Tag: pasta

Tomato Basil Pasta

Tomato Basil Pasta
Tomato Basil Pasta
This favorite recipe is great for potlucks.

Ingredients

  • 1 box penne pasta, cooked
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
  • 3 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
  • 2 Tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Directions
Heat oil in skillet, add garlic and prosciutto and saute for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in olives, vinegar, salt and pepper. Transfer drained pasta to a serving bowl, gently toss sauce and basil to the pasta. Garnish with pine nuts and serve at room temperature.

Nani Tip
To toast pine nuts, put them in a small dry skillet over medium heat and toss frequently until golden brown.

Easy Marinara Sauce

Marinara Sauce
Marinara Sauce
This is a super easy and delicious Marinara sauce and has become my favorite recipe for a tomato based sauce. You can add some ground beef to it to make a hearty meat sauce if you like.

Ingredients

  • 2- 14.5 oz cans of Italian tomatoes
  • 1- 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/3 cup finely diced onion
  • 1/2 cup red or white wine

Directions

  1. In a food processor or blender, place tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
  2. In a large skillet saute the chopped onion over a medium heat in the olive oil for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the blended tomato sauce and the wine.
  4. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve over your favorite pasta.

Cajun Chicken and Pasta

This is a new favorite recipe that I just recently found in the Penzey Spice Newsletter. It was contributed by Debbie Alexander. I really enjoyed the flavors and the ease of preparation. I did increase some of the spice amounts.

Cajun Chicken and Pasta
Cajun Chicken and Pasta

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
  • 2-4 Tablespoons Cajun Seasoning
  • 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 1 red pepper, cut into thin strips (can use green or 1/2 of each kind)
  • 6 large mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp minced lemon peel
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 8 oz broad egg noodles, cooked and drained. Other pastas work, but I really liked it with the egg noodles.

    • Instructions

    1. Place the chicken and the Cajun Seasoning in a plastic bag and shake to coat.
    2. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.
    3. Add the chicken and cook 5-7 minutes or until chicken loses it’s pink color.
    4. Add the peppers, onions, and mushrooms and stir for another 3-4 minutes.
    5. Add the half & half and the remaining seasonings and heat through.
    6. Serve the chicken over the cooked egg noodles or pasta.