Kielbasa with Pasta, Chickpeas and Spinach

Serves 4

8 ounces whole wheat penne or fusilli (I used rotini, because I'm a rebel like that)
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 ounces turkey kielbasa, cut into 1/4-inch slices (I used turkey sausage, because I couldn't find kielbasa)
4 cups baby spinach
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, spray large skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Add kielbasa and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add spinach, chickpeas, scallions, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Add pasta and oil and toss to combine. Divide pasta evenly among 4 serving plates; sprinkle with cheese.

Results: This was very simple to make and really delicious! I was able to keep some pasta, chickpeas and sausage separate for the boys (because god forbid they eat anything blended together.) Henry ate everything, and Steven actually ate all the chickpeas and pasta, but gave Henry his sausage. But he actually tried it, so that's a win! Leftovers were good too!

Recipe from Fresh, Fabulous, Fast by Weight Watchers.

Garlic Pasta with Lemony Scallops & Tomatoes

Serves 4

8 oz uncooked pasta, (I used linguine)
2 tsp olive oil
1 pound scallops (about 20)
2 cups grape tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes, each cut in half
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1. Cook the linguine according to package directions; drain.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallops and cook, turning at least once, until browned on the outside and just opaque in the center, 3–4 minutes. Transfer the scallops to a plate.

3. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes, garlic, salt, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the linguine and scallops; heat through. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil and lemon juice. Yields 1 cup per serving.

Results: Very good! Despite my best efforts to make sure there were no scallops, basil or tomatoes (gasp! Color!), the boys were a bit turned off by the color of the pasta, so they wouldn't eat this. Chris and I really liked it though and it was very simple to make. One pot cooking! Yay!

Caprese Pasta Salad

Serves 4

3 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1/8 tsp salt
6 oz uncooked pasta, orecchiette or other small pasta (I used Ditalinni)
1/4 cup basil, fresh, cut into thin strips
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheeses

1. Place the tomatoes in a colander and sprinkle with the salt. Place in the sink; let drain about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the pasta according to the package directions, omitting the salt if desired. Drain; keep warm.

3. Combine the tomatoes, basil, garlic, oil, and pepper in a serving bowl; let stand about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Add the pasta and mozzarella; toss until the cheese softens. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Results: Anything "caprese" has got to be good. This was a quick, easy and delicious pasta dish.

Bowties with Broccoli Pesto

Serves 4
Prep time & cooking time: 45 minutes (It was hard to separate the prep time and cooking time, because you are sort of constantly working on this meal. From pulling ingredients out of the pantry to having the meal on the table was 45 minutes, BUT, if you have a larger food processor (mine is so tiny and I had to work in three batches) this will come together much faster for you.)

8 ounces whole wheat farfalle
2 cups broccoli florets
3 tablespoons water
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, halved
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth
2 teaspoons olive oil
Grated zest of 1 lemon
6 dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced

1. Cook farfalle according to package directions, drain and keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, place broccoli and water in medium microwaveable dish. Cover and microwave on high until tender, 2-3 minutes; drain. Rinse under cold running water; drain again.

3. To make pesto, place broccoli, basil, Parmesan 1 tablespoon of the pine nuts, the garlic, salt, and pepper flakes in food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Add broth and oil; process until smooth.

4. Combine pasta, pesto, and lemon zest in large serving bowl; toss to coat. Sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes and remaining 1 tablespoon pine nuts.

Served with garlic-cheese toast.

Results: I was all prepared to hate this dish. I'm a huge fan of pesto, and I just knew that I would think "Nice try, Weight Watchers, but FAIL!" Nope, this dish was delicious! The broccoli pesto was so fresh and tasty. I loved it! I put half the pesto mixture in the freezer to use another day (I knew the boys wouldn't eat anything GREEN.) We had some leftovers and they were delicious cold for lunch the next day. Takes some effort to make, but this is a new favorite!

Baked Beef Ziti

Serves 8
Prep Time: 38 minutes (includes time cooking meat and pasta)
Cooking time: 30 minutes

*NOTE: Go ahead and double this recipe and put an extra in the freezer. It is NO EXTRA WORK to make two, and it will make for a super easy dinner another night! This is also a meal that can be made early in the day, then cooked for dinner. Perfect if you have company coming for dinner (which we did this night.)

12 oz uncooked ziti (I used penne, because it was the only whole grain I could find)
2 tsp olive oil
2 clove garlic clove, minced
3/4 pound raw lean ground beef
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 jar marinara sauce (another reason to make two dishes...you'll use the whole jar! I used a heart healthy, no added sugar variety.)
1&1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese (shredded)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return pasta to pot. Set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon as it cooks, about 7 to 10 minutes; drain off any fat and set pan back over medium heat. Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Spoon a small amount of beef-tomato mixture into bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover surface).

