Chicken Empanada Cones

Ingredients:

1/3

cup water

2

teaspoons golden raisins

3

tablespoons LAND O LAKES® Butter

4

teaspoons agave sweetener or honey

1/3

cup fresh cilantro

3/4

cup chopped onions

1

tablespoon Pillsbury BEST® Unbleached Flour

1

can (18.5 oz) Progresso® World Recipes frijoles negros y jalapeño soup, drained, reserving liquid

2

cups diced cooked chicken breast

1/2

cup frozen corn, thawed

1/2

cup chopped roasted red bell peppers (from a jar)

1/2

teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Salt

1/4

teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cumin

1

teaspoon red pepper sauce

2

tablespoons cornmeal

1

box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

1

cup salsa

1/2

cup sour cream

Chocolate-Orange Pastries

Ingredients:

1

package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

2

to 3 teaspoons grated orange peel

1

Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box

1/4

cup Smucker’s® Sweet Orange Marmalade

1/2

cup Hershey’s® Special Dark® chocolate baking chips

1

LAND O LAKES® Egg, beaten

2

teaspoons sugar

Skillet Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flour
3 1/2 cups half and half
8 ounces (about 3 cups) dry macaroni, you can also use fusilli or penne pasta
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, (do not use the pre-bagged kind because it contains cornstarch)

Capellini with Asparagus and Pancetta

Ingredients
1 pound angel hair pasta or capellini
12 ounces fresh asparagus, rinsed well and cut into one-inch pieces
1 large pinch salt
4 extra-large, free-range eggs
4 ounces diced pancetta or bacon
2 cloves large garlic, minced or grated
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 large handful Italian parsley,, finely chopped
 salt and pepper to taste
 shaved Parmesan cheese

Linguine with Clam Sauce

Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped (or 1/3 cup finely chopped onion)
3 6.5-ounce cans chopped clams, drained, juice reserved (you should have about 1 1/2 cups of juice)
1/2 cup dry white wine (or chicken broth, if the wine flavor will trouble your kids)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
Salt to taste
Freshly grated parmesan
1 pound of linguini, freshly cooked until just tender (be sure to salt the cooking water well)

Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients
1/2 pound ground beef
1 jar Pasta Sauce, (26 ounces)
1 teaspoon kosher salt , (or half as much table salt)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups water
1/2 pound Angel hair pasta, broken into thirds
2 cups baby spinach or chopped kale
 freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Gnocchi with Zucchini Ribbons & Parsley Brown Butter

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Ready in: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each
Ease of Prep: Easy
Recipe Ingredients
  1 pound fresh or frozen gnocchi
  2 tablespoons butter
  2 medium shallots , chopped
  1 pound zucchini (about 3 small), very thinly sliced lengthwise (see Tip)
  1 pint cherry tomatoes , halved
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  Freshly ground pepper to taste
  1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Recipe Directions
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook gnocchi according to package instructions until they float, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the butter is beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add shallots and zucchini and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes, salt, nutmeg and pepper and continue cooking, stirring often, until the tomatoes are just starting to break down, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and parsley. Add gnocchi and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Mocha Cupcake

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes Baking Time: 17-20 minutes

1-1/3 all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup whole milk
½ cup strong brewed coffee
1½ teaspoons espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 egg, at room temperature

1. Mix the espresso powder into the brewed coffee until dissolved; set aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard-size muffin tin with paper liners.

3. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. Beat the butter and both sugars together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. In a measuring cup, combine the milk, brewed coffee mixture and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture, alternating with the coffee mixture, ending with the flour mixture.

5. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 liners. Baking for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting cupcakes.

(Cupcake recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction)

Espresso Buttercream Frosting

Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons espresso powder

1. Mix the espresso powder into the vanilla until dissolved; set aside.

2. Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time, waiting until it is mostly incorporated before adding more. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy, about a minute or two. Add the espresso and vanilla mixture and continue to mix at medium-high until it is completely incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary.

