Taco-Stuffed Pasta Shells

Being Italian, I love to make traditional Italian meals. However, I also love authentic Mexican food. Who says you can’t combine the flavors of both? After all, most recipes throughout the world are connected in some way. This is an easy way to capture the roasted tomato flavor of the taco meat and stuff it into some pasta shells.This is perfect for making in a hurry and will easily feed six people. You can use ground beef to keep with the traditional taco choice, but you could also use ground chicken or turkey for a different flavor. Whatever you choose, you’ll love how easy this is to make! 

Ingredients Needed: (for about 6-8 servings)

• 1 10 oz box uncooked jumbo pasta shells, cooked, drained
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 8 oz pouch Old El Paso® roasted tomato Mexican cooking sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
• Fresh cilantro (optional)
• Sour cream (optional)

How to Make It:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Cook and drain pasta shells as directed on box.
• Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked. Add cooking sauce and salt; mix well to combine. Add 1/2 cup of the tomatoes and 1/2 cup of the cheese; stir well.

• Using about 1 heaping tablespoon beef mixture in each, fill cooked pasta shells; place in ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish.

• Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup tomatoes and chopped cilantro over filled shells. Top evenly with remaining 2 cups cheese.
• Bake 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
• Serve hot and top with a spoonful of sour cream. 

 *I also made a small batch without the added diced tomato topping or cilantro for the kids.*

Recipe from Pillsbury.com

Artichoke, Prosciutto and Gruyere Baked Pasta Shells

A little bit of a different twist on stuffed shells. This recipe uses artichokes, Prosciutto and Gruyere cheese. Fresh cherry tomatoes and basil give this dish a nice fresh element!

Ingredients Needed:

• 15 pasta shells
• 4 ounces canned artichokes in oil (drained)
• 3 ounces Prosciutto
• 2 ounces Mascarpone cheese
• 4 ounces cheese (such as Gruyère or cheddar cheese or grated mozzarella)
• dash each of nutmeg, pepper and oregano
• a handful of cherry tomatoes
• fresh basil

For the Tomato Sauce:

• 1 15 ounce can chopped tomatoes
• salt & pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1/4 tsp fennel (optional)
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

How to Make It:

• Put canned chopped tomatoes in a saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Add the sugar , oregano , garlic and optional fennel and balsamic vinegar. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
• Cook pasta shells in salted, boiling water for about 8 minutes, or until they are al dente. Drain. Cool.
• Drain artichokes and cut into approximately 1/2-inch pieces.
• Cut Prosciutto into pieces and stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes in a non-stick pan.
• Combine artichokes, cooked Prosciutto, Gruyère cheese and mascarpone in a bowl.
• Season with nutmeg , freshly ground pepper and dried oregano; lightly mix.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Stuff each pasta shell with the artichoke, Prosciutto and cheese stuffing and place in a deep baking dish or pan.
• Pour tomato sauce on top of shells.
• Top with the fresh cherry tomatoes.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes; until the sauce bubbles and cheese in shells begins to brown.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle with some grated nutmeg.
• Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

Recipe from kwestiasmaku.com

Lasagne alla Bolognese

You don't have to be Italian to love lasagna! My parents were both from Northern Italy (near Trieste) but for some unknown reason, my mama never made lasagne. I began making lasagne after I married and this is one of my favorite lasagne recipes. 

Bologna is the largest city of the Emilia-Romagna Region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populated in Italy, and the heart of a metropolitan area of about one million. Bologna is also one of the wealthiest cities in Italy, often ranking as one of the top cities in terms of quality of life in the country.

The key for a perfect Lasagne alla Bolognese is the Ragu’ sauce, that needs to be cooked for at least one hour at a very low heat.

Enjoy it with a nice Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir and some warm, crusty bread.

