Brown Butter Tortellini with Toasted Garlic and Asparagus

1 lb cheese tortellini
3 Tbsp butter
8 oz asparagus, thinly sliced on a diagonal
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped OR a sprinkle of dried tarragon
grated parmesan - for sprinkling over top when serving

Cook tortellini according to pkg directions.  Drain.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet.  Add in the asparagus, garlic, and season with 1/4 tsp salt and a sprinkle of pepper.  Add in dried tarragon (if using fresh, wait till later).  Saute till beginning to soften, about 2-3 minutes.  Increase heat to medium high and cook till butter turns golden brown.  Add tortellini (and tarragon if using fresh) and brown tortellini slightly.  Top with parmesan cheese.

Michael Symon's Lasagna

From Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound pork neck bones
1 pound ground veal
1 pound ground beef
1 pound spicy Italian sausage, loose or removed from casings
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes, with their juice
2 bay leaves
1 pound dried lasagna noodles
2 pounds whole milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for final topping
1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and a three-finger pinch of salt and sweat them until they're translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the neck bones and let them brown, about 5 minutes. Add the ground veal, beef and sausage, and season with another healthy pinch of salt. Cook until the meat is browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the white wine, tomatoes and their juice, and the bay leaves. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, making sure to get all of the browned bits into the sauce. Season the sauce with salt, to taste, and simmer for 2 hours over medium heat. Remove the bay leaves and neck bones and let cool. Skim any fat that rises to the surface.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add enough salt so that it tastes seasoned and allow the water to return to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until al dente. Drain well and set aside.

In a medium bowl mix together the ricotta, parsley, basil, oregano, eggs, and Parmesan with a pinch of salt.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Ladle about 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of a lasagna pan. Arrange a layer of noodles followed by a layer of sauce and then some of the ricotta mixture. Top with a layer of mozzarella, smoothing it with a spatula to the edges. Repeat the process until the pan is full. Finish with a final layer of noodles, sauce, the mozzarella, and Parmesan.

Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest, 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Mrs. Tucker's Alfredo

8 oz bowtie pasta
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup whipping or heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
dash of pepper
parsley flakes
cooked chicken - optional

Cook noodles as directed.  Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat butter and cream over medium heat, stirring frequently until butter is melted and mixture starts to bubble; reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 6 minutes, stirring frequently until slightly thickened.  Remove from heat.  Stir in cheese, salt, pepper and parsley.  Pour sauce over noodles and toss until well coated. 

Rigatoni D - From Sarah

Sauce -
1/2 qt chicken stock
6 oz white wine
1/2 qt heavy cream
1 Tbsp fresh basil
1 Tbsp fresh parsley

To thicken sauce, either make a roux or simmer to reduce.  Season with salt and pepper - to taste.  Add 1/2 - 1 cup parmesan cheese. 

Add to sauce - a bunch of sauteed mushrooms, a TON of carmelized onions.  Add sliced baked and breaded chicken.  Add some cooked rigatoni.  Serve with additional parmesan. 

Chicken Travis

4 chicken breasts
2 cups heavy cream
1/8 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 can artichoke hearts
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Trim and cut chicken into small pieces.  Brown and cook through in butter/oil.  When cooked, add cream, lemon juice, wine, garlic and artichoke hearts.  Simmer over low heat for about 15-20 minutes, stirring often.  Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook for another 5-10 minutes.  Great over pasta. 

Ziti Chicken and Broccoli

About 3/4 lb pasta
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1 pint heavy cream
1 (10.75oz) can chicken stock
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper - to taste
3 Tbsp cornstarch
2  heads broccoli - steamed
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, chopped in large chops
4 breaded and cooked chicken breasts, cut into pieces

Cook pasta.  In a large skillet, saute garlic in butter.  Stir in cream, broth.  Add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  Add cornstarch.  Simmer all together on low for 20 minutes . Once sauce is cooked, add broccoli and artichoke hearts.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Once sauce is done, toss with pasta, broccoli and chicken. 

Three Cheese Baked Ziti

3 cups ricotta cheese (or 16 oz container)
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
10 oz pkg frozen spinach, cooked
1/3 cup grated parmesan
26 oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 lb penne rigate pasta, or ziti
16 oz shredded mozzarella

Blend together ricotta, parsley, salt, egg and spinach until smooth.  Add parmesan and blend to combine.

Spread enough sauce in a ungreased 9x13 baking dish to cover the bottom.  Arrange 1/2 of the pasta over sauce.  Spread half of the ricotta mixture over top.   cover with 1/2 of the remaining sauce and sprinkle 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese on top.  Repeat layers, ending with layer of mozzarella.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutres or till cheese is nicely browned.

Macaroni and Cheese

about 12 oz pasta of your choice
4 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
4 oz white American cheese
8 oz sharp white Vermont cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

(I also do this with yellow american cheese and yellow cheddar)

Cook pasta according to pkg directions, being careful not to overcook.  Melt butter in a sauce pan over med heat.  when the butter has melted, whisk in flour; cook for 1 1/2 minutes, whisking constantly.  Gradually whisk in milk till no lumps remain.  Reduce heat to med/low and cook milk mixture, whisking frequently, until it thickens and bubbles, about 8 minutes.  Remove sauce pan from heat and stir in the cheeses till melted.  Eat as is, or bake at 400 for about 20 minutes with some buttered breadcrumbs on the top. 

Penne with Roasted Tomato and Garlic

Penne with Roasted Tomato and Garlic

Prep time: 10 minutes
Start to Finish: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Olive oil
8 to 10 roma (plum) tomatoes, cut in half
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
1 bulb garlic, unpeeled
2 cups uncooked penne pasta
¼ cup chopped fresh or 1 Tbsp dried basil leaves
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

1. Heat oven to 300. Cover cookie sheet with foil, brush with olive oil.

2. Arrange tomato halves, cut sides up in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper.

3. Cut 1/2 inch off top (pointy end) of garlic bulb; drizzle about 1-2 tsp olive oil over the garlic bulb. Wrap in foil; place on cookie sheet with tomatoes.

4. Bake 55-60 minutes or until garlic is soft when pierced with a knife and tomatoes have begun to shrivel; cool slightly.

5. Cook pasta and drain as directed on the package.

6. Squeeze garlic into bowl that has about 1 Tbsp olive oil and mash until smooth. (The garlic bulb was kinda hot to squeeze, so I squeezed what I could while holding a potholder. There was still some garlic in the bulb, so I just pulled that out with a fork and that worked just fine.) Toss with pasta. Add tomato halves and basil; toss. Top with cheese and serve immediately.