutes more. Remove from heat and serve, drizzling with balsamic vinegar, if desired.

This recipe would also be good with sauteed chicken.