Tag Archives: pasta

Shredded Chicken and Pasta Soup

Main Course, Meat/ Poultry, Pasta and Grains, Soups/ Salads / Stews, , , , , , ,

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Comfort food is good anytime of the year but fall calls for comfort soup. With slight breezes and the crisp sound of falling leaves, soup is a great way to warm up and snuggle. Chicken noodle soup is a very traditional comfort food which my family loves. But, I wanted to make a traditional chicken soup with a slight twist. That is why I decided to make a Shredded Chicken and Pasta Soup.

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When it came to choosing a pasta for the soup I didn’t want a noodle so I had to search for a type of pasta that would compliment the soup. Ditalini pasta turned out to be the perfect pasta for the Shredded Chicken and Pasta Soup. Ditalini looks like little tubes and they soaked up the chicken broth. Every bite offered an extra burst of broth and flavor.

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One thing I really liked about the Shredded Chicken and Pasta Soup was the fact that including the pasta made the soup very filling. A big bowl of soup makes a full meal with a nice chunk of crusty bread. If you want to have the soup with a meal I would suggest you only have a small cup so that you don’t get full too fast. Either way you will definitely have a smile on your face while eating the soup.

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Think about cooking up a big pot of Shredded Chicken and Pasta Soup the next time you feel a chill in the air. It will warm you up and put a smile on your face. Remember comfort food is good anytime of the year but fall and winter call for comfort soup.

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Shredded Chicken and Pasta Soup

Ingredients:
4 chicken thighs
5 quarts water
3 cups Ditalini pasta (prepare according to package)
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
1 cup shredded carrots (rough chop)
3 scallions diced (green part included)
2 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp Adobo seasoning
½ tsp dried dill
¼ tsp thyme
dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

Place water, chicken, ½ cup onions and all seasonings except for dill into a large pot. Cook chicken on medium high for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked all the way through and is tender. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside to cool for shredding. Once cooled, shred chicken with your fingers and set aside.

Strain chicken broth and place back into the pot. Skim some of the chicken grease from the surface of the broth. Reduce heat to medium. Add the additional cup of chicken broth, carrots, celery, green onions, dill and remaining onions to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken to the broth and simmer for another 10 – 15 minutes. You can either place pasta in individual bowls then ladle soup over the pasta so that the pasta stays al dente. Or, you can add pasta to the soup and remove from heat so that the pasta does not over cook.

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Shrimp and Pasta Salad

Main Course, Pasta and Grains, Seafood/ Fish, Side Dish, Uncategorized, , , ,

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Pasta salads are one of the most versatile dishes anyone can prepare. A pasta salad basically consists of pasta and any vegetable, meat or seafood you can think of tossed with a nice dressing. Since there are such a variety of pasta noodles available it is easy to be creative. Even if you use the same basic ingredients when you prepare a pasta salad it can become new all over again by using a different type of pasta. Shells, gemelli, bow tie and cavatappi are a few of the pastas I like to use in cold salads. They have little ridges that absorb whatever dressing you use and most of them just have a cool shape.

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For my Shrimp and Pasta Salad I used small pasta shells because I wanted the pasta to cuddle some of the dressing and provide a subtle burst of flavor with every bite. The veggies I used with this pasta salad were meant to make the dish colorful with the deep green of the asparagus and the bright red of the peppers and tomatoes. The shrimp added a pretty pink hue that pulled everything together.

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Most of us are first attracted to a dish because of the way it looks. If a dish looks weird, we figure it will taste weird too. Although that is not always true it is human nature to judge certain things by the way they look. That is way it is important to add rich vibrant color to every meal. My Shrimp and Pasta Salad is both appealing to the eye and tasty on the tongue. Try it as a main course or side dish. Either way I think you enjoy this simple flavorful salad.

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Shrimp and Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
2 lbs ex-large shrimp peeled and deveined
2 boiled eggs chopped
1 bunch asparagus cut into 1” pieces
1 bag arugula
1 box small pasta shells
1 large tomato seeded and diced into cubes
1 shallot sliced thin
½ cup red pepper diced
½ cup black olives chopped (optional)
½ cup vinaigrette
½ tsp lemon zest
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp cilantro
1 tsp old bay seasoning
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1juice from ½ lemon

Prepare pasta shells according to the package – al dente. Set aside.

