Category Archives: Pasta

Pimento Mac & Cheese

We recently made our own pimento cheese for burgers with our trial of Blue Apron order last week. My husband and I discovered it is super easy. Which had my head spinning and thinking what else can I put these cute little pimentos into?? …. aha Mac & Cheese! After all stewed tomatoes are generally paired with this gooey goodness.

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups of mini shell whole wheat noodles (dried)

4 tablespoons butter, unsalted

1/3 cup all purpose floor

1 cup fat free half and half

1 1/2 cup skim milk

1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon franks hot sauce

1 cup shredded stelvio cheese

1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella

1/3 cup finely chopped canned pimentos

1 teaspoon kosher Salt

Directions

1.In a large stockpot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. Rinse in strainer with cold water. Leave the pasta in the strainer and return the pot to the stovetop.
2. Melt the butter in the stockpot now over over medium heat. When the butter has melted and has started to bubble, whisk in the flour; cook for whisking continuously for 1 1/2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk & fat free half and half until no clumps of flour residue remain.

3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the roux, whisking frequently, until it thickens and bubbles, about 8 additional minutes.

4. Remove sauce pan from the heat and by wooden spoon, stir in the cheeses allowing all of the cheese to melt into the sauce before adding more. Stir in the mustard, salt, and hot sauce.

5. Return the sauce pan to the heat and stir in the pasta & pimentos. Be sure fold in all the ingredients thoroughly, bring up the sauce to coat all the shells. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat until heated through.

Enjoy!

Pesto Crumbled Sausage Rotini Bake

We have an abundance of basil in the herb garden. I love making homemade pesto with it!

This recipe is a great way to use up your basil before the nights get too cold and start to frost.
You can also use store bought pesto if you don’t have basil in the garden or if you are pressed for time.

Serving 4

Prep time: 15 minutes.

Bake time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup prepared pesto

3 cups cooked rotini pasta (I use Dreamfields wheat pasta that cooks white)

1 cup cooked crumbled Italian sausage

2 Tablespoon fresh shredded Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cup shredded Italian blend cheese

Cooking spray (divided)

8 by 8 baking dish

Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package.

Directions:
1. Place pesto, sausage, pasta, and a 1/2 cup of the Italian cheese in the empty pasta pasta pot (why use another bowl). Mix together the ingredients and place them in the 8 by 8 baking dish.

2. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese and place in the preheated oven at 360 degrees for 20 minutes.

3. Remove from oven and enjoy with some garlic bread!

Fresh Greek Pasta Salad

A gentleman I work with gave me a “Greek”cucumber. I couldn’t wait to try it. To be honest I did not know there was such a thing. Lo and behold there is and it is actually called Armenian Cucumber.

These cucumbers are more mild and perfect for salads once seeded and peeled.

I made this pasta salad using all my garden finds. Having a garden can be very rewarding.

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups of uncooked rotini whole wheat pasta

1/2 cup kalamata olives (cut in half)

1 cup cherry tomatoes (cut in half)

1 cup Greek cucumber, (peeled and seeded), diced

1/4 cup balsamic dressing

1/2 cup crumbled fat free feta

3-4 fresh leaves of basil

Directions:

1. Cook the rotini according to the package but one minute less. Strain & Rinse with cold water.

2. In a small bowl mix together olives, tomatoes,cucumber,feta& dressing.

3.Fold in the rotini and garnish with the basil.

4. Enjoy!

P.S. If you are letting this salad sit overnight than you may need to add 1-2 tablespoons of dressing before serving.

Tri-Color Spelt Lemon Rotini

This was a quick throw everything together kind of dinner tonight. We can call it Meatless Fast Dinner Friday! Bonus I received this free box of pasta from Natures Legacy this past week at work! I like how this spelt pasta only takes 5 minutes to cook! I love saving time in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

Cannelloni Beans, 1 can rinsed and drained

1 box 8oz of Tri Color Spelt Ronini

1/3 cup shredded Parm Cheese

1/4 tsp red pepper flake

2 TB olive oil or canola oil

1 small zucchini quartered and chopped

4 extra large garlic cloves, chopped finely

Cracked Red Pepper to taste

2 tb fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp lemon zest

4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to packaging. Strain and set aside.

2. In a sauté pan, sauté up the olive oil and garlic. Cook the garlic until lightly browned. Add in the zucchini, sauté until it reaches your desired texture. I prefer my zucchini more firm than soft, so I only cooked mine for a minute or two. Season with freshly ground pepper to taste.