4. Pour remaining tomato-beef mixture in the pot with pasta. Add marinara sauce and mix well. Pour pasta mixture in casserole dish; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Served with salad with the dressing from this recipe.

Results: It's sort of impossible to see what was "diet" about this dish, which is a very, very good thing. I was reluctant to use whole grain pasta, since we had a dinner guest, but you couldn't even tell, and both men went back for seconds! If you are in the mood for a cheesy Italian dish, give this a try! Steven wouldn't try it, but Henry ate all of his and requested leftovers for lunch today. Portions are HUGE, so bring your appetite!

Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs

Serves 4

1/2 lb ground turkey breast
2 tsp garlic herb seasoning, or Italian seasoning (I just used random spices)
cooking spray
2 tsp olive oil
small red onion, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
14 oz canned diced tomatoes
6 oz canned tomato paste
1/2 cup(s) fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp dried oregano
6 oz uncooked whole-wheat spaghetti
1/4 cup(s) basil, fresh, chopped
Parmesan cheese

1. Combine turkey breast and spices (I used thyme, parsley, garlic powder, etc.); mix
well to combine. Shape mixture into meatballs (about 1 tablespoons each).

2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tsp olive oil. Add onion, mushrooms (and any other veggies you want) and saute for about 8 minutes, until veggies are soft. Transfer veggies to a sauce pan. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth and oregano; mix well. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes.

2. Coat the skillet with cooking spray and set pan over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and sauté until browned on all sides, turning frequently, about 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions without oil.

Serve sprinkled with chopped basil and Parmesan cheese. (And garlic cheese bread for anyone not trying to lose weight!)

Results: It's spaghetti. How bad can it be? I really liked this sauce (it was thick and chunky), but Chris wanted it to be more "saucy". The turkey meatballs, however, were entirely flavorless. These really need to be spiced up. Surprisingly, I don't think whole-wheat pasta is that bad, so it you want to add a little more health to your diet, consider trying it.

Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage (and a Ricotta Surprise!!!!!!!) SURPRISE!!!!

Serves 4 (with yummy, delicious leftovers for lunch)

OK, let me remind my four readers of how insane, bat-shit crazy Rachael Ray is. This cookbook, Express Lane Meals, is divided into three sections: Meals for the Exhausted (for the nights when you are most likely to call in take-out), Meals for the Not Too Tired (that involve some chopping, but little attention) and "Bring It On!" (for the days you are really in the mood to cook.) This meal was in the "Meals for the Exhausted" section. Rachael Ray is CRAZY! It seriously took about an hour and a half to prepare. Thankfully, I had handed this recipe over to my mother-in-law, Barb, who cooked dinner while Chris and I painted.

Salt
1 lb penne pasta (we used 1/2 of this, and still had leftovers)
1 cup ricotta cheese
zest and juice of 1 lemon
freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sweet Italian sausage (I think you could use ground sausage just as easily)
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 & 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Place a large pot of water with a tight-fitting lid over high heat and bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, add some salt and the pasta. Cook according to package directions until al dente. (Note: you will need to use about 1/2 cup of the pasta water later.)

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, lemon zest, salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste). Let sit, and come to room temperature.

3. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break up with a spoon into bite-sized pieces. Cook the meat until brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Return the skillet to heat and add the broccoli and chopped onion to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and let the broccoli brown a bit before stirring, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes more. Add the sausage back to the skillet along with the chicken stock.

4. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water. Ladle in some cooking water from the pasta and bring up to a simmer. Cook until the broccoli is tender and the liquids have reduced slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, parsley and pasta to the sausage mixture. Toss to combine and simmer 1 minute. Turn the heat off, add the grated cheese, tossing to combine.

5. To serve, place a large dollop of the pepper-lemon-ricotta mixture into each of four shallow bowls and bury it with hot pasta. Serve with extra grated cheese.

Results: I appreciated the effort from Barb, because this was De-freaking-licious. It was so good. The ricotta "surprise!!!" was really tasty. Henry wolfed his down, and requested seconds. Steven choked down one piece of pasta. At least I know it not just me and my cooking. He truly doesn't eat anything. Try this on a Sunday when you have more time to cook, you won't regret it!