In a large skillet heat butter with olive oil over medium high heat. Add shrimp and lemon juice. Stir and then add ½ tsp salt, ½ black pepper and old bay seasoning. Cook until shrimp are pink. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Set aside.

Add veggies (except for tomatoes) to the same skillet and add remaining seasonings. Cook for 2- 3 minutes until veggies soften slightly but still crisp. Do not over cook.

In a large bowl add pasta, shrimp, veggies, arugula, eggs, tomatoes and olives. Drizzle with vinaigrette and gently mix. Serve with a nice side salad.

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Gemelli Pasta and Tomatoes

Pasta and Grains, Soups/ Salads / Stews, Vegetables, , , ,

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Since my hubby and kids love pasta so much I am always looking for new ways to fix it. I also like to use different types of pasta shells to give the pasta dishes a a new twist. The type of pasta you pick for a dish depends on what you want the pasta to do. If I am making a creamy pasta dish I usually pick pasta that will cuddle the sauce in the nooks and crannies of the pasta like shells or ziti. If I am fixing a dish that is lighter and the sauce just needs to coat the pasta, I will use angel hair, linguine or bow tie pasta.

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Gemelli pasta falls into both categories. Because of its shape gemelli pasta is a nice twist (yes, pun intended) for creamy or oil based sauces. When I first started formulating this recipe in my mind I was not sure what kind of pasta I would use. I did not want to use penne pasta because I have seen so many recipes with penne including my own. I was cruising the pasta aisle when I spotted the gemelli pasta. It had been a long time since I prepared any dish with gemelli so I got excited when the light bulb went off in my head to use gemelli as my pasta.

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I will admit that I cook a lot of dishes with tomatoes. Another thing besides pasta that my family really loves. For me, tomatoes just naturally go with pasta. Tomatoes add a savory sweetness to pasta dishes. Baking or roasting tomatoes really helps to bring out the sweetness which is how I prepared the tomatoes for this recipe.

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In the end, the combination of flavors from the tomatoes, cheese, spinach and gemelli made for a very nice pasta dish. On occasion, to elevate the flavors even more I brown andouille sausage and add it to the recipe to give the dish a kick of spiciness. Yummy!

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Gemelli Pasta and Tomatoes

Ingredients:
2 pints cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1 16 oz box gemelli pasta
1 10 oz bag baby leaf spinach
½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup fontina
½ cup panko bread crumbs
olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix panko bread crumbs, ½ cup of the grated parmesan cheese, parsley and oregano in a small bowl.

Spray a casserole dish with olive oil cooking spray. Add tomatoes to the casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, basil and olive oil. Stir to blend olive oil and seasonings then top with bread crumb mixture. Drizzle a little olive oil over the bread crumb mixture. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes until bread crumbs are browned.

Prepare pasta according to package. Drain (do not rinse) and place in a large bowl. Drizzle pasta with a little olive oil. Add remaining grated parmesan cheese, fontina cheese, spinach and tomato mixture. Gently toss together until well blended.

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Tortellini Salad with Arugula

Pasta and Grains, Soups/ Salads / Stews, , , ,

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Pasta is something my hubby and youngest son could eat every other day. I on the other hand eat pasta less frequently. But, on the occasions that I really have a taste for pasta I prefer to keep it light if possible. The other day I thought about finally writing up the recipe to my delicious pasta salad (according to some friends) but switched gears when I was looking through the frig and saw a beautiful bag of arugula.

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Arugula has a unique nutty taste and I like using it in various salads and in my Chicken and Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce recipe. Since making a light pasta dish was my goal I thought tortellini would be a good choice to go with the arugula. Tortellini is small but can be quite filling. Plus, tortellini is fille with wonderful things like cheese, spinach and sun dried tomatoes. I usually buy mixed tortellini just so I can have an abundance of flavors playing with my taste buds.

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My son is not much of a salad person so I was not sure if he would even try the tortellini salad. I had two things going for me though. One… he loves any kind of pasta and two…. he loved the Chicken and Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce recipe which had arugula in it. True to form, he gave me a thumbs up because of the pasta. Now I know for sure no matter what recipe I make my son will eat it as long as it has pasta. I also know tortellini and arugula make a pretty good salad.