Ingredients Needed:
For the Lasagne --

• 9 oz lasagne (rolled flat egg pasta)
• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1 pinch grounded nutmeg
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

For the Ragu' --

• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 30 oz of organic tomato sauce (vine ripened tomatoes)
• 1 cup of red wine
• 1 pinch of ground black pepper
• 3 leaves of basil (washed and dried)

How to Make It:
For the Ragu' --

• In a medium sauce pan put olive oil, butter, chopped onion, carrot and celery and heat until the onion became golden.
• Reduce the heat and add all the ground meats, stirring constantly.
• Pour the red wine, simmer until reduced (about 2 minutes) then add tomato sauce, one beef bouillon cube, basil and black pepper.
• Reduce the heat as low as possible and cover the pan with the lid.
• Cook for at least one hour and remember to stir very often. If the sauce became too thick add half glass of hot water.

For the Lasagne --

• Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
• Prepare a Béchamel sauce heating the butter until it melts, then add the flour and stir very well smooth and yellow. Remove the butter mixture from heat and pour in hot milk, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to boil , add the nutmeg and stir constantly until just thick. Set aside.
• Grease the bottom of a rectangular pan with a knob of butter and spread the bottom of the pan with a couple of tablespoons of Ragu'.
• Make a layer with enough lasagne to cover the pan.
• Cover the lasagne with ragu’, then Béchamel sauce and sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano. Repeat the process (Lasagne, Ragu’, Béchamel, Parmigiano Reggiano) until you have four layers of pasta.The top layer should be Béchamel sauce sprinkled with Parmigiano Reggiano.
• Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, until the edges are browned and the sauces are bubbling.
• Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.

Call your family to the table and ENJOY!!!!

Easy Linguine with White Clam Sauce

This is an easy, quick and inexpensive white clam sauce. It is a great introduction to seafood for the kids. They'll love the garlicky butter sauce and pasta! Serve it with some hot and crusty bread ... and a delicious Pinot Grigio (for the grown-ups!)

Ingredients Needed (for 4 servings):

• 2 (6.5-ounce) cans minced claims with juice
• 1/4 butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable (or canola) oil
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 package (16 ounces) linguine pasta

How to Make It:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions.
• Combine clams with juice, butter, oil, minced garlic, parsley, basil, and pepper in a large saucepan. Place over medium heat until boiling. Serve warm over pasta.

Recipe from allrecipes.com

Pasta Primavera

I recently ordered Pasta Primavera from a nearby eatery. It was so good that I had to try and replicate it. I took note of the vegetables that were in it and how they were cooked. When it was time to make it, I didn't have an outdoor grill because my new patio was being constructed. Decided to make the veggies in the oven ... but my oven wouldn't heat up due to a broken ignitor! Luckily, the broiler feature in my oven WAS working, so I broiled the veggies, being very careful to not burn them! Making this dish was challenging due to all the obstacles stacked against me, but the end result was a delicious meal packed with yummy veggies! Feel free to use whatever veggies you like. You can be very creative with this one!!

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 lb box of penne pasta
• 1 large bunch fresh broccoli (use florets only)
• 2 medium red peppers, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 large zucchini, skin on, sliced or cut into halves or quarters
• 2 medium yellow squash, skin on, sliced or cut into halves or quarters
• 2 medium carrots, shredded (I used a peeler because I wanted long, thin strips)
• 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
• good olive oil
• salt & pepper, to taste

How to Make It:

• Place all vegetables in a large aluminum tin or casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and fresh-ground pepper. Drizzle with olive oil (use enough to evenly coat the vegetables).
• Grill, bake or broil the vegetables (whatever you feel comfortable with). Cooking time will vary depending on what method you use!!
• In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Add penne and and cook according to package directions for al dente.
• When vegetables are done (they should be soft, but still have some "crunch" to them), set aside and let cool.
• Drain pasta and add to cooked vegetables. Mix well.
• Add more olive oil (just enough to coat everything evenly).

