Baked Lemon Pasta

I love food. I love to make and eat food. Some food is just no good for you. And then that guilty feeling comes creeping in when you entertain a thought of eating food your fitness conscience would not approve of. You know that if you make said pasta dish that you will have to work out harder the next day. And then you will have to do some justifying and rationalizing about why you're not losing weight even thought you work out every day!!! Yes everyday...except Sunday. Sunday however doesn't count. It is a calorie free day; meaning you don't count calories that day so they don't count. This day I will make said pasta dish that has lots of sour cream and Parmesan and bad carbs. So I'll throw caution to the wind and eat this because it looks too stinkin' good not to pass up.

...grrr. I'm feeling guilty already and it's not even Sunday!...

Ingredients

1 pound Thin Spaghetti

4 Tablespoons Salted Butter

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested

2 cups Sour Cream

½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste

Plenty Of Grated Parmesan Cheese

Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped

Extra Fresh Lemon Juice

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.

In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.

Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.

Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.)

When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

Serve with crusty French bread and a simple green salad.'

Pioneer Woman

Spaghetti with Frisee and Fried Egg

Frisee...what is that? Are you asking yourself that right now? I know I did. I've never seen frisee at my market. However I have seen pictures of it and I have also read people's descriptions and they say it looks like lettuce but tastes bitter. So whenever I'm shopping for this recipe I buy curly endive which is also a bitter green and I think it tastes great! Especially with bacon...and let's be honest what doesn't taste better with bacon?

Ingredients

Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 pound spaghetti
8 ounces bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large head frisee, chopped
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
4 large eggs
Grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Reserve cup pasta water; drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl.

2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high until browned, about 7 minutes, pouring off and reserving fat halfway through. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels.

3. Add frisee to skillet and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring, until frisee just begins to wilt, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar and transfer to bowl with pasta (reserve skillet). Add pasta water and toss to combine.

4. Return skillet to medium heat and add reserved bacon fat. Working in two batches, fry eggs until whites are just set and edges are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve pasta topped with Parmesan (if desired) and a fried egg.

Makes 4 servings

marthastewart.com

Fancy Macaroni

I love the Pioneer Woman! If you have time click here and read her blog and smile to yourself the whole time, see all the fabulous pictures she takes herself, and then do not procrastinate any longer and make the macaroni and cheese. Eating it will evoke all the emotions that she describes! *Sigh* I love food.

Ingredients

• 4 cups Macaroni
• 8 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 whole Medium Onions, Cut In Half And Sliced Thin
• 10 slices Regular Bacon
• 1 Tablespoon Bacon Grease (reserved From Bacon Slices)
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• 2 cups Whole Or 2% Milk
• ½ cups Half & Half
• 2 whole Egg Yolks, Beaten
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• ½ cups Grated Gruyere Cheese
• ½ cups Grated Fontina Cheese
• ½ cups Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
• 4 ounces, weight Chevre (soft Goat Cheese)

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook macaroni for half the time of the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Fry bacon until slightly, but not overly, crispy. Drain on a paper towel. Reserve grease.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet and saute onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. Set aside.

In a pot, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 1 minute. Pour in milk and half & half, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick. Reduce heat to low. Add salt & pepper to taste. (Do not undersalt!)

Beat egg yolks and drizzle 1/4 cup hot mixture into the yolks, stirring constantly. Stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into sauce and cook for another minute.

Add cheeses and stir until melted. Add onions and bacon and stir. Taste for seasonings and add more salt if needed. Add cooked macaroni and stir to coat.

Pour into a baking dish and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until sizzling and hot. Serve with red meat or a green salad.

Italian Chicken Pasta Toss

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LIVE WITH VEGETABLE HATERS...READ ON!

TWO REASONS TO MAKE FOR SAID VEGETABLE HATER

1) IT'S EASY
2) IT'S TASTY DESPITE THE VEGGIES

CASE IN POINT:
Seriously, I made this for by bro-in-law who is notorious for turing his nose up to veggies esp. tomatoes. And he pounded the pasta dish with a fury. There were no leftovers and nothing on his plate afterwards. He even commented the next day on how much of it he ate and how much he liked it.

So there is hope for your non-veggie eaters.

THE END

ingredients

6 oz uncooked bow tie pasta (about 3 cups)
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 small yellow or red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
2 tsp. olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, pressed (minced)
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and keep warm. Dice tomatoes, slice zucchini, chop onion, cut bell pepper, and cut chicken into 1-inch strips.

Heat oil in stir fry pan (or nonstick skillet) over medium high heat until hot. Press garlic into skillet. Add chicken and stir fry 5 min. or until chicken is no longer pink. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, zucchini, bell pepper, peas, seasonings and salt. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, and stir-fry for another 2 minutes or until heated through, stirring gently.