Cacio e Pepe (Cheese & Pepper) Pasta

Serves 4

1 lb spaghetti (I used 1/2)
3 tablespoons butter, but into small pieces
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (I used Parmesan)
1 10-ounce box chopped, frozed spinach, thawed and drained
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente. (You will need to use some pasta water for the sauce, so don't drain it yet!)

2. Place a large skillet over low heat with the butter, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and pepper. Let it melt while pasta cooks.

3. When pasta is cooked, take a ladle of the starchy cooking water and add it to the butter-pepper mixture. Drain the pasta and toss it in the pan with the sauce. Turn off the heat. Add the cheese in small handfuls, then toss the pasta with tongs, until all the cheese in incorporated into the creamy sauce. Add another ladle of cooking water if needed, then season the pasta to taste with salt and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil. (I mixed the drizzle with oil part, and it didn't need it...save yourself a few calories...)

4. Meanwhile, heat another skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, then add the garlic. Cook the garlic for two minutes, and then add the beans. Add the spinach to the beans, breaking it up as you drop it into the pan. Season the spinach and beans with nutmeg, salt & pepper.

Results: This was soooooo good. I loved it. It was a very simple dish, but the flavors really stood out. I meant to leave some beans aside, knowing the boys wouldn't eat the spinach, but Henry actually ate most of his beans. Steven didn't touch the beans & spinach, but he did eat the pasta. My only complaint was that this dirtied a lot of dishes that don't get thrown in the dishwasher...large pot for pasta, strainer, two skillets...there were a lot of dishes to do. This is worth a repeat, and worthy of feeding to company.

Pasta Primavera in Blue Cheese Sauce

Serves 4

1/2 lb Linguine, cooked
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup zucchini, diced
1/2 cup yellow squash, diced
1/4 cup red pepper, diced
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 oz crumbled blue cheese

1. Combine all ingredients in a casserole dish. Heat in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Served with Caprese Salad

Results: No, the instructions are not a misprint. That is ALL there is to making this dish. I couldn't believe how simple this meal was to prepare, and the taste was out of this world! It was so delicious, I can't wait to make it again. The Caprese salad was *perfect* with this dish, but then again, when is a Caprese salad NOT perfect?

If my husband took the leftovers to work for lunch today, he might want to sleep with one eye open.

Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce, Asparagus and Peas

Serves 4

8 ounces uncooked long fusilli (twisted spaghetti)
1 3/4 cups (1 1/2-inch) slices asparagus (about 1/2 pound)
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of ground red pepper
Coarsely ground black pepper (optional)
Lemon slices (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Add asparagus during last minute of cooking time. Place peas in a colander. Drain pasta mixture over peas; set aside.

2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Combine broth and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir until well blended. Add broth mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in cream, juice, salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and red pepper. Add pasta mixture to broth mixture; toss gently to coat. Garnish with coarsely ground black pepper and lemon slices, if desired. Serve immediately.

Served with garlic bread

Results: I love this pasta. It's easy to make and has a great, fresh flavor. Despite picking the asparagus out of the boys' pasta, Steven wouldn't even try it. Henry ate some of the pasta, but not much.

Fettuccine with Bacon, Peas, and Parmesan

Serves 4

1 (9-ounce) package fresh fettuccine pasta
2 slices smoked center-cut bacon (I made six, because, now really!)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid.

2. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in the pan; crumble. Add 1/2 cup chopped onion, bottled minced garlic, and chopped fresh thyme to drippings in pan; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in green peas; sauté 1 minute. Add green onions to pan; sauté 1 1/2 minutes. Add pasta, reserved cooking liquid, and half-and-half to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, tossing to combine. Remove from heat. Add butter, salt, and pepper to pan; toss until butter melts. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and Parmesan cheese.

Served with garlic cheese toast

Results: You know it's good when you are tempted to lick your plate. This was delicious. Steven wouldn't try it (SURPRISE!) but the rest of us had no problems eating this. It was very filling! When I added the pasta, pasta water and half-and-half, I let the mixture simmer for about five minutes. It was very watery, but simmering seemed to thicken it up. YUM!

Updated 3/15/10: I made this recipe a second time and Steven loved it. Amazing what happens when a certain someone actually tries dinner!

Baked Cavatelli

Serves 6

7 ounces dried cavatelli or wagon wheel pasta
12 ounces uncooked Italian sausage links, casings removed and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 24-ounce jar pasta sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside.

2. In a large skillet, cook the sausage, onion, and garlic until sausage is brown; remove from skillet and drain.

3. In a large bowl, stir together pasta sauce, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese, and the pepper. Add the cooked pasta and the sausage mixture. Stir gently to combine. Spoon the mixture into a 2-quart casserole.