The BOMB Baked Ziti

First things first -- I know this recipe is called "Baked Ziti", but I didn't use ziti. I used mostaccioli instead. Why? I don't know. I just felt like it. Anyway, I couldn't call this dish "Baked Mostaccioli", could I?? So, get ready to make and enjoy the most DELICIOUS baked ziti you've ever had!!! This recipe was taken from The Pioneer Woman.com. I just "tweaked" it a tiny bit!! So, Italian or not ... are you READY?????? Let's get cookin'!!

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large vidalia onion, diced
• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage (removed from casings)
• 1 lb ground beef (80 or 85% lean)
• 1 28-oz can whole San Marzano tomatoes, with juice
• 2 24-oz jars Bertolli marinara sauce (Bertolli Marinara Sauce)
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning (such as dried basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, rosemary) -- or you can buy a bottle of Simply Organic Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 16 oz (1 box) ziti or mostaccioli (slightly undercooked)
• 1 15-oz whole milk ricotta cheese
• 2 cups shredded whole milk mozarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 whole large egg
• fresh minced parsley, optional

How to Make It:

• Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for several minutes, or until they start to soften. Add Italian sausage and ground beef and cook until browned. Drain off fat, leaving a bit behind for flavor and moisture.
• Add whole tomatoes with juice, about 1 1/2 jars marinara sauce, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. After that time, remove 3 to 4 cups of the sauce to a different bowl to cool down.

•  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, 2 cups of the grated mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and salt and pepper. Stir together just a couple of times (do not mix completely).

•  Drain the pasta and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and cool it down. Pour it into the bowl with the cheese mixture and toss to slightly combine (there should still be large lumps.) Add the cooled meat sauce and toss to combine.

• Add half the coated pasta to a large casserole dish or lasagna dish. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the top, then top with half the remaining mozzarella cheese. Repeat with another layer of the coated pasta, the sauce, and the mozzarella.

• Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbling. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
• Sprinkle parsley over the pasta before serving!

Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Basil & Mustard

This is a quick, easy and delicious pasta recipe that can be made in 30 minutes or less!  Creamy mustard sauce, fragrant basil and either sweet or hot chicken sausage create this quick pasta supper with warm, mildly-spicy flavors.

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 lb penne or medium shells (I use whole grain pasta)
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 6-8 hot or sweet Italian chicken sausages, meat removed from casings and crumbled
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 tbsp grainy mustard
• pinch of crushed red pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

How to Make it:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente; drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the sausage meat and brown over moderately high heat, about 5 minutes.
• Add the wine and simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
• Add the cream, mustard and crushed red pepper and simmer for 2 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the heat, add the pasta and basil and toss to coat. Serve at once.

 Recipe by Nigel Slater; Slightly Modified by Cooking Made Easy

Spinach & Meatball Baked Ziti

Baked ziti is so yummy and easy to make, especially when you're short on time. I found this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs ~ SkinnyTaste.com.  I added beef meatballs to it, but I committed a mortal (Italian) sin, and used pre-cooked, frozen meatballs! I found a brand that we all really like and, since I didn't feel like making my own meatballs, I opted for the pre-made, frozen ones! You can also use turkey or chicken sausage if you prefer ... or use turkey instead of beef meatballs. Of course, you don't have to include meatballs, or sausage, if you don't want to. I also used fresh basil and oregano from my garden and I could really taste the difference!! However you decide to tweak it, it is a delicious dish.

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 lb uncooked ziti
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes (I used Tuttorosso)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 tsp fresh oregano
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 8 oz fat-free ricotta
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups (8 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella
• olive oil cooking spray
• about 10-12 meatballs (either from scratch or pre-made/frozen) cut into halves (optional)

How to Make It:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with oil spray.

In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to instructions until al dente.  Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add olive oil and sauté garlic. Add chopped spinach, salt pepper and crushed tomatoes. Season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper.

Add sauce to the pasta and combine the ziti. Add half of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and ricotta. Mix well then transfer to the baking pan.

Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the remaining mozzarella.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned. Let it cool 5 minutes, then enjoy!

