This is the typical sort of dinner you’ll get at our house on a day when I don’t want to venture out in the 110 degree suffocating heat just to get groceries! I will do anything to avoid leaving the air-conditioned loveliness that is my house! First I look in the refrigerator – not much there. More smoked pork, but we’ve had that 2 days in a row, so that will not fly with my guys. Produce drawers – bell peppers, wilting green onions, romaine that has about 24 hours before decisions must be made, and a surprisingly good looking bunch of cilantro. Next stop – garden – ugg! Everything is looking sad, drought ridden, and parched! Snip off the last bit of tarragon and get back into the A/C! What about the pantry – nothing at all inspiring. There is pasta, but that’s always sitting there…. Why in God’s name do these people need to eat every darn day – don’t they know how hot it is?!?!  OK, compose thyself. Last stop the freezer – oh the glorious coldness that flows from the freeze finally gives me the inspiration I have been so very desperate for! What miracles do I find there? Nothing all that much really – shrimp, edamame, and peas – but it is enough.

Peas, now those are a story on their own! The thing you need to know about peas is that…. I Do Not Eat Peas. In any and every instance, other than today, the only reason you would find peas in my freezer is when I have purchased them to use as an ice-pack for injuries.  Frozen peas are excellent injury ice-packs! They mold and form to a hurt knee, elbow, wrist…whatever ailment they are needed for, you can not beat a package of frozen peas to make the ouchie feel better, honestly, frozen peas are better than a mommy’s kiss!

But eating those peas – No Thank You! Where could a girl such as myself acquire such a distaste and violent reaction to the innocent little pea… two words… canned peas! It’s sad but true, I grew up on canned vegetables. Aside from iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and the occasional corn on the cob; fresh vegetables were not known in my childhood home. And frozen vegetables – barely knew they existed. The only proof of them was on the TV, courtesy of the Jolly Green Giant or Bird’s Eye commercials.

My husband, Dave, on the other hand – he grew up with not only frozen vegetables but fresh as well. He fondly recalls sitting on his back porch in Rockton, Illinois, shelling peas from his dad’s garden. So before this evening, guess how many times I’ve cooked peas for him in the 25 years we’ve been married or the 28 years we’ve been together?  If you know me, you may have already guessed the answer correctly – not once! Oh sure, I’ve scantly added them to paella (then easily picked them out of my portion.) Or layered them in the classic overnight layer salad (which includes iceberg, peas, sugar/mayonnaise, bacon, green onions, hard cooked eggs, etc). Then when I dish up my own plate, I just scoop around the peas and pick off the few that cling to the sweet mayo layer. But actually cook and serve peas as the main ingredient or side dish for dinner – never, not once!

Not until today. Why today? I don’t know, I was at Trader Joe’s a couple days ago, and saw the little bag of frozen petite peas and just felt sorry for Dave and my fierce resistance all this time to serve him his happy childhood memory just because of my own not-so-pleasant childhood memory.  Really -there is only one word for that – selfish. So, you have to know that when I say this pasta with peas is good, it must be Really Good …  ‘Nuff said!

Pea, Edamame, and Shrimp Capellini

2 or 3 large garlic cloves, peeled
Leaves and tender stems from 1 bunch cilantro
1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
12-ounce package frozen shelled edamame
12 to 16-ounce package frozen petite peas
1/2 pound peeled and deveined shrimp, cut into bite-size pieces
12 to 16-ounce package capellini (angel hair) pasta
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Meanwhile, turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and drop the garlic in through the feed tube, to mince.  Stop the machine and scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Add the cilantro and tarragon leaves to the bowl, and process until finely minced. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil through the feed tube. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

When the water in the pot comes to a boil, salt generously, add the edamame and peas; cook 3 to 4 minutes. Remove vegetables from the pot with a strainer or a slotted spoon, and place in another bowl. Return water to the boil and add the shrimp.

Boil just until pink and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the pot with a strainer or a slotted spoon, and add to bowl with edamame and peas.

Return water to the boil and add the pasta; cook al dente following the instructions on the package. When the pasta is cooked, remove 1/2 cup of the cooking water and add to the bowl with the cilantro mixture. Drain the pasta, and add to the cilantro, toss to combine. Stir in the edamame mixture and toss to combine.  Divide between 8 serving bowls, top with Parmesan and serve.

