Browsed by
Category: Pasta

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Comments 0 Comment

Yield: 4 to 6 Servings

Rachael Ray / Food Network

A few notes to answer some common questions –
• Sharp or extra sharp cheddar
• Grate your own cheese for best results, but it works with pre-grated as well.
• Breadcrumbs on the top would be OK if that’s how you like mac & cheese!
• I like my top extra crispy. If you do not, I’d recommend covering with foil for the first 30 minutes.
• This can be prepped a day ahead and baked prior to serving.

  • 1lb elbow macaroni
  • 1lb (4 cups) shredded extra sharp or sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2TBS AP flour
  • ¼tsp ground mustard
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2cups low-fat milk (or go with whole if you’re feeling indulgent!)
  • 1½TBS butter

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray or grease a casserole dish or a 9×13 pan.

Cook macaroni as directed on the package in salted water until firm.

While macaroni is cooking, combine 2½ cups of cheese with dry ingredients (flour, ground mustard, salt and pepper).

Combine cheese and dry ingredient mixture with hot macaroni and pour into the greased pan. Pour milk over macaroni. Top with remaining cheese and dot with butter.

Bake for 45 minutes or until firm and golden-brown. I stick a knife in it to see if the milk is still runny or if it has firmed up.

Optional: Let sit for 10 minutes before serving to further firm up.

Note: I like my noodles a little extra crispy—as you can probably tell from the photos. If you like softer noodles, I’d recommend covering this with foil for the first 30 minutes of baking.

Chicken Sausage & Zucchini Penne

Chicken Sausage & Zucchini Penne

Comments 0 Comment

with Pink Sauce and Mozzarella

Yield: 2

Adapted from: EveryPlate

Penna pasta and savory chicken sausage mixed with zucchini, garlic, and pink sauce.
Cook: 35

  • 1zucchini
  • 3cloves garlic
  • 1tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1TBS tomato paste
  • 2TBS cream cheese
  • 9oz Italian chicken sausage mix
  • ½cup mozzarella cheese
  • 6oz penne pasta
  • salt & pepper
  • cooking oil
  • butter

Prep:

Heat the broiler to high. Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil. Wash and dry produce. Trim and quarter zucchini lengthwise, slice crosswise into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Peel and finely chop garlic.

Sauté zucchini:

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably ovenproof, pan over high heat. Add zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until browned and tender, 4-5 minutes. Turn off heat, remove from pan and set aside.


Cook pasta:

Once water is boiling, add pasta to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

Cook sausage:

Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for zucchini over medium-high heat. Add sausage, cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Add garlic and Italian Seasoning, cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste until thoroughly coated.

Make sauce:

Slowly stir 1 cup plain water into pan with sausage mixture until combined. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring often, until sauce has thickened, 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cream cheese and 1 TBS butter until melted.

Stir in drained pasta and zucchini. If needed, add splashes of reserved pasta cooking water until everything is thoroughly coated in sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper. (If your pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer pasta mixture to a baking dish now.) Evenly top with mozzarella. Broil until melted and lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. (Watch carefully to avoid burning. The broiler is a powerful tool!) Let cool slightly, then divide between plates.

Venetian Scallop Spaghetti

Venetian Scallop Spaghetti

Comments 0 Comment

in a Creamy Burst Tomato Sauce with Parsley & Chives

Yield: 2

Adapted from:Hello Fresh

Scallops, pan-seared in garlic herb butter until they’re gloriously golden and tender, then stirred into spaghetti, which is tossed in a sauce of Parmesan, crème fraîche, garlic, lemon zest, and meltingly tender grape tomatoes. A sprinkle of fresh herbs ties everything together
Prep: 5 Cook: 35

  • 1lemon
  • green herb blend
  • 6oz spaghetti
  • 2TBS garlic herb butter
  • ¼cup parmesan cheese
  • 1clove garlic
  • 4oz grape tomatoes
  • 8oz scallops
  • 6TBS crème fraîche
  • 1chili pepper
  • salt & pepper
  • 1tsp olive oil


Prep:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce.