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Tortellini Salad with Arugula

Ingredients:
1 20 oz pkg of mixed tortellini
1 bag arugula
1 small tomato seeded and sliced thin
½ cup Gazebo Room Greek Salad Dressing and Marinade
½ cup feta cheese
½ cup calamata olives
¼ cup shaved parmesan cheese
½ tsp cracked black pepper
salt (optional since olives are salty)

Place arugula in a large bowl. Add olives, feta cheese and tomatoes. Top with shaved parmesan cheese and sprinkle with cracked black pepper.

Prepare tortellini according to package and drain. Add hot tortellini to the bowl then pour salad dressing over pasta. Gently toss pasta and arugula together until well mixed. Enjoy as a warm salad or chilled slightly.

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Creamy Shrimp and Pasta

Pasta and Grains, Seafood/ Fish, , ,

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Creamy shrimp and pasta has become a party favorite when we host big celebrations or a small get together. Typically, I use penne pasta when I make pasta for a party lately I have been trying different types of pasta with this dish. The last time I made this for my family I used mafalda pasta which looks like little lasagna pasta ribbons. I fell in love with this pasta and so did the hungry folks that gobbled it up.

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My son’s best friend (who I consider my third son) recently spent the weekend with us so the two of them could hang out. I had decided to include my creamy shrimp and pasta recipe on dmariedining.com so I needed to prepare the dish so I could take some photos. I thought the guys could have a little for lunch and then I could have leftovers for later. I quickly found out that “leftovers” is not in a teenager’s vocabulary. Fortunately, I had put aside of bowl of the pasta for my hubby before the boys jumped on the pot. I on the other hand only had one forkful!

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My youngest son surprised my when he said Mom I know I eat a lot but K cleaned out the pot. I asked them if all of the pasta was gone and K said with a big grin on his face “Sorry, I just love pasta!”. I am happy anytime my family enjoys the meals I make so I couldn’t be upset. Plus, by the sound of their forks scraping the bottom of the bowls I knew they liked it. What more can you ask for when feeding a hungry crew?

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Creamy Shrimp and Pasta

Ingredients:
1 lb penne pasta
1 lb extra large shrimp peeled and deveined
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 scallion chopped
1 tbsp basil chopped
1 tbsp parsley
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 14oz fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup white wine
¾ cup heavy cream or half and half
½ cup parmesan
¼ cup olive oil

Prepare pasta according to package.  Saute shrimp in olive oil over medium high heat in a large frying pan. Season with salt, pepper and garlic. Cook until shrimp is pink. Remove shrimp from the pan and add tomatoes, scallions, parsley, red pepper flakes and wine. Cook for 1 minute then stir in cream. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes until sauce thickens. Add cheese, basil, pasta and shrimp. Toss until well mixed.

 

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Salmon and Penne Pasta

Pasta and Grains, Seafood/ Fish, , , ,

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On days I want to be really healthy and stay away from red meat or pork “the other white meat”, I turn to my one true favorite – salmon. Since my hubby and son love pasta so much I knew if I added salmon to a pasta dish they would love it.

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Preparing pasta is simple and so is fixing salmon. As long as you pick out a nice salmon fillet and have the right seasonings you will be golden.

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The right seasonings means you need to pull together a combination of spices that will make the dish pop and your taste buds do a little dance in your mouth. A little heat from red pepper flakes or cayenne will usually wake up the taste buds but to make them dance you need more.

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Garlic, capers, mixed peppers and lemon juice. Bitter, salty, sweet and sour. Something to tickle each taste bud and brighten up the dish. Splash a little cream into the mix and you will not be sorry you decided to make something healthy.

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Salmon and Penne Pasta

Ingredients:
4 salmon fillets
1 box penne pasta
2 garlic cloves chopped
5 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp starchy water from pasta
1 bag fresh baby leaf spinach
5 tbsp butter
1 tbsp capers
1 tbsp parsley
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp seasoned salt
½ tbsp salt
½ tbsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ red pepper sliced thin
½ green pepper sliced thin
½ yellow pepper sliced thin
½ cup half and half
½ cup heavy cream
Juice from one lemon
½ tbsp lemon zest

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare pasta al dente as directed on box. Set aside. Reserve 2 tbsp of starchy water from pasta.