Serves 8

Green beans are not only delicious when served hot but also great served cold or room temperature. This Asian inspired salad is a perfect example of just that. Trader Joe’s sells a Garlic-Basil flavored linguine that puts this vegetarian salad/side dish over the top.

Far East Green Bean-Linguine Salad

8 ounces uncooked linguine
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
2 cups thinly sliced celery, sliced on the diagonal
1 red or orange bell pepper, seed, cored, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Dressing
1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons peeled and finely minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add salt and cook pasta according to package directions; add beans during last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta and beans and rinse with cold water; drain.

Place in a large bowl. Stir in celery, bell pepper, onions, and cilantro.

Dressing: Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl until blended. Add to salad; toss well. Cover and chill for 30 minutes before serving. Taste just before serving and season with salt and pepper, as needed.

Serves 8

Maybe I should explain my title choice for today’s post. So, I live in the southwest portion of the United States.  Here, we have two popular convenience stores, 7-11 and Circle K.  As previous mentioned, and actually bragged about, I am posting and scheduling my posts about 10 days to 2 weeks ahead of time. As I typed in my “scheduled” date, I noticed that today is 7-11, so whenever we (south-westerners) say “7-11″, we (or at least, I) like to follow it up with “and equal time for Circle K!”  The last thing we want to be is biased – in Arizona, of all places! Yeah, right – tell that to our state legislatures! Sorry, no politics allowed here – just recipes and a bit of occasional humor or insights! Honestly – love to all!

Arugula and Cannellini Spaghetti

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water. Leave pasta in the colander; set aside and keep warm.

Return pasta pot to medium heat.  Add oil, butter, garlic, and pepper; cook 2 minutes or until garlic is fragrant and just lightly browned, stirring constantly.  Stir in tomatoes, and beans; cook 2 minutes.

Add warm pasta; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add reserved pasta water, 1/2 cup at a time, and arugula, tossing gently to combine.

Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately, sprinkling with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Serves 10 to 12

A week from today, on Monday the 28th, I’ll be on Channel 12 NBC Valley Dish with Tram Mai, making this pasta for a 4th of July menu. Let me just tell you, it’s the smoked Gouda that makes this salad! Do not leave it out or substitute another cheese. Just wish I could have thought of something blue to add to make it a true “red, white, and blue” independence salad. Let me know if you think of something (I will let you know that blueberries don’t cut it!). Until then, I suppose you can just serve it on a blue plate.

Independence Pasta Salad

12 ounces marinated artichoke hearts
1 pound Rotini (corkscrew shaped) pasta, cooked and chilled
14 ounce jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and cut into strips
8 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
10 ounce bag baby spinach, leaves stacked and sliced
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes from the jar, drained well and patted dry
1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup 0% Fage (Greek yogurt)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
3 tomatoes cut into wedges

Drain artichoke hearts over a bowl and reserve the marinade, set aside.

Cut artichokes into strips, and place in a large bowl. Add coked and chilled pasta, bell pepper strips, cheese, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes, gently toss.

Stir together half of the reserved artichoke marinade, mayonnaise, yogurt, garlic, and pepper to combine. Add more of the reserved artichoke marinade, if needed or desired to thin dressing.

Add dressing to pasta mixture, tossing to combine. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours before serving. Just before serving, sprinkle with Parmesan and pine nuts. Garnish with tomato wedges and serve.

Serves 10

One important lesson quickly learned by the summer students these past few weeks… it takes a bit more effort to not only eat healthy but also to cook healthy. That may seem obvious to most adults… cruise through the drive-thru window vs. grilling a burger yourself – obvious. But how about throwing a fat and juicy T-bone on the grill vs. grilling vegetables? A bit more effort with the vegetables, but effort well worth it, not only for the fabulous color and flavors – but also for your heart and soul!

Feel free to tweet and add to this recipe all you want. I would have included zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, etc., but those were already on the menu of the day in a variety of other vegetarian dishes. So scour the farmer’s market or pluck from your own garden and heat up the grill – enjoy!