Zest and quarter lemon. Peel and finely chop or grate garlic. Pick parsley leaves from stems, roughly chop leaves. Thinly slice chives. Mince chili.

Cook pasta:

Once water is boiling, add spaghetti to pot. Cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

Cook scallops:

While pasta cooks, pat scallops dry with paper towels, season generously all over with salt and pepper.

Melt half the garlic herb butter (you’ll use the rest in the next step) in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add scallops and cook until browned and cooked through, 3- to 5-minutes per side. Turn off heat, transfer to a plate along with any pan drippings and cover to keep warm. Wipe out pan.

Make sauce:

Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes begin to burst, 2- to 3-minutes.

Tip: If tomatoes haven’t burst, gently press them with a spatula to help them along.

Add garlic and remaining garlic herb butter, cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

Reduce heat to medium and add crème fraîche, lemon zest, ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water, and juice from half the lemon. Simmer until slightly thickened, 2- to 3-minutes.

Finish pasta:

Stir drained spaghetti and half the Parmesan (save the rest for serving) into pan with sauce.

Add scallops along with any resting juices, and half the chives and chopped parsley.

Toss until spaghetti is thoroughly coated in sauce, adding splashes of reserved pasta cooking water as needed. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Tip: If you like things spicy, stir in half the chili.

Serve:

Divide pasta between bowls and top with remaining Parmesan, chives, and chopped parsley. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Chicken Orzo Dinner

Chicken Orzo Dinner

Comments 0 Comment

with Cheesy Roasted Zucchini and Tomato

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Hello Fresh

Zucchini and tomato medley is a side, but it takes center stage in our eyes. As creamy as it is crispy, with a combination of panko, mozzarella, and Parmesan sprinkled on top. Served next to an herbed chicken breast and lemony orzo
Prep: 5 Cook: 30

  • 1zucchini
  • 1Roma tomato
  • 1TBS Italian seasoning
  • 4oz orzo pasta
  • 12oz chicken breasts
  • 4oz fresh mozzarella
  • 1lemon
  • ¼oz parsley
  • ¼cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ¼cup parmesan cheese
  • salt & pepper
  • 1tsp olive oil


Preheat and prep:

Wash and dry all produce. Adjust rack to upper position and preheat oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Slice zucchini into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Cut tomato into ½-inch-thick wedges. Toss zucchini and tomato with 1 TBS olive oil and half the Italian seasoning on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast veggies and cook pasta:

Roast zucchini and tomato in oven until just shy of tender, about 10 minutes. Once water is boiling, add half the orzo from package to pot (use the rest as you like). Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Drain, then return to pot.

Butterfly chicken:

With your hand on top of one chicken breast, cut ¾ of the way through middle, parallel to cutting board, stopping before you slice through completely. Repeat with other chicken breast. Open each up and season all over with salt, pepper, and remaining Italian seasoning.

Cook chicken and prep:

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink in center, 3- to 4-minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate. Meanwhile, cut mozzarella into ½-inch cubes. Halve lemon. Roughly chop parsley.

Broil veggies:

Once veggies have roasted 10 minutes, remove baking sheet from oven. Heat broiler to high or increase oven temperature to 500°F. Sprinkle veggies with panko, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Broil (or bake) until panko is golden-brown, cheese is melted, and veggies are tender, 3- to 5-minutes.

Finish and plate:

Add juice from one lemon half and half the parsley to pot with orzo and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide orzo between plates. Top with veggies and chicken. Drizzle with any chicken juices from plate and a squeeze of lemon. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve.

Creamy Shrimp Tagliatelle

Creamy Shrimp Tagliatelle

Comments 0 Comment

with Heirloom Tomatoes, Garlic, and Chili

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Hello Fresh

Fresh tagliatelle, with shrimp and heirloom tomatoes.
Prep: 5 Cook: 20

  • 2cloves garlic
  • 2scallions
  • 4TBS sour cream
  • 1lemon
  • 1Thai chili
  • 10oz heirloom grape tomatoes
  • 12oz shrimp
  • 8oz tagliatelle pasta
  • salt & pepper
  • olive oil
  • butter


Prep:

Wash and dry all produce. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Mince garlic. Trim, then thinly slice scallions, keeping greens and whites separate. Finely mince chili, removing seeds and ribs for less heat. Halve tomatoes. Cut lemon into wedges. Rinse shrimp and pat dry with a paper towel.

