You’ve had your tart, and your panini, so now it is time for a big helping of roasted veggie lasagna.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

16-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Dash of nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 large jar of your favorite marinara sauce
1 box no-cook lasagna noodles
1/2 of the Roasted Vegetable yield from HERE, roughly chopped
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

In a medium bowl combine the ricotta, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, garlic, egg, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg; mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with olive oil.

Spread 1/4 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the dish then place lasagna noodles down to cover the bottom of pan. Add half of the ricotta mixture and spread evenly over the noodles. Next add half of the roasted vegetables. Cover the veggies with lasagna noodles then again with half of the remaining sauce. Add the last of the ricotta mixture then the remaining veggies.

Cover with lasagna noodles. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil. Finish with the rest of the sauce then sprinkle the top with the remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella, and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes; remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

Set aside for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy.

Serves 6 to 8

Everyone has their favorite way to eat up their leftover Thanksgiving turkey. I’d guess that a good old turkey sandwich would be the hands-down winner for most of us. I like my sandwich one way and one way only – on white bread that is slathered in Miracle Whip with sliced turkey breast only. I don’t eat any of the leftover sides, I just relish that sandwich and I am as happy as can be. If I haven’t remembered to purchase a jar of Miracle Whip before Thanksgiving so that it is ready to be cracked open on the Friday after… well, someone (someone who is not me!) is going to the store to get me my Miracle Whip! Mayo will not do! I buy the smallest jar because this is the only thing I ever use it for, leftover turkey sandwiches.

Connor, on the other hand, makes a sandwich that looks like this…

He’s got the required white bread, but tops it with turkey (white or dark), then spoons on the gravy and the stuffing, tops that with the other slice of bread and heats it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Interesting, but not to my taste.  Marissa also must have the breast only and tops her’s with cranberry sauce and eats some stuffing and maybe some gravy on the side.  Finally there is Dave, he will eat it all and will eat it any and every way, sandwich or a full redo of the Thanksgiving plate.

After a couple or three sandwiches, I am through with the turkey, then it is time to remake it into an entirely different meal, such as this lasagna. Now this is how you get rid of leftover turkey!

Five-Cheese Turkey Lasagna

Turkey and Turkey Sausage Red Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound sweet or mild turkey Italian sausage
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups finely peeled and minced onions
1/2 cup minced celery
1/2 cup peeled and minced carrot
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 large sprig of fresh basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups diced cooked turkey breast

Lasagna
2 cups fresh ricotta cheese8 ounces grated provolone8 ounces grated mozzarella
8 ounces grated Asiago
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chiffonade fresh basil leaves
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 recipe Turkey and Sausage Red Sauce, recipe follows
2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano1 package no-cook lasagna noodles

Turkey and Turkey Sausage Red Sauce:  Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, add the oil. Add the sausage, use a spatula to break up and cooked until brown, about 5 minutes.

Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

Add the garlic and tomatoes, continue to cook for 3 minutes. Fill one of the tomato cans about 3/4 full with water. Whisk the tomato paste into the water and add to the pan.

Stir in the thyme, bay leaves, basil sprig, oregano, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes.  Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and basil sprig; stir in the diced cooked turkey, cover and let sit for 15 minutes before using. Makes about 8 cups of sauce.

Lasagna:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, provolone, mozzarella, Asiago, egg, milk, basil, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread 2 1/2 cups of the meat sauce on the bottom of a  13 by 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle 1/4 of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano over the sauce. Cover with 1/4 of the noodles. Spread 1/4 of the cheese filling evenly over the noodles. Repeat the above process with the remaining ingredients. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet that is covered in foil to catch any drips or spills. Place in the oven and bake until bubbly and golden, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serves 8 to 10

Steak and blue cheese are a classic combination. I discovered a 4-pack of rib-eye steaks in the back of the freezer and although there are only the two of us, I grilled up all four steaks. I used the extra two to make this pasta dish a couple days later. Any leftover beef will do, just be sure to slice and cut it up directly from the refrigerator.  When the beef is cold, it is easiest to find and cut out the fat that is marbled throughout.