Remove from heat. Stir in warm pasta. Grate Parmesan cheese over pasta mixture. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings
Nutrients per serving: Calories 190; Total fat 3 g; Saturated fat 0 g; Cholesterol 20 mg; Carbohydrates 27 g; Protein 14 g; Sodium 430 mg; Fiber 3 g.

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 1/2 starch, 1 meat (1 1/2 carb)

P.S. This recipe is from Pampered Chef's Cookbook "Casual Cooking Easy Cooking for Indoors and Out".

Lazy Lasagna

Looks like ravioli tastes like lasagna.

ingredients

1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce ½ cup water
3 pounds frozen cheese ravioli, frozen
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Combine the sauce and water in a large bowl.
3. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, spread enough sauce to cover bottom and put a layer of ravioli down end to end. Spread a layer of sauce and cheese just like you would with regular lasagna. Keep layering and finish with sauce and cheese on top.
4. Bake covered with foil in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Variations: Add ground cooked Italian sausage to the sauce for a meaty lasagna. Or add some veggies like fresh spinach or artichoke in between the ravioli and the sauce layer if you like extra veggies in your lasagna.

click for the pic

Ellie Krieger's Macaroni and 4 Cheeses

In case you all are wondering "Who is Ellie Krieger?" She is a TV chef that devotes her shows to healthy cooking. My husband and I eat her version of Macaroni and Cheese at least once a month. It's amazing how good it tastes even when most of it is pureed squash. Word to the wise: use really good sharp cheddar or else it really will taste like macaroni and squash casserole.

ingredients

Cooking spray

1 pound elbow macaroni

2 (10-ounce) packages frozen pureed winter squash

2 cups 1 percent low-fat milk

4 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)

2 ounces Monterrey jack cheese, grated (about 2/3 cup)

1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon powdered mustard

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon olive oil

directions

1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender but firm, about 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

3. Meanwhile, place the frozen squash and milk into a large saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the squash with a spoon until it is defrosted. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture is almost simmering, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the Cheddar, jack cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper. Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish.

4. Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp and nicely browned.

Calories per serving: 395

Serves 8

foodnetwork.com

Penne al Salsa Rosata

Let's talk ingredients. Fresh and high quality of course is going to make this thing shine. I may sound like a commercial, but I want you to enjoy this as much as I do, and if I can help you do that and cut some calories at the same time I am all for it! So I'm telling you right off why I use Jennie-O Italian Turkey Sausage even though it is more expensive. The fact that it is turkey and not pork leads you to one important point: it has significantly less fat than your average pork sausage. Normally that would be the end of the story, however, Jennie-O's sausage has an amazing flavor and just the right amount of spice leaving your tongue happy! I also like using fat-free half and half to cut down on the calories. But you know, do whatever you want and it will be fine. Like Emeril Lagasse says: "it's not rocket science, people!". Oh yeah...you know penne rigate just means that the pasta has ridges instead being smooth. I like the rigate because it holds the sauce better. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 (3.5 ounce each) links hot Jennie-O Turkey Italian sausage
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fat free half and half (regular is ok too)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 pound penne rigate pasta

Directions
In large skillet, heat oil over moderate heat. Remove casing from sausage and add to skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat, until brown. Add garlic and red pepper and cook, stirring until garlic is golden brown. Add tomatoes and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Add cream to tomato sauce and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and add pasta, toss for 1 minute. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley sprinkled over the top and serve. Serves 6

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com. It was a great recipe on it's own but I changed it a little here and there to fit my preferences.

Linguine with Clam Sauce

okay so I'm giving you a recipe that has been used by my family for years and is delicious! I think that my grandpa got it from the side of a can...who knows!If your worried your family will turn their noses up at seafood hide the clam cans and tell your children it is chicken and they'll gobble it up. I like it a little spicy so I add crushed red pepper, but you don't have to!

16 oz. pkg. Linguine

3-6 cloves of garlic (according to taste), chopped finely

½ cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

½ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. salt

3 cans (6 ½ oz. each) chopped clams

1 Tbl. lemon juice (fresh is best!)

1 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain.
2. Meanwhile,in a large skillet lightly brown garlic over LOW HEAT, being extremely careful to not burn the garlic, for about 5 minutes.Remove from heat and add the parsley, pepper, salt, clams and crushed red pepper, if using. Cook over low heat for *5 minutes or until heated through. Pour over hot pasta and toss.


Makes 8 servings.

* Don't over cook your sauce or your clams with be rubbery, tough, and disgusting. You don't have to work about under cooking the clams, since they are already come cooked (so long as you use canned clams). Just heat them through like the recipe says and it will turn out great.