Penne with Grilled Vegetables

8  (4-inch) portobello mushroom caps
4  medium red bell peppers, quartered and seeded
2  medium sweet onions, each cut into 4 slices
Pam
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2  tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups hot cooked penne (about 8 ounces dried)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

Arrange mushrooms, gill sides up; bell pepper quarters; and onion slices on a baking sheet. Coat vegetables with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Drizzle vinegar over mushrooms.

Place vegetables on grill rack; grill 5 minutes on each side or until tender. Cool vegetables until able to handle, coarsely chop vegetables.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add grilled vegetables to pan; cook 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.  Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Remove from heat.

Combine pasta, parsley, basil, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl; toss well.  Add grilled vegetables; toss well.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 8

Although this recipe has quite a long list of ingredients, with the assistance of a food processor or even a blender and a well stocked pantry, it couldn’t be easier. Of course, it doesn’t have to be Tuesday to serve this as quick dinner or as a side to grilled meat. And you can always add shredded chicken or cooked shrimp if you don’t want to go the vegetarian route. It’s a guaranteed family pleaser!

Oh, and if you’re local, you may want to watch Valley Dish on NBC Channel 12 tomorrow (Wednesday, June 2) at 4:30.  I’ll be on with Tram Mai making Penne Pasta with Maple Mustard Chicken.

Thai Noodles

6 garlic cloves, peeled
3-inch long piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped or sliced
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon hot chili sauce or paste
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons salt, for boiling water
1 pound spaghetti
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and julienned
1 bunch green onions, sliced diagonally (white and green parts)

Turn on an empty food processor and drop the garlic cloves and ginger in through the feed tube of the running machine to finely mince. Add the vegetable oil, tahini, peanut butter, soy sauce, sherry, sherry vinegar, honey, chili sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper. Puree the sauce.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt and cook the spaghetti al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander, place it in a large bowl, and while still warm, toss with 3/4 of the sauce. Add the bell peppers and green onions; toss well. Serve warm or at room temperature. Pass the remaining sauce and allow guests to add more as desired.

Serves 6

I developed this recipe about a dozen years ago. It’s been featured in two cookbooks, FamilyFun Cooking with Kids and Reflections Under the Sun, and I will be making it on Channel 12 NBC Valley Dish with Tram Mai next month (4:30 PM, Wednesday, June 3rd). The thing I love about it is how quickly it comes together and how, with just a itty bitty bit of planning, you can get it on the table in about 10 minutes. How is that possible? Make the marinate in the morning before you head out the door, (it literally takes less then 5 minutes to do) throw in the chicken, cover and refrigerate. When you come home, get the water for the pasta boiling while you drain the peppers and sun-dried tomatoes and stem/string the peas (or purchase them already stringed in the bagged lettuce area of your supermarket), steam or blanch the peas in the “pasta water” – before you add the pasta to it. Once you throw the pasta in the salted water, you get busy browning the chicken – and by the time you’re done reducing the sauce and heating it all through, the pasta will be ready – hopefully you’ve gotten one of the kids to set the table, because dinner is ready!

Penne Pasta with Maple Mustard Chicken

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
3 or 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, pounded thin
1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cups fresh or jarred roasted red or yellow bell peppers, drained
1/2 cup jarred sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/2 pound snow peas, stemmed and lightly steamed or blanched
1 pound penne pasta, cooked according to package directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds.  Add rosemary, chives, and vinegar; cook 30 seconds.  Pour into a large bowl; cool.  Whisk in maple syrup and mustard.  Add chicken to bowl; turn to coat.  Cover;  chill at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium high heat.  Remove chicken from bowl, reserving marinade.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Add to skillet and sauté 2 minutes per side.  Reduce heat to medium.  Continue cooking until chicken is cooked through and browned, about 2 more minutes per side.  Transfer to cutting board.

Add wine to pan to deglaze and reduce wine by half.  Add chicken stock and the reserved marinate to pan, bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to a thick sauce, about 3 or 4 minutes.  Meanwhile, slice chicken breast on a diagonal, cut larger slices in half.  Add chicken, roasted peppers, tomatoes, and snow peas to reduced sauce and heat through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a large serving bowl, toss chicken mixture with pasta and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Just like yesterday, today we have dish that was inspired for our Easter menu by a dish we enjoyed at the new FnB restaurant in Scottsdale (here is the link). The night we went, Dave had the most amazing chicken dish. Mind you, chicken is not something either of us generally order at a restaurant, but I’d read rave reviews about Chef Char’s chicken with spaetzle. Those reviews were right on the mark – fabulous!