I purchased a wonderful 6-pack of organic pasta imported from Italy at Costco. In it, there are two packages of casarecce, two packages of penne, and two gemelli. I chose the gemelli for this dish because the other two styles are meant to hold lots of sauce. This dish has minimal sauce, so the gemelli works best  out of the three. If you want to use penne or maybe fusilli, I’d advise throwing in a can of undrained chopped tomatoes to make the pasta saucier.

A funny thing I noticed was that the pasta packages are 17.6-ounces in weight, instead of the usual 16-pounces. Since I generally run on about 2% brain capacity on any give day, I was thinking, “What’s up with that?”  It took me quite a while to notice that the other weight on the packages is 500 grams.  Finally, another 3% brain powder kicked in and I figured out that this was true Italian pasta, so of course it would be measured in grams and the ounce weight was just placed on there for us metric-challenged Americans. Grazie Garofalo Pasta, I need all the help I can get when it comes to math!  Oh… and it’s really good pasta too, so pick up a 6-pack the next time you’re in Costco.

Beef, Blue Cheese, and Sweet Pepper Pasta

1 pound cold leftover cooked beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 roasted red bell peppers, cut into strips
2 yellow or orange bell peppers; cored, seeded, and cut into strips
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 cup beef broth
6 ounces blue cheese, crumbled and divided
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
8-ounces (1/2 package) gemelli or penne pasta
1/3 cup pitted green olives, roughly chopped

Cut beef, against the grain of the meat, into thin strips lengthwise, cutting out and discarding all visible fat. Cut each slice into bite-size pieces.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add the onions and peppers to the skillet and cook until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently and seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir in garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside.

Salt boiling water in pot and drop in pasta and cook according to package directions.

Add the stock to the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and stir in the crushed red pepper, and 1/2 of the blue cheese.  Return pepper mixture to skillet, along with the beef.

Remove from the heat. Stir in olives and the remaining blue cheese.

Drain pasta, add it to meat mixture, and toss to combine. Taste and season.

Serves 6

See that cutting board full of mustard greens, kale, radicchio, and Napa cabbage?  That was what I had purchased to use a liners and decoration for the platters of food at Terrie’s birthday party on Saturday night. Why is it on my cutting board today, 3 days after the party? You guessed it, I forgot to use them.  In the rush to dish out and serve the food, the greens in the refrigerator produce drawer were forgotten.  And as is typical, I remembered later that night as I lay in bed trying to fall asleep.  Peggy and Terrie discovered the drawer full the next morning while they were cleaning up, and brought them to me.  This recipe is what I came up with for using the kale, mustard greens and some of the radicchio. Tomorrow I’ll use the remaining radicchio and Napa cabbage for a crisp fresh salad or maybe a slaw for fish tacos.  P.S. I had planned on topping this dish with crumbled feta cheese, but when I opened the package… mold – eww.  So I shredded on some Jarlsberg instead – Yum!

Wilted Greens with Pasta and Beans

1 large bunch mustard greens
1 large bunch kale thick stems removed and cut into 1-inch strips
6 large radicchio leaves
12 ounces farfalla pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup peeled and diced onion
3 garlic clove, peeled and minced
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
15-ounce can pinto beans, drained, liquid reserved
1/4 cup black olive tapenade
Crumbled feta or shredded cheese of your choice

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add greens and cook just until tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a spider, transfer greens to colander to drain.

Return water to boil. Add pasta and cook just until tender but still firm to bite, about 11 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain over a bowl or measuring cup, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.

Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the pot, swirl to coat the bottom.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté until onion is soft and translucent. Add the drained tomatoes and beans to the pot and cook until just heated through, stirring often, about 3 minutes.

Return pasta to pot; add greens and the remaining tablespoon olive oil and toss. Stir in tapenade and the reserved pasta cooking liquid. Stir in 1/4 cup of the reserved tomato liquid and 1/4 cup of the reserved bean liquid to moisten.

Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl or individual plates and sprinkle with cheese.