Cook shrimp:

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic,scallionwhites, and chili (to taste). Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook, tossing, until starting to turn pink but not quite cooked through, 1- to 2-minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Boil pasta:

Once water is boiling, add tagliatelle to pot.

Tip: If any noodles are stuck together, separate them first.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 4- to 5-minutes. Carefully scoop out and reserve ¼ cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

Cook tomatoes:

Meanwhile, add tomatoes to pan with shrimp. Cook, tossing, until wilted and juicy, 2- to 3-minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside until pasta is ready.

Tip: If you like it spicy, add any remaining chili (to taste) at this point.

Toss pasta:

Once tagliatelle is done cooking, return pan with shrimp and tomatoes to medium heat and add tagliatelle and 2 TBS butter. Toss to combine and melt butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Finish and serve:

Remove pan from heat and stir in sour cream, a squeeze of lemon, and as much pasta cooking water as needed to create a saucy consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Divide between plates or bowls and garnish with scallion greens. Serve with lemon wedges

Pasta, Dijon Onion Crunch Salmon

Pasta, Dijon Onion Crunch Salmon

Comments 0 Comment

with Lemony Broccoli Spaghetti

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Hello Fresh

Salmon brushed with mustard, melty Italian blend cheeses and crispy fried onions. Add a lemony, extra creamy broccoli spaghetti on the side
Prep: 10 Cook: 35

  • 8oz broccoli florets
  • 1lemon
  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • 2TBS cream cheese
  • 1oz crispy fried onions
  • ½cup Italian cheese blend
  • 6oz spaghetti
  • 10oz salmon
  • 2tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1oz cheese roux concentrate
  • 2TBS garlic herb butter
  • 1tsp chili flakes
  • salt & pepper
  • 1tsp cooking oil
  • 1TBS butter

Prep:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce.

Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces. Finely crush crispy onions in their package

Tip: Once crushed, crispy onions should resemble breadcrumbs.

Roughly chop half the Italian cheese blend. Zest and quarter lemon.

Cook pasta & broccoli:

Once water is boiling, add spaghetti to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, 7 minutes.

Add broccoli to pot with pasta and cook until broccoli is bright green and tender, and pasta is al dente, 2- to 4-minutes more.

Reserve 1½ cups pasta cooking water, then drain. (Keep empty pot handy for making sauce.)

Cook salmon:

While pasta cooks, in a small bowl, combine crispy onions and chopped cheese.

Pat salmon dry with paper towels and season all over with half the garlic powder (you’ll use the rest in the next step), salt, and pepper. Place salmon, skin side down, on an oiled baking sheet, evenly brush top with mustard. Mound with crispy onion mixture, pressing lightly to adhere. (No need to coat the undersides.)

Roast salmon on top rack until crust is golden and salmon is cooked through, 8-10 minutes.

Start sauce:

Heat empty pot used for pasta over medium heat. Add 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water, cheese roux, and remaining garlic powder and whisk until combined. Cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, 2- to 3-minutes.

Reduce heat to medium low and whisk in cream cheese until melted and combined, 1 minute.

Finish sauce & pasta:

To pot with sauce, add drained spaghetti and broccoli, garlic herb butter, half the lemon zest, remaining Italian cheese blend, 1 TBS plain butter, a big squeeze of lemon juice, and a pinch of chili flakes. Cook, stirring, until butter melts and pasta is coated in a creamy sauce, 1 minute.

Tip: If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time.

Taste and season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if desired.

