Linguini Salad

This is my mother's recipe and she's been making this for as long as I can remember. It's a perfect side dish to go along with any sort of cookout type food. My husband drools every time he hears that she is preparing this. I hope you enjoy it too!

Linguini Salad:

courtesy of my mom

1 lb linguini, cooked

1 bottle Zesty Italian salad dressing - you can use Light

1 jar Salad Supreme

1 cup chopped pepperoni

1 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup chopped tomato - optional

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate overnight. Stir before serving.

Bow Tie Lasagna

Bow Tie Lasagna:

courtesy of Pioneer Woman

1 pound ground chuck

5 cups bow tie pasta

3 cups spaghetti sauce (I used 1 jar Prego Tomato, Basil and Garlic)

1 Tbsp. olive oil (I omitted)

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

Fry ground chuck in small pan. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions.

After noodles are cooked, drain and drizzle with olive oil. Mix in your spaghetti sauce.

Add your fried hamburger, seasonings, cheese and sour cream. Fold together and allow it all to combine and melt together, over low heat, for about 5 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Lasagna Rolls

This is Giada De Laurentiis' recipe from foodnetwork.com. Overall, this dish was good. For my personal taste, it had too much spinach. If I make them again, I will use about half of what she calls for. Also, use a good marinara sauce. I used a cheaper product and was disappointed.

Lasagna Rolls:

from foodnetwork.com

Sauce:

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

4 tsp. all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups whole milk (I used skim)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:

1 15 oz. container whole milk ricotta cheese

1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan

3 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto (I omitted)

1 large egg, beaten to blend

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil

12 uncooked lasagna noodles

2 cups marinara sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella (I used about 1/2 cup)

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for three minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about three minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper and nutmeg into the bechemal sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon of two to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13x9x2 inch glass baking pan. Pour the bechemal sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 Tbsp. of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at one end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechemel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 Tbsp. of parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat, until hot, and serve alongside.

Homemade fettucini and tomato sauce

My mother gave me a pasta maker for Christmas and I had yet to use it. I had time today and decided to give it a try. I decided to make fettucini and my mom's recipe for homemade tomato sauce. It came out pretty well and was much easier than I thought it would be.

Fresh Pasta:

Courtesy of Mario Batali

3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

4 extra large eggs (I used 2 jumbo eggs and 2 large eggs)

Mound the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour, add the eggs. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and begin to incorporate the flour starting with the inner rim of the well. As you incorporate the eggs, keep pushing the flour up to retain the well shape. (I had a dam break, but still managed!) The dough will come together in a shaggy mess when about half the flour is incorporated.

Start kneading the dough with both hands, primarily using the palms of your hands. Add more flour, in 1/2 cup increments, if the dough is too sticky. Once the dough is a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up any left over dry bits. Lightly flour the board and continue kneading for 3 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Continue to knead for another 3 minutes, remembering to dust your board with flour when necessary. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes at room temperature. Roll and form as desired.

Note: Do not skip the kneading or resting portion of this recipe. They are essential for a light pasta.

I made mine into fettucini and cooked for about 5 minutes in boiling water. I like my pasta very well cooked. I served it with my mom's quick tomato sauce.

Mom's Quick Tomato Sauce:

1 26 oz can tomato sauce

1 can tomato soup

1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together and simmer until pasta is ready.

I hope you enjoy!!

Macaroni & Cheese

I had a craving for some creamy macaroni & cheese tonight, but it's just me, so I didn't want to make an entire pan of it. I decided to just make a single serving. I boiled up about 1/4 quarter of a box of penne (it's what I had on hand) and made a cheesy sauce to pour over it.

3 Tbsp. butter

4 Tbsp. flour (I use heaping tablespoons because I like my sauce very thick)

1 cup milk

6 oz. American cheese

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Stir for a little while to cook the flour taste out. Pour in the milk and stir often until it starts to thicken. Make sure to pull the flour/butter paste in from the sides of the pan. Once it begins to thicken, add the American cheese and remove from the heat. Stir until cheese melts. Pour over cooked pasta.

This made enough cheese sauce for a couple of more dishes as well. I just refrigerated it and will use it tomorrow on something. So good!!!