Serves 4

Many years ago I was a “white meat” snob. I claimed to not like dark poultry meat. I knew dark meat was generally more juicy, less dry, and more flavorful, but I went with the thought that “ladies” eat white meat.  I am not certain where I came up with that, maybe something to do with dieting and the fact that white meat does have less fat and calories.

But honestly there isn’t a huge difference. One-half cup of chicken breast has 129 calories, 5.2g fat, and 52mg cholesterol. One-half cup dark meat has 135 calories, 6.3g fat, and 61mg cholesterol. So, once in awhile it really is OK to eat a chicken thigh or leg quarter, especially when it’s in your freezer and you are diligently working on cleaning out that freezer. When am I NOT trying to clean out the darn freezer? It’s a never-ending battle.

This pasta chicken dish made me happy that I had that chicken meat stash.  Feel free to sub white meat for the dark, but trust me, it’s darn tasty with the juicier, moister, and more flavorful thigh meat!

Pasta with Dark Meat Chicken and Creamy Saffron Sauce

3 chicken leg quarters (attached thighs and legs) with skin and bones
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups peeled and diced onion (red, white, green; whatever you have on hand)
5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 cups dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup fat-free or regular half-and-half
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup cherry tomato halves
1 pound farfalle (bow-tie) pasta, cooked al dente
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Generously season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet, skin side down, and cook until golden, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate.  Discard all but 2 tablespoons dripping from skillet.

Add onions and garlic to drippings; sauté until onions are  soft and translucent, about 7  minutes.  Add wine to skillet and bring to a boil.

Place saffron threads in the palm of your hand and crush, add to skillet. Continue to boil until liquid is thickened and reduced by half, about 7 minutes.  Add 2 cups chicken broth and return chicken to skillet; bring back up to boil.

Reduce heat to low a low simmer. Cover; simmer gently until chicken is tender and cooked through, turning over after 25 minutes, cooking for about 50 minutes total. Transfer chicken to a clean plate and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Reserve skillet with juices. Remove skin and bones from chicken and discard. Tear chicken meat into bite-size pieces; place in medium bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, spoon off fat from juices in skillet and discard fat. Add half-and-half to juices in skillet and boil until sauce is reduced to about 2 1/2 cups and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, cherry tomatoes, and chicken pieces. Stir over medium heat until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add pasta to chicken mixture in skillet and toss to coat. Stir in basil and serve.

Serves 6

Today I am using 3 of the 10 inexpensive “super foods” I told you about yesterday; pinto beans, kale, and salmon. Although I have to confess that I cheated a little bit and used fresh salmon (more expensive) rather than canned (inexpensive)… but only because I had it on hand and it would have gone bad otherwise, which just would have been stupid and wasteful.

Cheese Tortellini with Pinto Beans, Kale, and Salmon

1 pound dried pinto beans
4 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 cup chopped fresh fennel
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper ­flakes
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 large bunch kale; washed, ribs removed and then chopped
1-pound package dry cheese tortellini
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Canned salmon or fresh grilled salmon

Pick over pinto beans and discard and foreign matter; such as rocks, dirt clods, or any damaged beans.

Rinse in cold water and drain; soak in water, to cover, overnight and then drain. Place in a medium saucepan with the garlic, and cover with at least 3 inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam from the top. Add the salt, bay leaf, and rosemary.  Simmer, partially covered, for 35 to 45 minutes or until beans are tender. Discard garlic cloves, bay leaf, and rosemary and allow beans to cool in the cooking liquid.

Heat a large skillet or pot over medium heat and add oil; stir in onion, fennel, thyme, and red pepper flakes.  Sauté until onion and fennel are soft and translucent.

Add the broth and bring to a boil. Stir in kale and beans along with their cooking liquid. Reduce heat to low and simmer until kale is wilted, stirring often.

Add tortellini. Cover and simmer until pasta is tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in Parmesan, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon into large flat bowls and serve with flaked canned salmon or fresh grilled salmon on the top.