Spaetzle are tiny dumpling-like noodle nubbins from Germany and Austria that are made with flour, eggs, milk, salt and nutmeg. The spaetzle dough can be firm enough to be rolled and cut into slivers or soft enough to be forced through a sieve, colander, or spaetzle-maker directly into boiling salted water. They rise to the top then are drained and sautéed in butter or mixed with a sauce. Spaetzle literally translates from German as “little sparrow”. In Germany, spaetzle is served as a side dish much like potatoes or rice, and is often accompanied by a sauce or gravy.

There are spaetzle-makers that consist of a hopper to hold the dough as it slides across a metal plate with holes, others that look like ricers, and a third style that is a food mill with a handle and a paddle to force the dough through the holes of a special speatzle blade (which is what I have).

I served the wild mushroom spaetzle with my Pomegranate Molasses Lamb Chops which you can find on this previous post.

Brandied Wild Mushroom Spaetzle

Mushrooms
3 cups wild mushrooms (fresh or reconstituted dried)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/4 cup brandy
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup soft goat cheese
Spaetzle
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk

Mushrooms: If using dried wild mushrooms, first reconstitute in hot water until soft. Coarsely chop mushrooms. Melt butter in a large skillet, add mushrooms and garlic and sauté until mushrooms release their liquids and just begin to brown. Stir in the brandy and fresh thyme and season with salt and pepper, cook for 2 minutes.  Set aside while making the spaetzle.

Spaetzle: In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Gradually draw in the flour from the sides and combine well; the dough/batter should be smooth and thick. Let the rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot, then reduce to a simmer. To form the spaetzle, hold a spaetzle-maker or a large holed colander over the simmering water and process with maker or push the dough through the holes of the colander with a spatula or spoon. Do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the spaetzle floats to the surface, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Lift out the spaetzle with a slotted spoon and into a colander and give it a quick rinse with cool water.

Reheat the mushroom and stir in the cream and goat cheese. Add the cooked spaetzle and sauté mixture for 3 or 4 minutes to combine and heat through.

Serves 8

This cold pasta salad has long been one of my “go-to” recipes for buffets and parties. I pulled it out once again for yesterday’s office Easter brunch. The dressing is made with a large amount of red pepper flakes, which are drained after the dressing simmers.  It is up to your taste as to how many you add back into the salad. For Easter I use ham but for most of the rest of the year, I prefer to use smoked turkey as the meat in this hearty salad. Of course, you can alway leave any and all meat out and have a lovely and satisfying vegetarian option.

Cold Orzo Salad with Ham, Corn, & Basil

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon red chile flakes
1 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
4 bay leaves
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1 pound dry orzo pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound julienned ham or smoked turkey
5 cups fresh raw white or yellow corn kernels
2/3 cup minced fresh basil
1 cup minced green onions, use entire green onion
1 large red bell pepper, julienned and blanched
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Basil sprigs and lime wedges for garnish

To make the dressing, combine the chile flakes, vinegar, corn syrup, bay leaves, and lime juice in a small saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain, reserve the red pepper flakes and allow the dressing to cool. Discard the bay leaves.

In a pot of lightly salted, boiling water, cook the orzo until al dente, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and run cold water over the orzo to stop the cooking. Drain, pour into a large bowl, and toss with the olive oil.

Then add the dressing and lightly toss to combine. Add the ham, corn, basil, green onions, and bell pepper and 2 teaspoons of the reserved red pepper flakes.

Lightly toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.  Add more red pepper flakes, if desired.  Chill for at least 1 hour prior to serving.

Serves 10 -12

Today at 5:00 PM, I will draw a name from a hat for a winner from all the comments given on Tuesday’s post – my own Ode to Trader Joe’s –  and that winner will be announced on tomorrow’s post. I’m using up the last of those Trader Joe ingredients, left from the sandwich, for this pasta. I spent $20.58 last Sunday (weekend shopping – yuck!) and made 3 full meals for a total of 14 servings. Even if you add in the few things I already had on hand; couple tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 cup white wine, parmesan, spaghetti…  that still comes to less than $2 per serving! Plus, all three dishes fit into the “Easy-Breezy” category – that cannot be beat!