3. Once the zucchini has Reached the tenderness you desire add in the beans and cooked pasta. Sprinkle the zest and pour in the lemon juice over the pasta. Stir well with rubber spatula.

4. Fold in the parm cheese, and lastly season with red pepper flake and garnish with basil.

Enjoy!

Spring Pesto Pasta with Asparagus and Pine Nuts

If you are looking for a dinner that can be ready in 15 minutes than you have found the right recipe. Bonus you can make this entire dish in one pot! Whenever I’m in a hurry or in a pinch pasta is my go to for a quick and fast dinner.

Asparagus is a spring vegetable packed with a lot of nutrition. Since this vegetable is in season right now you can get a pretty affordable deal at the market! I know our local farmers market has it fresh from the garden.

Asparagus is rich in Vitamin K and also folate. Asparagus is also a good source of fiber. There are many colors of asparagus; however, the well know green asparagus is the most common variety, but you can also find white, & purple spears as well.

Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups dry rotini (I used dreamfields)

1/2 tsp salt

3 oz of pesto ( I used my freezer stock from last season)

1 pound of fresh asparagus ( 2 inch segments)

1/4 cup pine nuts

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to package. During the last minute of boiling add the cut asparagus. Strain the pasta and asparagus.

2. Add the noodles and asparagus back into the pan and add the pesto, salt and pine nuts. Use a spatula to mix the ingredients together and enjoy!

Grammy Ulam’s Spaghetti Sauce

My husband’s grandma aka Grammy Ulam makes one of the best spaghetti sauce recipes ever. It is suppose to be a local restaurant back homes authentic sauce. Let me just say it is not a Ulam Family gathering without her sensational sauce. The sauce pairs best with Warren Bakery Bread and some brummle and brown butter spread slathered on the top. The sauce also goes well with homemade pizza or chicken parm…just about anything really.

Please note we have made this recipe several times and may have altered her original recipe slightly to accommodate our kitchen pantry.

Recipe yields 6-7 Quarts

Ingredients:

3 Cans of Tomato Puree (Quart Size)

3 (28 ounce) Cans of San Marzano Tomatoes in Sauce (DOP)

2 TB Italian Seasoning or Penzey’s Pasta Sprinkle

3 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 TB Hot Pepper oil (From home canning)

6 Fresh Garlic Cloves

1 TB garlic powder

1 Tsp Kosher Salt

1 Tsp Fresh Ground Pepper

2-3 TB of granulated sugar

12 QT Stock Pot

Directions:

1. On medium low heat, saute fresh garlic in olive oil and hot pepper oil until effervescent in stock pot. Add remaining ingredients into stock pot keep heat on medium low until it simmers for at least an hour and then decrease the temperature to low and cook for at least one more hour but maximum of 4 hours. If you feel the sauce is becoming too thick add some water to the mix.

2. Can the sauce according or freeze in quart size freezer safe bags (grammy freezers hers).

3. Enjoy!

Alfredo Sausage Stuffed Shells

We had some leftover Alfredo sauce and I wanted to play a creative spin on it so we came up with this dish for dinner last night.

Serving: 2-3

Ingredients

Seven jumbo shells

1/3 pound Italian sausage or chicken Italian sausage

1.5 cups Alfredo sauce (light)

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/3 cup fat-free ricotta cheese

3/4 Cup of shredded reduced fat mozzarella (divided)

2 tablespoons of egg white substitute

1 TB fresh parsley from the garden, minced)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions:

Prep preheat the oven to 350°

1. Cook pasta according to packaging. Drain and rinse under cold water until ready to fill.

2. In a medium sauce pan brown up sausage over medium heat until no longer pink and drai excess fat. That half a sausage aside for the filling. Add the Alfredo sauce and Italian seasoning to have to sausage remaining in the skillet. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer.
3. And a small bowl combine ricotta cheese a half a cup of the mozzarella cheese egg substitute parsley and reserved sausage mix until everything is incorporated. Stuff equal amounts of filling into the prepared shells.

4. In a 1 quart shallow baking dish or 8 by 8 pan spread 1/4 cup of the Alfredo and meat sauce into the bottom.

5. Place the filled pasta shells into the baking pan on top of the meat sauce. Pour remaining meat sauce over top of the pasta. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake uncovered at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and if desired sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.

7. Enjoy with some garlic bread !

Spinach Mushroom Alfredo Lasagna for two

I love making lasagna ! But when I cook it is usually just for 2. So making a large lasagna only happens with a party or gathering. But since I like to bake lasagna I’ve found an alternative option. The secret to smaller batches is utilizing a bread loaf pan. Generally an 8.5 inch pan will work for this dish.