Season salmon with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika. Place 1 tbsp butter on each salmon fillet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through but still moist. Set aside to rest.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil to a small frying pan. Add fresh peppers and saute until slightly browned.

Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large frying pan along with olive oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium then pour in heavy cream along with half and half and starchy water. Simmer for 2 minutes then add sauteed peppers, capers, parsley, lemon juice, lemon zest and remaining seasonings. Stir to blend. Add spinach and let it wilt. Once spinach wilts stir in pasta to coat with sauce.

Place pasta in a bowl and top with salmon. Pour a little sauce over the salmon then enjoy.

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Macaroni and Cheese

Pasta and Grains, , ,

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Macaroni and cheese is one of the best comfort foods ever made. Recipes for mac and cheese have been passed down from generation to generation. My family is no different. My mom passed on her mac and cheese recipe to me when I started learning how to cook. I am sure it is the same recipe my grandmother passed on to my mom and her sisters.

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Tradition is important when it comes to family and cultures. Without traditions our histories would not be as rich and wonderful. We would not know or understand the meaning of true love, sacrifice and success. Yes, traditions are important and each family has at least one tradition that is passed on and on. However, as new families are created so are new traditions.

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Although I have made my mom and grandmother’s mac and cheese for years, I recently decided to try a new recipe. I was inspired by a show on Food Network where Giada  featured a macaroni and cheese dish she loves. Giada’s macaroni and cheese included fontina cheese among other cheeses. I had never considered using fontina cheese in my mac and cheese. Fontina cheese is a semi-soft Italian cheese that has a rich and creamy texture with a slightly nutty flavor. My traditional mac and cheese called for extra sharp and sharp cheddar cheese period.

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New traditions call for new ingredients. My new mac and cheese includes five different cheeses. After all, the main attraction in macaroni and cheese is the cheese. Bringing together several different cheeses raised the flavors to a new level of goodness. Also the various textures of cheese which were hard, soft and semi-soft made the dish extra creamy.

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I will always love my mom’s mac and cheese but with my family I am creating new traditions to pass on to my children and grandchildren.

Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:
2 cups medium pasta shells
5 oz Gruyere cheese grated
3 oz fontina cheese grated
½ cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
¼ cup pepper jack cheese grated
3 tbsp Velveeta cheese cubed
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp pasta water
¾ cup half and half
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare pasta according to package adding 1 tsp of salt to the water. Drain and reserve ½ cup of pasta water. Stir 1 tablespoon of butter into the pasta to coat. Season with black pepper.

Spray a medium casserole dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle a tablespoon of each cheese in the bottom of the casserole dish. Add half of the pasta and half of the cheese. Add remaining pasta and cheese. Pour half and half along with 2 tablespoons of pasta water over cheese and stir to mix cheese into pasta. Make sure cheese is well blended into the dish. Sprinkle a little cheddar cheese and paprika on the top of the dish. Bake for approximately 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

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Chicken and Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

Meat/ Poultry, Pasta and Grains, ,

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I am not a huge pasta fan like my family but I am slowly coming around to putting it close to the top of my list. Especially after I came up with a chicken and pasta dish that is slightly creamy with a hint of lemon.

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Usually when I make pasta it is as a side dish unless we are having spaghetti. When I pulled together the chicken and pasta with lemon cream sauce I wanted to create a meal rather than a side dish. I love making one pot meals whenever I can. This one only takes a couple of pots so … that is close enough.

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As my culinary skills continue to grow I have discovered that things I thought were difficult to prepare are relatively easy. The idea of making cream sauce was somewhat intimidating to me until I figured out the sauce really makes itself. With the right seasonings and a little patience you can create a savory sauce that will elevate your meal.

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Chicken and Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
1 box rotini pasta
3 small broccoli crowns sliced
1 lb precooked chicken breast cubed
10 oz pkg mushrooms sliced
3 cloves garlic chopped
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp basil
½ tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup half and half
zest and juice from 2 lemons
1 cup arugula
large bowl of ice water

Bring 4 quarts water with a pinch of salt to a boil. Add broccoli to boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and place in ice bath to stop the cooking process for 5 minutes then drain. Bring water back to a boil and cook pasta according to package. Drain pasta and place in a large bowl. Add broccoli, seasonings and parmesan cheese then set aside.