This can be made up to a day in advance and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

Recipe from SkinnyTaste.com; Modified by Cooking Made Easy

Pasta with Hot Italian Chicken Sausage & Escarole

Another light and delicious pasta dish I found that was so easy to make.  If you can't find escarole, use swiss chard or fresh spinach. Turkey sausage can also be used instead of chicken sausage ... and you don't need to get the "hot & spicy" variety if you don't want to. This meal is delicious hot AND cold!!

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 lb penne pasta (regular, whole grain or whole wheat)
• 2-3 tbsp good olive oil
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb Hot & Spicy Italian chicken sausage (removed from casings)
• 1 medium head escarole, rinsed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano & Romano cheese
• salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste

How to Make It:

• Cook pasta in large pot of salted water. Reserve 1 cup of the water before draining.

• While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large non-stick skillet.  When hot, add onions, garlic and red pepper.
• Season with a little salt and fresh pepper.
• Cook until soft; about 5-7 minutes.
• Add sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and cook until golden brown; about 7-8 minutes.
• Add escarole. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Remove cover, stir and cook another 2-3 minutes until escarole is wilted.

• Add cooked pasta, reserved water and grated Parmigiano-Romano cheese.
• Toss well and serve.

Recipe from SkinnyTaste; modified by Claudia

Mitsy's Penne with Turkey Sausage & Broccoli Rabe

My co-worker brought this in for me to try one day and I loved it.  Got the recipe from her and made it. I might not have followed her directions exactly, but the end result was as delicious as I remembered hers being. Loved using the broccoli rabe (also known as rapini) as it is a great source of vitamins A, C and K ... as well as potassium, calcium and iron.

Ingredients Needed:

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
• 1 lb ground turkey sausage (sweet)
• 3-4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bunch broccoli rabe, chopped
• 6 sun-dried tomato halves, julienned
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 lb Penne pasta
• Grated Parmigian-Reggiano cheese (optional)

How to Make it:

• In a large non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.
• Add onions and garlic and saute until softened, stirring constantly.
• Add ground turkey sausage and cook until lightly browned (about 5 minutes).
• Add chicken broth and reduce heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, 15-20 minutes.
• Add chopped broccoli rabe and continue to simmer, partially covered, another 15 minutes.

• Add sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer, partially covered, 10 minutes.

• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 10-12 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.
• Drain pasta well and add cooked pasta to skillet. Mix well.
• Sprinkle a bit of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top.

Recipe by "Mitsy"; Modified by Claudia

Mushroom Kale Lasagna Rolls

This is a quick, easy and delicious dish using kale instead of spinach. Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K and vitamin C. Kale also contains sulforophane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties. Like most other leafy green veggies, Kale is also a good source of iron.

Ingredients Needed:

• 1 pkg lasagna noodles, cooked
• 1 jar marinara sauce (I used Bertolli Vineyard Premium Collection Marinara with Burgundy Wine)
• 1 large bunch Kale, stems removed and chopped fine (I used a food processor)
• 1 8 oz pkg mushrooms, chopped fine (again, I used a food processor)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 15 oz part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 cup part-skim shredded Mozarella cheese

How to Make It:

• Ladle about 1 cup of the marinara sauce onto the bottom of a baking dish.
• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place kale in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Place chopped kale in a medium bowl.
• Place mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until lightly browned.

• Add kale, salt and pepper and cook about 5 minutes.
• Add mushrooms to pan and cook until soft; another 5 - 6 minutes.

• Combine cooked kale, mushrooms, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

• Lay out 2 to 3 cooked lasagna noodles on a clean, dry cutting board or wax paper. Make sure noodles are dry.
• Take a tablespoon of the mushroom-kale mixture and spread evenly onto a lasagna noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish.
• Repeat with remaining noodles.

• Pour remaining sauce over noodles and top with mozzarella cheese.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake 40-45 minutes.
• Makes approximately 16 rolls.

Recipe by SkinnyTaste; Modified by Claudia