Ingredients:
1 & 1/3 cup shredded lite mozzarella or fat free
1 cup fat free ricotta
1/4 cup of egg substitute
4 whole wheat lasagna noodles ( I purchase the kind that cook white to trick the non whole wheat critics) *** (dreamfield, Ronzoni Smart taste, Barella white fiber) ***
3 cups of fresh spinach
1 jar 15 oz lite Alfredo
1/2 cup chopped button mushrooms
4 cloves of garlic chopped
Cooking spray
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated
1 tsp pasta sprinkle (or italian seasoning)
Cracked Fresh pepper
Salt to taste

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to box & preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In meantime in a small bowl combine egg substitute, ricotta, pasta sprinkle and Parmesan; set aside.

3. Spray pan with cooking spray. On medium heat sauté garlic, spinach and mushrooms. Once spinach wilts remove from heat and set aside.

4. Spray the loaf pan with Pam.

5. Spread 1/3 cup sauce on bottom of the pan. Lay noodle (cut to fit the pan) on bottom place reserve noodle on side. We don’t waste food in my kitchen.

6. Spread 1/3 cup of sauce over noodles evenly.

7. Spread 1/3 cup of the egg cheese mixture over the sauce.

8. Sprinkle some sautéed veggies over the cheese spread.

9. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the mozzarella

10. Repeat layers twice.

11. Top with remaing noodle. On top of last noodle spread 1/3 cup Alfredo sauce and remaining mozzarella. I like to grate with an extra bit of Parmesan on the top too.

12. Bake for 30 minutes on 400 degrees.

13. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes

Serves 3 to 4 serving.

Josh and Julie’s favorite mac & cheese

I have made this recipe so many times! It is probably my most requested recipe by far. I try and tweak it with each reveal. I have tried many recipes of Mac and cheese but always go back to this tried and true recipe.

Ingredients

2 cups of dry. macaroni noodles (dreamfields or smart taste)
2 cups plus 1/4 cup of 2% cheddar cheese
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 Fat Free sour cream
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1 cup of skim milk
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray and 8 by 8 glass dish with cooking spray.

Cook macaroni according to the directions on the package.

In the meantime measure out milk, sour cream, and egg substitute. Mix together with fork.

Once cooked and drained place noodles back into the pan.

Remove from heat.

Add cheese and stir.

Add liquid ingredient mixture, salt, pepper, and mustard. Fold until incorporated.

Now pour noodles into the glass dish.

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of cheese for an added flare.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Cabbage and Whole Wheat Egg Noodles

Nothing says warm up the soul like a good dish of cabbage and noodles! There was an Orthodox Church near my mother’s place of employment that made homemade halushki a.k.a. cabbage and noodles and pierogies. I can still remember when my mom use to bring them home for us when my sister and I were growing up. This noodle dish is definitely a comfort food for me. Not to mention they pair well with pierogies. The bad news is halushki the church made was saturated in butter and high in calories! The good news, I found a way to enjoy the flavor without all the extra calories of butter. There is one secret ingredient and that is freshly Cracked Pepper!!!

Ingredients:
1 small head of cabbage (Rinsed & chopped)
6 oz of dry whole wheat egg noodles
2 small onions, chopped
Canola oil Spray
4 Large cloves of garlic, diced
Salt to taste
Up to 1 TB freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Heat a large skillet to medium high heat.

Spray heavily with Cooking spray.

Add onions and garlic to heated pan and sauté until the onions are translucent.

Sprinkle onions and garlic with salt and sprinkle with cracked black pepper. Don’t add all the pepper at one time. I like to add a little at a time.

Add the chopped cabbage.

Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle some additional black pepper. Cover and continue to stir every 5 minutes.

After 15 minutes have elapsed turn heat to low.

Add egg noodles to boiling water and cook according to package.

Add drained noodles to cabbage and season with pepper and salt one last time.

Enjoy! Hopefully with some Pierogies !

A Pinch of Luv

from scratch baking and cooking blog

Category Archives: Pasta

Pimento Mac & Cheese

Pesto Crumbled Sausage Rotini Bake

Fresh Greek Pasta Salad

Tri-Color Spelt Lemon Rotini

Spring Pesto Pasta with Asparagus and Pine Nuts

Grammy Ulam’s Spaghetti Sauce

Alfredo Sausage Stuffed Shells

Spinach Mushroom Alfredo Lasagna for two

Josh and Julie’s favorite mac & cheese

Cabbage and Whole Wheat Egg Noodles