Add olive oil, butter and mushrooms to a sauce pan over medium high heat and saute until lightly browned. Add garlic and be careful not to let garlic burn. Add heavy cream lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir and let cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium then add chicken and mushrooms. Cook for another 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and pour over pasta. Toss pasta until coated with sauce. Add arugula and continue tossing. Arugula will wilt slightly from the heat. Sprinkle with a little more parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

 

Rolled Lasagna

Pasta and Grains,

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Many, many years ago when I was still living at home lasagna became my specialty dinner to make for the family. My cousin Shirl taught me how to make an “authentic” Italian sauce. Needless to say it took hours of simmering the sauce and layering seasonings to make the dish taste absolutely wonderful. It also took a while to assemble the lasagna between the pasta, sauce, meat and cheese.

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Fast forward to today and I can honestly say I do not have the same amount of time to cook as I did many, many years ago. I still love lasagna but now I prefer a lighter version of my old layered lasagna. The new recipe is filling but does not make you feel sleepy or bloated after you eat.

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Rolled Lasagna is just a simpler way of layering lasagna without losing all of the wonderful flavors you find in a typical lasagna casserole. To keep it light, I replaced the ground meat with prosciutto and added spinach which gives the lasagna a nice finish.

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Besides flavor, one of the best things about my Rolled Lasagna recipe is that each lasagna noodle is individually portioned. Getting seconds is easy and so is clean up.

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Rolled Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 lb lasagna noodles

2 cups ricotta cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1 box frozen chopped spinach thawed

2 pkgs prosciutto

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tbsp chopped parsley

2 tbsp chopped basil

1 jar tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook lasagna noodles according to package then lay out flat to cool. Drain spinach and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley and basil. Take one lasagna noodle a spread the cheese mixture over the noodle. Add two pieces of prosciutto to cover the cheese then add dollops of spinach on top of the prosciutto. Roll up the lasagna noodle from one end to the other. Place the rolled lasagna seam side down in a casserole dish. Repeat rolling with remaining noodles. Pour sauce over lasagna and then cover with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Layered Lamb Pasta

Meat/ Poultry, Pasta and Grains,

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Pasta. Pasta. Pasta.

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Pasta is a mainstay in our household. Both my hubby and T are big fans of pasta. I like pasta because there are so many varieties and it is so easy to create different dishes every night if you really love pasta. Bow tie, angel hair, rotellini or shells. The list goes on and on.

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I have found that whenever I am really desperate to come up with an idea for dinner I reach for a pasta recipe. As soon as I say we are having pasta both my hubby and son are on board and dig in not matter how I fix it. A basic meat sauce with ground turkey is the quickest way for me to get dinner on the table. However, if I can really take my time to prepare the dish, I will shoot for something with a little more heft and better presentation. No offense to spaghetti and sauce but a nice layered pasta dish is a little more exciting.

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Think of this as another way to make lasagna without having to cook lasagna noodles, simmer sauce for hours and then take a long time to assemble the dish. Layered lamb pasta has only two layers of pasta with lamb sauce, a few veggies and cheese. What could be simpler besides going out to dinner?

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For my meatless friends, you can easily turn this into a vegetarian dish by leaving out the lamb. Just load up on more sauteed spinach or other veggies to layer in the pasta.

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Layered Lamb Pasta

Ingredients:
1 lb ground lamb
3 cups small pasta shells
2 bags baby leaf spinach
1 small yellow pepper sliced
1 small green pepper sliced
1 small red pepper sliced
8 oz ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ jars spaghetti sauce
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp water
cooking spray

Seasonings:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp cayenne
1 tbsp fresh basil chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare pasta according to package and set aside.

In a large frying pan brown lamb. Drain fat from lamb and place lamb in a large bowl. Add pasta, sauce and seasonings. Stir to mix and coat pasta. Add butter and water to frying pan along with spinach and peppers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir occasionally until the spinach is wilted and the peppers are soft.

Spray large casserole dish with cooking spray. Spread ½ of the pasta and lamb mixture in the casserole dish. Layer the vegetables over the pasta and dot with the ricotta cheese. Sprinkle with ½ of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Layer with the remaining pasta and top with remaining cheese.

Bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes until cheese is melted and pasta is heated through.