Pasta in a Hurry

1/2 pound dried whole- wheat spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
6 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 ounces arugula leaves
1/2 pound cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
1/3 cup freshly grated or shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup cubed mozzarella-prosciutto cheese roll
Focaccia, if desired

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until just al dente.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over high heat, add oil and then stir-fry the garlic until just golden, about 1 minute, be careful to not burn. Quickly add tomatoes and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Toss in arugula and stir for about 30 seconds, just to wilt. Stir in the chicken and heat through, about 1 more minute.

Drain the pasta an add it to the skillet with the sauce. Toss well, cook another minute, while stirring.  Add the parmesan cheese and mozzarella-prosciutto cheese roll cubes just before serving.

Serve with warmed focaccia, if desired.

Serves 4

This pasta is exactly that sort of dish. If you were to drop by my house and look in my fridge, you’d always find things like fresh spinach, romaine or mixed greens, basil, citrus, and bell peppers. And my freezer is never without IQF (individually quick frozen) shrimp, scallops, and chicken breasts. The pantry is stocked to the brim; a variety of pastas, jars of olives, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, and the list goes on. When your kitchen is stocked in this way, the possibilities are endless and you’re always able to make a meal without the trip to the store.

I know exactly what you’re saying to yourself now…”Sure, the possibilities are endless… for you, because you can just ‘make up a recipe’ without a cookbook.” And that is true, but I’m going to turn you on to a website where you can just plug in the one or the ten ingredients you have on hand and magically dozens of recipes will appear so that you can make with what you have!  In fact, I went there and put in all the ingredients from this pasta recipe and it came up with 88 different recipes for me!  Sounds awesome, doesn’t it!?! CLICK HERE for that link. Next, be ready to cook that way, by going to my Basic Pantry  (just CLICK HERE) and stock up, so you can create something new “at the drop of a dime” too.

P.S. This pasta is a great vegetarian dish, just leave out the shrimp!

P.S.S. The live TV shoot yesterday went swimmingly, if you would like to view it, go to the “In The News” page up at the top-left of this page and choose the Valley Dish - Ravioli Lasagna post.

Shrimp and Spinach Linguine with Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 cup julienned (matchstick-size) fresh spinach leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
3/4 cup chopped oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, well drained
1 cup chopped oil packed artichoke hearts, well drained
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup white wine (may substitute chicken broth or clam juice)

1 pound linguine
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil leaves, garnish

Heat a heavy large skillet over medium heat and add oil. Add the onion and garlic; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and dried red pepper and stir 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, artichoke, lemon juice and wine; simmer until sauce thickens slightly about 10 to 12 minutes.

Cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, about  6 to 7 minutes Drain.

While the pasta is cooking; and sauce is simmering. Stir shrimp into sauce and simmer until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the pasta to sauce and toss to coat. Transfer to four flat bowls. Sprinkle each with Parmesan and garnish with fresh basil.

Serves 4

Happy New Year, wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, prosperous 2010! To start the year out on a yummy note, why not combine two Italian favorites? This is a quick and easy lasagna, no boiling of noodles or making of a time-consuming homemade sauce. Just purchase the various items for the layers and go to town assembling a big old pan of goodness. To change to a vegetarian dish, substitute diced or sliced zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, and/or bell peppers for the sausage. Sauté the veggies in an additional tablespoon olive oil and proceed as directed.

When it comes to nutmeg, there is no comparison between freshly ground and the already ground stuff you’ll find in the spice aisle. Purchase the whole nutmegs and use any of the tools above to grind it fresh whenever you need it.