4. Bake, covered, in a 375° oven for 25-30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake about 5 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted.

Served with salad

Results: We are overflowing with leftovers in our house, so I divided this into two 9x9 pans and put one in the freezer. Half of this dinner was the perfect amount for a family of four (with two being small children.) We had no leftovers.

This is very easy and quick to put together. It was also very tasty. Henry ate THREE bowls of this. He loved it. Steven, surprisingly, ate the sausage, but didn't want the pasta. That counts! Yay!

Pasta with Smashed Peas

Serves 4 (this is a Rachel Ray recipe, and her serving sizes are enormous! I halved this recipe and we still had leftovers! The ingredients listed below are the halved amounts.)

8 ounces pappardelle, tagiatelle, fettuccine, or linguine (I used linguine)
8 ounces frozen peas, thawed
3/4 cup ricotta
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Meanwhile, pulse the peas in a food processor or blender until chopped but not pureed. Add 1/2 cup ricotta, season with the salt and pepper, and pulse to combine. Drain the pasta, RESERVING 1/3 cup of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot.

2. Add the pea puree and reserved pasta water and toss. Dived the pasta among individual bowls. Top with remaining ricotta, a sprinkle of chives and a drizzle of oil.

Served with spinach salad (mandarin oranges for the boys)

Results: Doesn't sound that great, does it? Yeah, well check this out:



That's right. Steven ate it. Steven loved it. Steven ate almost every bite on his plate! Henry ate it too. Chris and I didn't think it was that great, but it wasn't horrible. I will definitely be making this one again!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta

Serves 5

1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 medium sized squash)
Cooking spray
6 sweet hickory-smoked bacon slices (raw)
1 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 5-6 small shallots)
8 ounces uncooked mini penne (tube-shaped pasta)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, rosemary, and pepper. Place squash on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with salt mixture. Bake at 425° for 45 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Increase oven temperature to 450°.

Note: when allowing a three-year-old to sprinkle the salt mixture on the squash, be prepared for all of it to end up on the few pieces of squash he can reach:



3. Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 1/2 teaspoons drippings in pan; crumble bacon. Increase heat to medium-high. Add shallots to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until tender.
Combine squash mixture, bacon, and shallots; set aside.

4. Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well.

5. Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add provolone, stirring until cheese melts. Add pasta to cheese mixture, tossing well to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray; top with squash mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

Results: This is my most favorite meal EVER. I love, love, love this dish! I tripled this recipe so I had two extra meals in the freezer. The original recipe calls for 3 cups of butternut squash, but that is not nearly enough. I use about 6 cups. You do what you want, but don't come bitching to me that there wasn't enough squash.

This meal is extremely labor intensive and will dirty every dish in your kitchen. Save it for a Sunday when you have time to prepare it. You won't regret it.

Oh, by the way...neither of my children would even try it. I have no idea why.

Penne with Vodka and Tomato Cream Sauce

Serves 4

1 pound ground Italian sausage
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 28-ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup vodka
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
8-ounces penne pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Minced fresh chives

Brown sausage in a large, non-stick skillet until no longer pink. Set aside, keep warm.

In same skillet, melt butter with olive oil. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until almost no liquid remains in pan, stirring frequently, about 25 minutes. Add cream, vodka and red pepper and boil until thickened to desired consistency, about 2 minutes. Add sausage and chives to sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water. Drain and pour sauce over pasta, toss to coat. Serve with fresh Parmesan cheese.

Served with a salad

Results: I forgot to take a picture of this pasta, but trust me, you'll want to make it! When the Sopranos was on TV, we used to go to our friend Keith's house every Sunday for a viewing party and someone would make a big Italian meal. This was Keith's menu and it has been one of our favorites ever since. I went through the trouble of giving the boys their pasta without sausage but neither of them would even touch it. Not even Henry. I really didn't care, because that left more for me, and the leftovers are fantastic. Too bad for you, ungrateful children!

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

Serves 4 (very hungry people. These servings were BIG!)

Olive oil
2 cups marinara sauce
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 pound purchased (as opposed to stolen?) cheese tortellini
2 ounces thinly sliced smoked mozzarella
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly oil an 8x8x2-inch baking dish or 4 individual gratin dishes.

2. Whisk the marinara sauce, mascarpone cheese, parsley, and thyme in a large bowl to blend. Cook the "purchased, not stolen" tortellini in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Add the tortellini to the sauce and toss to coat.

3. Transfer the tortellini mixture to the prepared baking dish or dishes. Top with the smoked mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Cover the dish or dishes with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the cheeses on top melt, about 10 minutes longer.

