Rigatoni Arrabiata

 Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 pound sweet Italian sausage

1 jar Rao's Arrabiata sauce

3/4 cup frozen peas (optional)

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup parmesan

Rigatoni

Directions:

1.  Cook pasta, drain, but save 1/2 cup of the pasta water

2.  Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven and cook sausage on medium-high

3.  Add the arrabiata sauce to the sausage and simmer for 10 minutes

4.  Add the cream, pasta water, and peas and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring often until it all comes together

5.  Off the heat add the pasta and parmesan and toss together.

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

 Rachel Ray:

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon

1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage

4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 bay leaf, fresh or dried

4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tablespoons

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock, canned or paper container

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated

Coarse salt and black pepper

1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente

Romano or Parmigiano, for grating

Directions:

1. Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.
2. Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.
3. Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves.

Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel

 Ina Garten


Ingredients:

3 tablespoons good olive oil

3 cups chopped fennel (1 large bulb)

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion

1 1/4 pounds sweet Italian sausages, casings removed

2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)

1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

    *** might want to do a little bit less, this has a kick ***

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup heavy cream

2/3 cup half-and-half

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 pound rigatoni

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 cup freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and saute for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the sausage and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, crumbling it with a fork, until nicely browned. Add the garlic, crushed fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper and cook for one minute. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and add the heavy cream, half-and-half, and tomato paste. Bring back to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt, and cook the rigatoni according to the directions on the package. Drain and add to the sauce, stirring to coat the pasta. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Serve hot in shallow bowls with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on the side.

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

Cheesy Baked Tortellini
Giada

Ingredients:

2 cups marinara sauce (I used Rao's)

1/3 cup mascarpone cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves (I didn't use)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 pound purchased fresh cheese tortellini (refrigerated)

2 ounces thinly sliced smoked mozzarella

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2.  Whisk the sauce, mascarpone cheese, parsley and thyme in a large bowl to blend. 

3.  Cook the tortellini in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. 4.  Add the tortellini to the sauce and toss to coat. 

5.  Transfer the tortellini mixture to the prepared baking dish. 

6.  Top the mixture with the smoked mozzarella and Parmesan. 

7.  Cover and bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheeses on top melt, about 30 minutes.

Notes:  I only had ravioli and it was great.  I also only had regular mozarella and it was delicious.  And I baked it uncovered.  Great recipe... easy substitutions in a pinch too!

20 Minute Easy Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup Parmesan
1 stick butter
Half package of Fettuccine
Pepper
1 cup reserved pasta water

Directions:

1.  Start water boiling
2.  Heat heavy cream over low heat in a deep saute pan.  Add butter and whisk until melted.  Whisk in parmesan cheese.  Add pepper.
3.  Cook fettuccine 3 minutes less than the package directions.  Drain pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water.
4.  Add fettuccine to alfredo sauce and finish cooking in sauce.  Add more pepper, parmesan to taste.  If sauce thickens too much while pasta finishes cooking, add reserved pasta water 1/4 cup at a time to thin.

Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

A little bit more than half of a 16 ounce box of elbow macaroni (about 10 oz)
1 can cheddar cheese soup
4 Tablespoons butter, cut into chunks
2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup whole milk

Directions:

Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan for about 3 minutes. Drain. In crock pot, put butter, cheese soup, shredded sharp cheese, salt, pepper, mustard. Stir in the hot pasta until cheese starts to melt.  After those ingredients are combined, add in sour cream and milk and stir.  Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara
Giada de Laurentis

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
8 large egg yolks
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt
1 pound spaghetti
4 cups coarsely shredded chicken (from 1 roasted chicken)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

Directions:

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and garlic and saute until it is brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese, yolks, basil, and parsley to blend.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook until it is just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Drain.
Add the chicken to the pan with the pancetta and stir to combine. Next, add the spaghetti and the cream mixture and toss over medium-low heat until the chicken is heated through and the sauce coats the spaghetti thickly, about 4 minutes (do not boil or you might end up scrambling the eggs). Season the pasta, to taste, with pepper and salt if needed (the pancetta will likely add all the salt you need). Transfer the pasta to a large wide serving bowl. Sprinkle the walnuts and lemon zest over, and serve.



Notes: The Lemon Zest and the Walnuts were a great addition. The boys all wanted frozen petite peas added to the pasta.  Jared, of course, also added capers.  Could have also used Penne or Rigatoni with this.

Rigatoni with Chicken in Marsala Cream Sauce

Rigatoni with Chicken in Marsala Cream Sauce:

Butter
8 ounces sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms
1/2 sweet onion (caramelized)
8 ounce grilled chicken breast (chunked) or Rotisserie Chicken
Salt and Pepper
2 teaspoons dried basil
4 ounces sweet marsala wine
10 ounces heavy cream
12 ounces rigatoni
Shredded Parmesan

Cook Rigatoni.

Melt butter in pan.  Sauté onions until caramelized (or add prepared frozen caramelized onions).  Add mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms are tender.  Then add chicken, basil, salt and pepper.  Stir.

Add marsala wine and cook for one minute.

Add heavy cream and bring to a boil for 2 minutes.

Coat Rigatoni with sauce.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Martha Stewart Macaroni and Cheese

Martha Stewart Macaroni and Cheese:

1 stick unsalted butter, plus more for dish
6 slices good white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (about 18 ounces)
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces)
1 pound elbow macaroni

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Butter a 3 quart casserole dish; set aside.  Place bread in a medium bowl.  Melt 2 Tablespoons butter and pour butter into bowl with bread and toss.  Set breadcrumbs aside.

In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk.

Melt remaining 6 Tablesspoons butter in a high sided skillet over medium heat.  When butter bubbles, add flour.  Cook whisking, 1 minute.  While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk.  Continue coooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.

Remove pan from heat.  Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar chees and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere.  Set aside cheese sauce.

Fill a large saucepan with water.  Bring to a boil.  Add macaroni.  Cook 3 minutes less than manufacturer's directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone.  Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well.  Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.

Pour mixture into prepared dish.  Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar and 1/2 cup gruyere and breadcrumbs over top.  Baked until browned on top, about 30 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes.  Serve hot.

Lemon Cream Pasta with Chicken

Lemon Cream Pasta with Chicken:
Allrecipes

6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 lemons, quartered
4 teaspoons garlic powder, divided
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (16 ounce) package rotelle or penne pasta
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
4 cans chicken broth (a little less than 2 Quarts)
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place chicken in a lightly greased baking dish.  Squeeze lemon over both sides of the chicken breasts and season both sides using 3 teaspoons garlic powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper.  Bake for 40 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink inside.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, season the chicken broth with the remaining 1teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Bring to a boil and add lemon juice and pasta.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.

Cut cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and stir into cooked pasta, along with the cream and lemon zest.  Cook, stirring, over low heat for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.  Stir throughly before serving.