Ravioli Lasagna

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 pound ground Italian sausage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
28-ounce can crushed roma tomatoes
1 cup prepared pesto sauce, divided
4 ounces fresh baby spinach, stack the leaves and thinly slice (about 2 cups)
15-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Two 16 to 18-ounce packages frozen cheese-filled raviloli
3 cups grated Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add onion and saute until soft, add garlic and cook about 4 minutes longer, transfer to a small plate.  Add the sausage to the same skillet and cook, stirring often to break up for about 12 minutes or until sausage is browned. Drain off any grease, then add the onion-garlic mixture back to the pan and season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, stir together the crushed tomatoes and 1/2 cup of the pesto sauce. In a separate medium bowl, mix together the sliced spinach and the remaining 1/2 cup pesto sauce. In a third medium bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese and 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese (reserve remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan for sprinkling on at the end), stir in the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.

In a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, spread 1/2 cup of the tomato-pesto sauce on the bottom and the pan and lightly coat the sides of the pan with the sauce as well, to prevent the lasagna from sticking after baking. Top with 1/2 of the sausage-onion mixture, then 1/2 of the spinach mixture. Top with 1 package of the ravioli, laying out evenly in a single layer. Dollop 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over ravioli, then top with 1/3 of the mozzarella.

Spread with 1/2 of the remaining tomato sauce, top with remaining sausage, then with remaining spinach. Top with second package of ravioli, dollop with remaining ricotta and 1/3 of the mozzarella.  Spread on the rest of the sauce.

Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, discard foil and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and the reserved 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Return to oven and bake another 12 minutes.

Serves 10 to 12

(Lasagna may be baked 1 day ahead up to point of adding last layer of mozzarella and Parmesan. Cool completely, then chill, covered. Bring to room temperature before topping and reheating with final layer of cheeses, in a 375 oven until hot, 20 to 30 minutes)

Do you know anyone who doesn’t like lasagna? I certainly don’t! It’s right up there with hamburgers, spaghetti, and mac and cheese for the all-time family favorites. All those classics have been posted here already, it is now lasagna’s turn.

Toasted and skinned hazelnuts are used in the pesto. To learn how to do this procedure, either go to the Tip Index at the left and look under “Hazelnuts” or click on this link.

Lasagna

1 pound dried lasagna noodles
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup packed Italian parsley leaves
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves

2 tablespoons flour
1 cup red wine
28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

15-ounce container ricotta cheese, divided in half
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
1 egg, beaten

1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Pesto
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and loose skins rubbed off in a kitchen towel
2 cups loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Cook the lasagna noodles in boiling salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the noodles thoroughly and coat with olive oil to keep from sticking together, set aside.

Heat a large skillet, add beef and sausage and cook until browned, about 10 minutes.  Season meat with salt and pepper.   In a food processor, combine the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, parsley, an oregano.  Process until pureed, add to the pan with the meat and stir to combine.  Stir in the flour, stir for 2 minutes to cook raw taste out of flour.   Add the wine and cook 3 minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes, cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 container of ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and goat cheese.  Stir in egg, season with salt and pepper.  Set cheese mixture aside.

Pesto: Puree all ingredients, except olive oil, in a food processor.  With machine running, add 1/4 cup of the olive oil through the feed tube and puree until pesto is smooth.

In a medium bowl stir remaining ricotta, and 1 cup of the parsley pesto, until combined well.   Then, in a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons pesto and remaining 2 tablespoons oil for drizzling over cooked lasagna, set aside.

Assemble: In a 13 x 9-inch pan, spread 2 ladles of sauce. Arrange 4 noodles lengthwise in a slightly overlapping layer on the sauce. Then, line each short end of the pan with a lasagna noodle to form a collar that holds in the corners.  Dollop 1/2 of the cheese mixture over the pasta, spread to the edges with a spatula.  Spread 1/2 of the meat mixture over the cheese.  Sprinkle 1/3 of the mozzarella on top of meat. Spread 1/2 of pesto over mozzarella. Top with 2 ladles of sauce, spread evenly.

Repeat with the next layer of noodles, remaining 1/2 of the cheese mixture, remaining 1/2 of the pesto, 2 ladles of sauce, and 1/3 mozzarella.

Top last layer with noodles, remaining sauce, remaining 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella and 1/3 cup Parmesan.  Shake the pan to settle. (Can be assembled a day ahead, cover and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before uncovering and placing in the preheated oven).  Bake for 1 hour. Allow lasagna to rest for 30 minutes to firm up and cut easily.   Cut into 12 squares and serve drizzled with pesto-oil.

Serves 12