Serve:

Divide pasta between bowls. Top with salmon and sprinkle with remaining lemon zest and a pinch of chili flakes if desired. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Garlic Herb Butter–Basted Scallops

Garlic Herb Butter–Basted Scallops

Comments 0 Comment

with Spaghetti & Burst Grape Tomatoes

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Hello Fresh

Tender scallops seared in herbed brown butter with juicy burst grape tomatoes, added to spaghetti in a rich, garlicky cream sauce. Finished with a squeeze of lemon, then sprinkled with umami-rich Parmesan cheese and fresh, verdant parsley.
Prep: 5 Cook: 35

  • ¼oz parsley
  • 8oz scallops
  • 4TBS cream cheese
  • 1tsp chili flakes
  • 1lemon
  • 6oz spaghetti
  • 2TBS garlic herb butter
  • 4oz grape tomatoes
  • 1oz veggie stock concentrate
  • 3TBS parmesan cheese
  • salt & pepper
  • 1tsp cooking oil


Prep:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce.

Quarter lemon. Roughly chop parsley.

Cook pasta:

Once water is boiling, add spaghetti to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

Cook scallops:

While pasta cooks, pat scallops dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil and half the garlic herb butter in a large pan over medium high heat. Add scallops and cook until browned and cooked through, 3- to 5-minutes per side.

Remove from heat, transfer scallops (with pan drippings) to a plate and tent with

Make sauce:

Once pasta is drained, heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for scallops over medium heat. Add tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes begin to burst, 3- to 5-minutes.

Tip: If tomatoes haven’t burst, gently press them with a spatula to help them along.

Reduce heat to low, whisk in cream cheese, stock concentrate, remaining garlic herb butter, ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water, and juice from half the lemon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cream cheese is thoroughly incorporated, 1- to 2-minutes.

Finish pasta:

To pan with sauce, carefully add drained spaghetti and scallops with any resting juices, cook, toss and adding splashes of reserved pasta cooking water as needed, until spaghetti is thoroughly coated in sauce, 1- to 2-minutes.

Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

Serve:

Divide pasta and scallops between bowls, top with Parmesan, parsley, and as many chili flakes as you like. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Garlic Herb Butter

 

Blackened Chicken Penne

Blackened Chicken Penne

Comments 0 Comment

with Charred Green Pepper & Monterey Jack

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Hello Fresh

This pasta may break the rules, but it does so deliciously: Instead of going the traditional Italian route, our chefs opted to mix things up with a jumble of Southwestern flavors. The chicken is seasoned with blackening spices and tossed in the pan until perfectly smoky and savory. Green pepper and diced tomato add texture and more unconventional flair, while the Monterey Jack cheese sauce brings supreme creaminess to the penne.
Prep: 10 Cook: 15

  • 1long green pepper
  • 1tomato
  • 6oz penne pasta
  • 1oz chicken stock concentrate
  • 2scallions
  • 1clove garlic
  • 10oz chopped chicken breast
  • 1TBS blackening spice blend (see below)
  • 4TBS cream cheese
  • ¼cup Monterey jack cheese
  • 1tsp hot sauce
  • salt & pepper
  • olive oil
  • butter


Prep:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce.

Core, deseed, and dice green pepper into ½-inch pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Peel and thinly slice garlic. Finely chop tomato.

Season chicken:

In a large bowl, combine a large drizzle of olive oil, Blackening Spice, and a few big pinches of salt.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels, add to bowl and turn to coat.

Cook pasta:

Once water is boiling, add penne to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes.

Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside.

Cook veggies & chicken:

While pasta cooks, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add green pepper and a pinch of salt. Cook, without stirring, until lightly charred, 3- to 4-minutes.

Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 4- to 6-minutes.

Stir in scallion whites and garlic. Cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

Stir in half the tomato and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium low.

Toss pasta:

Stir in cream cheese and ⅓ cup reserved pasta cooking water.

Add drained penne and cook, stirring, until thoroughly combined, 1- to 2-minutes. Turn off heat.

Add Monterey Jack, stock concentrate, 2 TBS butter, and as much hot sauce as you like, stir until butter melts. Season with salt and pepper.