Serves 4 to 6

For my last appearance on Valley Dish, I asked host, Tram Mai, what she would like to make.  After some 15 cooking appearances, it was the first time to make something of her choice instead of my choice or an specific themed assignment.  Tram requested a dish she had back in her college years in Los Angels at a restaurant called Crustacean.  After much on-line research, I compiled several peoples’ take on the roasted crab and came up with my own rendition.

The roasted crab is outstanding, but I think the real star of the dish is the garlic noodles.  The key is to find thick spaghetti, also know as spaghettoni or bucatini.  I found them at Whole Foods and in the Italian specialty aisle at the “big fancy” Fry’s on Tatum and Shea.

As for the crab, although the version we made on the live show used Dungeness crab, I’ve also tried with the pasteurized canned crab found at Costco and it tasted exactly the same… plus it’s more economical and so much easier!

Roasted Crab and Garlic Noodles ala Crustacean Beverly Hills

Roasted Crab
2 Dungeness crabs (about 2 pounds each), steamed and cooled or 1/2 pound (1/2 of a can) of pasteurized canned lump crab meat
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons “Better than Bouillon” chicken base
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper (using a mortar and pestle)
1/4  teaspoon sugar

Garlic Noodles
1 pound package spaghettoni, bucatini, (both are thick spaghetti) or wide egg noodles
2 tablespoons salt
1/4  cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly flattened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2  1/2 teaspoons “Better than Bouillon” chicken base
2  1/2 teaspoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

Roasted Crab:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Clean and chop the crab into bite size chunks.  Place a large wok over medium low heat and melt the butter.  Sauté the garlic until aromatic, but do not brown. Add the cracked black pepper and the chicken base; stir to combine.  Gently stir in the crab and mix together well.  Add the sugar and cook  until the crab is just heated through.  Pour into a gratin dish and bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes while you make the garlic noodles.

Garlic Noodles:  Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt and stir to dissolve.  Stir in noodles and cook according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add olive oil.  Reduce heat to low and add garlic, stir until the garlic is fragrant, then discard garlic and add 1/4  cup butter and stir until butter is melted. 

Stir in the garlic powder, chicken bouillon powder, and oyster sauce and cook until heated through.  Set aside until noodles are finished cooking.  Then drain the noodles add to the skillet and toss to coat.

When ready to serve; stir in Parmesan cheese, then divide noodles between 6 plates or pasta bowls and spoon roasted crab atop hot  garlic noodles and serve immediately.

Serves 6

A lighter, summer time appropriate version of spaghetti and meatballs.

Pesto Spaghetti  with Baked Chicken Meatballs

Chicken Meatballs

3 slices Italian bread, torn into small pieces (1 cup)
1/3 cup milk
3 ounces sliced pancetta, finely chopped
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 egg
1 pound ground chicken or turkey
4 tablespoons tomato paste, divided
3 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
Pesto Spaghetti
1 pound spaghetti
2 cups fresh basil leaves
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts
1 1/4 cups olive oil
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
Shaved Parmesan cheese, as desired

Meatballs: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a sheet pan with foil.  Soak bread in milk in a small bowl until softened, about four minutes.

Cook pancetta, onion, and garlic in 1 tablespoon oil with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat until onion is softened, about 6 minutes.  Cool slightly.

Squeeze bread to remove excess milk, then discard milk. Lightly beat egg in a large bowl, then combine with chicken, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, pancetta mixture, bread, and parsley.  Form into 12 meatballs and arrange on prepared sheet pan.

Stir together remaining 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and brush over meatballs.  Then bake in preheated oven until meatballs are just cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.

Pesto Spaghetti: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt and cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain, rinse, and set aside.

Meanwhile make a pesto sauce, in a food processor or blender; puree basil, garlic, salt, Parmesan cheese, and nuts.  With motor running, add olive oil through feed tube until incorporated.  Pour basil pesto into large serving bowl.

Drain pasta and add to a large serving bowl, toss with pesto, to coat.  Top with baked meatballs, diced tomatoes, and Parmesan shavings and serve warm or at room temperature.

Serve 8

Buffalo wings: check.  Macaroni and cheese: check. Happy kids: check.  But the two together – Wow! Another kid favorite combo tomorrow…  oh, and Happy 4th of July!

