Martha Stewart's Pasta Sauce

Martha Stewart's Pasta Sauce

3 cloves garlic

1 14.5 oz. can Italian stewed tomatoes

fresh basil

2 T. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of sugar

Thinly slice, do not crush, garlic cloves and set aside. Heat skillet to medium heat and add oil. saute garlic until transparent. One by one, lift tomatoes out of can and squeeze  to remove excess liquid and add to skillet. Stir until tomatoes start to break down into a sauce. If the sauce becomes too dry, add liquid from tomato can. Tear basil into small pieces  and add to sauce. Add salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer 1-2 minutes. Add to cooked spaghetti and mix thoroughly.

Butternut Squash Pasta

1 2-lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 garlic bulb, separated in cloves and peeled (halve large cloves)

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 14-to 16-oz. pkg pasta

1/4 c. butter

3 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled

1/2 c. walnuts, chopped and toasted

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/3 c. shredded pecorino or parmesan cheese

sliced green onions (opt.)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. In 15x10x1-inch baking pan toss together squash, peeled garlic cloves, oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Evenly spread squash in pan. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until squash is tender and lightly browned.

2. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti, with 1 tablespoon salt added to water, according to package directions. Drain; keep warm.
3. In small saucepan heat butter over medium heat until it turns the color of light brown sugar, stirring frequently.
4. In serving bowl toss spaghetti with about half the browned butter. Toss squash, garlic, bacon, nuts, and nutmeg with remaining browned butter. Serve squash mixture over spaghetti. Sprinkle with cheese and green onions. Makes 8 servings

Bolognese Sauce (Pioneer Woman)

Prep: 30 minutes  Cook Time: 2 hours   Servings: 8-10

1/2 cups olive oil
1 1/2 cup grated carrots
1 whole large onion, diced
2 pounds ground beef (I use 1 pound)
2 Tablespoons dried oregano
2 Tablespoons dried basil leaves
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 2 cups red cooking wine
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add grated carrots and onions and cook for a few minutes. Make a well in the center of the mixture, and then add in the ground beef. Cook for a few minutes until brown, gradually stirring it into the carrot mixture.

Throw in oregano and basil. When the meat is browned and combined with other ingredients, make another well. Add tomato paste and let it heat. Add garlic and stir to combine.

Make a well in the center of the mixture and add wine. Stir together. Add Worcestershire and stir. Add canned tomatoes. Finally pour in milk, stir, and let simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours - however long you need.

Serve with pasta and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts and Tomatoes (Pioneer Woman)

Prep: 15 minutes  Cook Time: 30 minutes Servings: 6
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 whole Medium Onion, finely diced
1 can Artichoke Hearts (14.5 oz quartered), drained
1 can diced Tomatoes with juice (14.5 oz)
1 cup heavy Cream
1/2 cups Chicken Broth (more as needed)
1/2 teaspoons Nutmeg
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 pound Thin Spaghetti
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
2 Tablespoons fresh chives (or other herbs), chopped

Prep:
Cook spaghetti. Drain. Set aside.

Melt olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add artichoke hearts and tomatoes. Stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste (don't under salt!) Cook over low heat until heated through, then turn off heat.

Place drained pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 cup Parmesan. Pour sauce over the top. Add chives. Toss lightly to combine and coat; add a tiny bit of reserved pasta water if sauce seems too thick. Serve.

Simple Sesame Noodles (variation of Pioneer Woman recipe)

16 oz spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained
4 whole green onions, chopped
Saute:
2 chicken breasts, diced
1 carrot, shredded
4 cloves garlic
Mix:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons pure sesame oil
1/2 teaspoons hot chili oil
3 Tablespoons canola oil

Combine noodles, green onions, chicken, carrot, and garlic in a bowl. Pour sauce over. Serve.

Oliver Garden Alfredo

1 cup Butter
Melt in pan
1/8 cup Flour
Whisk in butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp minced garlic
4 cups Heavy Whipping Cream (I use Half & Half and it tastes the same)
Stir together and let simmer for 10-12minutes
Stir in and melt 3/4-1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Serve over noodles.

Serves: Approx. 20

Favorite Pasta Sauce

Ingredients:

1/4 cup onion, diced
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/4 cup cooking wine (I like Sherry)
1/4 cup broth
4-5 roma tomatoes, diced (more or less; roma work best because they're not so juicy/seedy)
fresh basil
cream

Method:

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil, enough to coat. Add cooking wine and broth, and let it reduce. (Usually on medium heat.) Chop up tomatoes and add to mix. Add fresh basil, chiffonade. Add cream---maybe 1/8 cup and cook to thicken.

Perfect Summer Pasta with tomatoes and basil from the garden

LINGUINE WITH TOMATOES, BASIL AND GARLIC

½ pkg (11 oz.) linguine

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp dried basil

¾ cup chicken broth

Cook linguine as package directs. Drain and keep warm. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-

high heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, basil, black pepper, red

pepper and salt; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cooked pasta and chicken broth; cook

2 – 3 minutes or until heated through. Serve with parmesan cheese.

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

¼ tsp salt (optional)

grated parmesan cheese

Really good Pesto

¼ c. walnuts

¼ c. pignolis (pine nuts)
3 T. minced garlic (9 cloves)
5 c. fresh basil leaves, packed
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ c. good olive oil (I prefer using 1 1/4 c.)
1 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese

Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 30 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is finely pureed. Add the parmesan and puree for a minute. Serve, or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top. Makes 4 cups.

Super Pasta Salad

1 pkg Tri-colored Rotini, cooked, drained
2 large carrots, peeled, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 large cucumber, peeled, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1-2 tomatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine above ingredients in a large bowl.  Just prior to serving, pour ranch dressing generously over it, and sprinkle Hidden Valley Ranch Fiesta Ranch Dip dry mix generously on top of that, then stir to coat evenly.  Add more ranch dressing or Fiesta Ranch Dip dry mix to taste.  (I would use an entire small bottle of ranch dressing, and probably half to three-quarters of a large bottle; and then half to three-quarters of a Fiesta Ranch Dip mix packet.)

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Alfredo Sauce
1/4 cup of butter
2-ish tsp garlic
1 can chicken broth
1-ish cup of cream
1/2-ish cup of half -n-half
3/4 container of Kraft shredded parmesean
1/4 - 1/2 cup Kraft Three Cheese blend
1 big spoonful plop of low-fat mayonnaise
Salt to taste (approx. 1 - 2 tsp.)
pepper to taste
Fresh chopped parsley, several Tbsp.

Melt butter over med-low heat, add garlic and saute. Pour in chicken broth then cream and 1/2-n- 1/2. Add salt & pepper and cheeses and continue to heat over medium to medium-low heat until cheese melts into sauce. Plop in mayonnaise and stir in. Add fresh chopped parsley just before pouring over noodles, chicken sausage, and veggies.

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Cook fettuccini noodles to al dente in chicken broth.
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Saute chopped chicken sausage (Bistro Sensations, smoked mozzarella with artichoke and garlic) in chicken broth. Add more chicken broth, add chopped broccoli and chopped red bell pepper. Cover and steam for a few minutes.

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Combine everything and serve with garlic bread and Ceasar salad.