Results: First of all, I completely forgot the mascarpone cheese. It was good without it, but I am looking forward to making this again with the mascarpone. Surprise, surprise...Steven ate some of this! He didn't eat much of it, but he ate some, and that's a win in my book! Henry ate a fair chunk of his. This is a simple, easy to prepare recipe that is very tasty! Would definitely make again!

Pasta with Butternut Squash and Sage Brown Butter

Serves 4 (but we had lots of leftovers)

Small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (4 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
8-ounces dried pasta (I used fusilli)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
Grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat over to 400°F. Toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then spread it on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, stirring every 10 minutes, until slightly caramelized, 30 minutes total. Take outof the oven and set aside.
2. Cook pasta in boiling salted water, then drain well.
3. While the pasta is cooking, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it turns golden, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low, then add shallot, sage and a dash of salt. Cook, stirring, until shallots are soft (2 to 3 minutes).
4. Combine squash, pasta and brown butter sauce in a large bowl and toss gently. Serve with Parmesan.

Served with rosemary olive oil bread (which, other than packs of 144 diapers is THE best thing you can buy at Costco!) with herbed olive oil for dipping.

Results: This was *Delicious* with a capital D! I will definitely make this one again, but I also have a firm belief that no one can have too much butternut squash in their diet. I thought Henry would balk at the squash, but he wolfed his down. All I got from Steven was fake gagging at the table when he put a piece of pasta in his mouth. Steven ate the bread.

Pasta Primavera with Chicken Nuggets

4 servings

1 12-ounce package frozen cooked chicken nuggets
8 ounces dried wagon wheel pasta
4 cups chopped or sliced assorted vegetables (I used broccoli, yellow squash & peppers)
1/2 of an 8-ounce tub cream cheese with chives and onion
1/2 cup milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Heat chicken nuggets according to package direction.
2. Meanwhile, in a pot, heat a large amount of lightly salted water to boiling. Add pasta; cook for 4 minutes. Add vegetables; cook for 5 minutes more or until pasta is tender. Drain and return to pan.
3. Add cream cheese spread to pasta mixture. Heat through. Add enough milk to thin to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan before serving. Serve with baked chicken nuggets.

Results: I had high hopes for this one, but it was disgusting! No amount of Parmesan cheese could improve this dish! Neither boy would eat it, Chris and I suffered through it to set an example. The inventor of this recipe should be forced to eat this every day for the rest of their life. Gross!

Monster Mouths

Serves 6

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 lb ground beef
2 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 slices American cheese, chopped
1/2 package (12 ounces) jumbo pasta shells (about 18 shells), cooked and drained
baby carrots, olives, red bell pepper, small pickles and cheese slices for decoration

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease 13x9-inch baking dish. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bacon; cook until onion is tender. Add beef; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Stir in tomatoes, salt and black pepper. Stir in cheese. Spoon mixture into cooked shells; place in prepared baking dish.
2. Cut carrots into very thin strips to use to hold olive “eyes”. Cut other “decorations” as desired.
3. Bake shells 3 to 5 minutes or until hot; remove from oven. Decorate as desired with olive and carrot eyes, bell pepper fangs, pickle tongue and cheese teeth.

Served with salad.

Results: This was a pain in the ass to make and it was very greasy. But, I will admit the meat filling was pretty tasty. Henry ate all the meat, but said the pasta shells were "yucky". Steven wouldn't touch it.

Octo-dogs with veggies and sea shells

Serves 4

4 hot dogs
1 ½ cups uncooked small shell posta
1 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup prepared Alfredo sauce
yellow mustand in squeeze bottle (for “eyes”)
goldfish crackers

1. Lay hot dog on side with end facing you. Starting 1 inch from one end of hot dog, slice hot dog vertically in half. Roll hot dog ¼ turn. Starting 1 inch from same end, slice in half vertically again, making 4 segments connected at the top. Slice each segment in half vertically, creating total of 8 “legs”. Repeat with remaining hot dogs.
2. Place hot dogs in medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; set aside.
3. Prepare pasta according to package directions, stirring in vegetables during last 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain; return to pan. Stir in Alfredo sauce. Heat over low heat until heated through. Divide pasta mixture between 4 plates. Drain octo-dogs. Arrange one octo-dog on top of pasta mixture on each plate. Draw faces on “heads” of octo-dogs with mustard. Sprinkle crackers over pasta.

Results: this was an easy meal to make and looked very fun, but didn't taste good to anyone. Would not repeat!