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

Topping
10 slices bacon, diced
1 cups Panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Mac and Cheese
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings
1 cup peeled and diced onion
3 celery stalks, diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk
1/4 cup Franks Buffalo Sauce
1 pound grated white cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 pound small macaroni pasta
2 cups cubed purchased rotisserie chicken, tossed with 2 tablespoons Frank’s sauce

Topping: Cook the diced bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.

In a medium bowl, combine the Panko, blue cheese, drained bacon, and melted butter; mix together and set aside.

Mac and Cheese: In a large pot, melt the butter and reserved bacon drippings together, stir in the onions and celery and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent.  Stir in the garlic, then the flour and continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Increase heat to medium-high; slowly add the milk, while whisking constantly until all the milk is incorporated.  Stir in the Franks sauce and continue to whisk constantly until the sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon.  Remove from heat and stir in the cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until cheese is melted.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees and butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

When the water is boiling, add 1 tablespoon salt and then the macaroni and cook uncovered until al dente; drain and stir the pasta into the cheese sauce.

Pour the mac and cheese into the prepared baking dish, cover with foil and bake for about 15 minutes.  Remove foil, stir in cubed chicken. Sprinkle on topping and return to oven and bake another 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and top is lightly brown.

Serves 10

No doubt, you’ve dined in many Italian restaurants or perused enough cookbooks and food magazines to know what to expect when you order or see a recipe for pasta primavera.  A lovely pasta dish filled with fresh seasonal vegetables, primavera means spring in Italian, so freshness is what it’s all about.  But did you know that there was no such thing as pasta primavera on menus and in cookbooks until after 1975?

Although the dish is derived from centuries old genuine Italian dishes, its name and widespread popularity was created by two culinary icons, Sirio Maccioni, the owner of Le Cirque in New York City and Craig Claiborne, the legendary New York Times food editor and restaurant critic.

In May 1975 a group of chefs and gourmets, including Claiborn, were traveling through New York City to Canada when Maccioni prepared a dish for the group using spaghetti, fresh vegetables, frozen peas, and cream.  A guest asked what the dish was called and Maccioni responded, “spaghetti primavera.”  A week later, Claiborne wrote in his column that spaghetti primavera was “the best pasta discovery in twenty years.”  As a result, diners flocked to Le Cirque only to find that is was not on the menu. Maccioni hadn’t felt as though he had created a new dish, it was just a variation of a classic Italian recipe he had known from his childhood in rural Tuscany, but he finally obliged his guests and decided that it could be ordered “off the menu.”

This is the penne primavera I created for students to make for our pasta class these past two weeks and HERE IS A LINK to the original Le Cirque version, which was published in the premier issue of Food & Wine Magazine in 1978.

Penne Primavera

1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups frozen baby peas, thawed
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a very large skillet, heat the olive oil.  Add the garlic and cook over low heat, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and boil over high heat until the liquid reduced by half, about 8 – 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain.

Add the cream to the reduced liquid in the  skillet and boil over high heat until the sauce has thickened, about 4 minutes.  Stir in the asparagus and peas and cook until the asparagus is just tender, about 5 minutes.  Toss in the penne and stir until pasta is heated through.

Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, sage, oregano, and the 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the pasta to serving bowls, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.

Serves 8

If you do, then you’ll adore this Buffalo wing inspired lasagna.  I’ve got a Buffalo Mac and Cheese that I may have to have a class of my students whip up and then post here before the summer is over as well.

Buffalo Chicken Lasagna

1 pound diced meat from a rotisserie chicken
4 cups prepared marinara sauce
2 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 small onion, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper; cored, seeded and diced
6-ounce can mushrooms, drained
1 egg, beaten
15-ounce container ricotta cheese
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a lasagna pan.

In a large bowl combine the chicken, marinara sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, water, garlic powder, onion, bell pepper and mushrooms; mix well and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together the egg and ricotta cheese.

Spread 1 cup of the chicken/marinara mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer with 4 lasagna noodles (in a 4-pane window pane patter), then another 1 1/2 cups of the chicken mixture.