Tip: If needed, stir in more reserved cooking water a splash at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce.

Serve:

Divide pasta between bowls or plates. Garnish with scallion greens and remaining tomato. Drizzle with any remaining hot sauce if desired and serve.

Blackening Spice Blend

2 TBS

  • 3tsp smoked paprika
  • 1½tsp garlic powder
  • ½tsp white pepper
  • ½tsp black pepper
  • ¼tsp thyme
  • ¼tsp oregano
  • ⅛tsp low heat cayenne

Beef & Wine Ravioli with Mushrooms

Beef & Wine Ravioli with Mushrooms

Comments 0 Comment

with Caramelized Onions

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Dinnerly

Ravioli stuffed with red wine braised beef and paired with caramelized onions, mushrooms, parmesan, and chives.
Prep: 5 Cook: 30

  • 4oz button mushrooms
  • 1yellow onion
  • 9oz beef & wine ravioli
  • ¼oz fresh chives
  • 1/8tsp baking soda
  • 1oz beef stock concentrate
  • 3oz parmesan cheese
  • salt & pepper
  • sugar
  • 3TBS butter


Cook mushrooms:

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Trim mushroom stems; thinly slice caps. Halve onion; thinly slice. Thinly slice chives. Finely grate Parmesan, if necessary. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown, 4–5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Start caramelized onions:

In same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon sugar; cook, stirring frequently, until sugar is light brown, 1–2 minutes. Add onions and ⅛ teaspoon baking soda, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly browned and softened, 5–7 minutes.

Finish caramelized onions:

To skillet with onions, add 1 tablespoon water; cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet. Continue adding 1 tablespoon water at a time and scraping skillet until onions are deeply browned and completely soft, another 4–5 minutes.

Cook ravioli:

Add ravioli to saucepan with boiling water (if stuck together, gently pull apart only if possible, without tearing). Reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 3–4 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain. To skillet with onions, add ravioli, mushrooms, ½ cup of the cooking water, broth concentrate, and 1 tablespoon butter.

Finish & serve:

Cook ravioli, onions, and mushrooms over high heat, tossing to coat, until glazed and saucy, 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and add half of the Parmesan; stir well until melted and sauce is silky. Loosen sauce with more cooking water, if necessary. Serve short rib ravioli sprinkled with chives and more Parmesan, if desired. Enjoy!

Macaroni and Beef

Macaroni and Beef

Comments 0 Comment

Yield: 4

Adapted from: Simply Recipes

This hamburger and macaroni dish has been around for many years.  It has many names including “goulash” or “American chop suey” or “Hamburger Noodle Casserole” or “HMO (Hamburger Macaroni Onions)”.

  • 2cups uncooked macaroni
  • 1TBS extra virgin olive oil
  • 1lb ground beef
  • 1yellow onion, chopped (or mixed chopped green onion greens and yellow onion)
  • ½tsp seasoned salt (I use ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp paprika)
  • pinch chili pepper flakes
  • ½tsp celery seed
  • 1(28-oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 2TBS Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼cup chopped fresh parsley
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


Cook the pasta:

Get a large pot of salted hot water (1 TBS of salt for 2 quarts of water) boiling and begin cooking the macaroni as per the directions on the macaroni package.

Drain the pasta:

When the pasta is al dente, reserve a half cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the rest. Set drained pasta aside.

Prepare the sauce:

In the empty pasta pot, brown the ground beef in a TBS of olive oil on high heat. Stir only infrequently so that the ground beef has an opportunity to brown.

When the beef has mostly browned, add the onions to the pan and toss to combine. Cook until the onions are soft, about 4 to 6 minutes.

Add the seasonings and tomatoes:

Add the celery seed, a dash of crushed red pepper (optional) and seasoned salt or equivalent. Pour in canned tomatoes, add the Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the cooked pasta:

Mix in the drained and cooked macaroni and the parsley. Cook for another 5 minutes. If the dish is too dry, add in some of the pasta cooking water.

Taste and adjust seasoning.