Spread half of the ricotta/egg mixture over all the top of the chicken mixture, then top with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.

Add another layer of 4 noodles, 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture, remaining ricotta mixture and remaining mozzarella.

Top with one last layer of 4 noodles and then pour on the all remaining chicken mixture.

Cover pan with foil and bake for 55 to 60 minutes.  Remove foil cover, sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese and bake uncovered for another  to 10 minutes.

Remove from oven, cover and let stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes, for lasagna to set-up, before serving.

Serves 12

Tuesday of last week was “Pasta & Cupcakes” day. This was one of the pastas the kids (8 – 12 year olds) made.  It was a favorite, we’ll see if the teens feel the same about it this coming Tuesday.

Spaghetti alla Bolognese

1  1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and finely diced
1/2 cup peeled and finely diced carrot
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 bay leaf
1 pound ground pork
2 ounces pancetta, finely diced
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups chopped fresh plum tomatoes (about 1/2 pound)
1  1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg
1 (2-ounce) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound spaghetti, freshly cooked
1 cup shredded Parmesan
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and bay leaf to pot; cook 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground pork, pancetta, and another 1/4 teaspoon salt; saute 8 minutes or until pork loses its pink color.

Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, broth, wine, milk, nutmeg and Parmesan rind; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Add cinnamon stick; simmer 30 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates.  Discard bay leaf, cheese rind, and cinnamon stick; stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the freshly ground black pepper.

Place freshly cooked spaghetti in a large pasta bowl and toss with the bolognese sauce.  Divided between 6 dinner plates or pasta bowls and generously sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Serves 6

Connor was not a fan of the squash blossoms from the other day… although; Marissa, Dave and I loved them. I felt I needed to make it up to him since he’ll only be home a few days before he heads back up to Flagstaff for summer school. I made this pasta with him in mind and then at the last minute, as I was about to throw in some goat cheese, remembered that he doesn’t like goat cheese as much as the rest of us.  That is the reason it is added at the end, allowed to just melt into the sauce and why I’ve made it “optional” – delish – with or without!  And if the roasted cherry tomatoes seem awfully familiar – they are, I’ve featured them here many times before, can’t help it, they are so good!

Roasted Cherry Tomato, Pancetta, and Chicken Vermicelli

1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced, divided
2 or 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4-ounce diced pancetta
1/2 large white onion, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup dry white wine
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, divided
8-ounces dry vermicelli pasta
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
4 slices soft herb-coated goat cheese (chèvre), optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place tomato halves, in 1 layer, on baking sheet. Add half of the minced garlic and the thyme sprigs to baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place on middle rack of preheated oven and roast until tomatoes are slightly browned, about 25 minutes. Discard thyme sprig and set aside.

Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Place one chicken breast halve, former skin-side up, in the center of the wrap.  Fold over the wrap and use a meat-pounder or the bottom of a small heavy skillet to pound the breast into a thin even layer.  Repeat with remaining chicken breast and then season with salt and pepper on both sides.  Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat the bottom.  Add the pancetta and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the pancetta until it is nearly crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring regularly.

Add the diced onion and Italian seasoning, increase the heat to medium and sauté until the onion is soft and golden, about another 12 minutes, stirring often.

Season the mixture with salt and pepper and stir in the wine.  Place the pounded and seasoned chicken breast halves on top, reduce the heat to low, cover, and poach for about 3 minutes.  Uncover, turn over chicken and sprinkle with half of the lemon zest. Cover and cook another 3 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked through.

Remove chicken to a plate or board. Continue to cook the wine mixture to reduce slightly while you cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente (about 5-6 minutes) drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.

Return the chicken to the skillet, along with the roasted tomatoes, and olive halves and heat through.  Stir in enough of the pasta water to make a nice sauce.

Divide the pasta between 4 dinner plates or pasta bowls and top with the chicken-tomato mixture in a large mound.  Sprinkle each plate with Parmesan cheese and the remaining lemon zest. Place a disk of goat cheese in the center of each mound to melt into the hot mixture, if desired.

Serves 4