Margarita Cupcake

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cupcakes:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
Zest and juice of 1½ limes
2 tablespoons tequila
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk

To Brush the Cupcakes:
1 to 2 tablespoons tequila

For the Tequila-Lime Frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2¾ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons tequila
Pinch of coarse salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

3. In an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar together until pale, light, and fluffy (about 5 minutes).

4. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs one at at time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

5. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the lime zest, lime juice, vanilla extract and tequila. Mix until combined. (The mixture may start to look curdled at this point, but don't worry, it will all come back together, power on!)

6. Reduce the mixer speed low. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches. Mix only until just incorporated, using a rubber spatula to give it one last mix by hand.

7. Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until just slightly golden and a skewer shows only moist crumbs attached, rotating the pan at the halfway point.

8. Allow cupcakes to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, and then remove to a cooling rack. Brush the tops of the cupcakes with the 1 to 2 tablespoons of tequila. Set the cupcakes aside to cool completely before frosting them.

9. To make the frosting, whip the butter on medium-high speed of an electric mixer using the whisk attachment for 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low, and gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing and scraping the sides of the bowl until all is incorporated. Give it a mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the lime juice, tequila and salt mix on medium-high speed until incorporated and fluffy. If the frosting appears a bit too soft, add some additional sugar, one spoonful at a time until desired consistency is reached. Frost cupcakes and garnish, if desired, with lime zest, an additional sprinkling of salt and a lime wedge.

*Note #1: If you would prefer to not use liquor in these cupcakes, you can absolutely omit it from both the cupcakes and the frosting with no problem. If you do omit it, I would add 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract to the frosting.

*Note #2: I used a Wilton 1M tip to frost the cupcakes.

Dark Chocolate Cupcake

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cupcakes:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
½ cup (1.5 ounces) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
¾ cup (3.75 ounces) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
¾ cup (5.25 ounces) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon table salt
½ cup (4 ounces) sour cream

For the Peanut Butter Frosting:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅓ cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. To make the Cupcakes: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F. (If you are using a non-stick muffin pan, heat the oven to 325 degrees F.) Line standard-size muffin pan with baking cup liners.

2. Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. (Alternately, you can microwave the mixture at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted.) Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

4. Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Sift about one-third of flour mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until combined; whisk in sour cream until combined, then sift remaining flour mixture over and whisk until batter is homogeneous and thick.

5. Divide the batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until skewer inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

6. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before icing, about 30 minutes.

7. To make the Peanut Butter Frosting: Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Lemon-limoncello cupcake

INGREDIENTS:

For the cupcakes:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 ounces (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons limoncello
½ cup buttermilk
¼ cup lemon juice
Zest of one lemon

For the lemon curd:
Zest of 2 lemons
½ cup lemon juice
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk

For the cream cheese limoncello frosting:
2 ounces (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon limoncello
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare the cupcakes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the center. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until light and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the limoncello and beat an additional minute. On low speed, add flour mixture and buttermilk alternatively, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Add the lemon juice and zest and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Divide the batter between 12 muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely.

2. Prepare the lemon curd. In a heavy medium saucepan, stir together the lemon zest, juice and sugar and bring to a simmer over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and egg yolk. Whisk the lemon mixture into the eggs to temper them. Scrape the mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium heat, whisking constantly until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and let cool completely.

3. Prepare the cream cheese limoncello frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the limoncello and beat for an additional minute. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat until fully incorporated and smooth.

4. Assemble the cupcakes. Cut a hole into each cupcake with the large end of a melon baller or the back end of a large pastry tip. Fill each cavity with the lemon curd. Fill a pastry bag with a star tip (I used Wilton 1M) with the cream cheese limoncello frosting and pipe onto each cupcake. Decorate with lemon and berries, if desired.

Banana Cupcake

INGREDIENTS:

For the Banana Cupcakes:
2¾ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1¾ cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1½ cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 4 bananas)
½ cup buttermilk

For the Vanilla Pastry Cream:
3 cups half-and-half
6 large egg yolks
½ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

To Make the Banana Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two 12-cup cupcake pans with paper liners.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl and set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening together on medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, add the eggs, and beat until just combined. Scrape down the bowl again and add the bananas. Beat until just combined. Turn the mixer to low. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl, then mix on low speed for a few more seconds.

4. Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans and place them on the rack to cool completely.

To Make the Vanilla Pastry Cream:

1. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring the half-and-half to a simmer and keep warm.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt together until the mixture is pale, about 1 minute. Whisk half of the warm half-and-half into the egg yolk mixture, then pour that mixture into the remaining half-and-half in the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Strain the pastry cream through the sieve and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Put in the refrigerator for about 1 hour, or until chilled.

To Assemble the Cupcakes:
If you have a pastry bag, fit the bag with a large tip, fill the bag with the pastry cream, and pipe out enough pastry cream to cover each cupcake.

If you do not have a pastry bag, use an ice cream scoop with a release mechanism to scoop the pastry cream and dispense it onto the top of the cupcake.

You can also use an offset spatula to frost the cupcakes. Top with a single slice of fresh banana or a dried banana chip.

Cranberry Cake

Cake Ingredients:

3 eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed
2/3 cup chopped pecans
Whipped cream, for topping

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs with sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5 minutes.

2. Add butter and almond extract; beat 2 minutes. Stir in flour just until combined.

3. Stir in cranberries and pecans.

4. Spread in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Top with whipped cream.

Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
4 ounces butter, cold, cut in pieces
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking pan.Combine flour, brown sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl; cut in butter until the mixture coarse crumbs form. Take out 1 cup of crumbs and put aside.Combine egg, buttermilk, baking powder, baking soda and vanilla, whisk until smooth; stir into the remaining crumbs in bowl. Spread in the prepared baking pan.Sprinkle reserved crumbs evenly over the batter. Bake for 30 minutes.

Coconut Cake

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions for cake:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.Cream the shortening and sugar, beating well at medium speed of electric mixer.Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.Beginning and ending with dry ingredients, add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with milk and vanilla and almond extracts.Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-inch pans.Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to finish cooling.

Coconut Cake Frosting Ingredients:

3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Water
8 egg whites, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups flaked coconut (or more according to your preference)

Coconut Cake Frosting Directions:

Combine sugar, cream of tartar, salt and water in heavy saucepan.Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is clear. Without stirring, continue cooking until mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer (soft ball stage).Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Let mixer continue to run and slowly pour the hot sugar mixture in a thin stream down the side of the mixer bowl (don't let the sugar mixture come into contact with the beaters.Add the vanilla and almond extracts. Continue beating until stiff peaks form and frosting thickens to desired consistency.

Assembling the Coconut Cake

Level each layer by carefully slicing off with a serrated-edge knife any high spots. If your layers are fairly level, you can skip this step. (Slicing is easier if layers are placed in the freezer for an hour or so.)Remove any crumbs from the layers.Center one layer, upside down, on the serving platter. Tuck waxed paper strips under the cake to protect platter from frosting. These will be removed later.Spread the first layer with frosting.Place the second layer, upside down, on the first layer.Spread the second layer with frosting.Place the third layer, right side up, on the second layer.Frost the sides of the cake liberally. Spread remaining frosting on top of cake, making sure cake is uniformly covered.Keep a glass of hot water on hand and dip spatula into it to ease spreading the frosting. (You may not need it.)Sprinkle top of cake with coconut. Lightly press coconut to sides of cake so that it adheres.Remove waxed paper strips.

Cinnamon Swirl Bundt

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Filling Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease one 10 inch bundt pan.Cream butter and 1 1/2 cups white sugar until well blended.Add eggs, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.Add sour cream, beat well.Add flour, baking soda, and baking powder and mix well. Stir in the chopped nuts.In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar with the cinnamon.Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle generously with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Cover with remaining cake batter.Bake at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes.Lower heat to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 40 minutes.

Caramel Frosted Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

Cake Ingredients:

3 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

Caramel Frosting Ingredients:

2 cups packed brown sugar
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Cake Directions:

In a small saucepan, melt chocolate in water. Remove from the heat; cool completely.In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream.Add cooled chocolate mixture; beat on medium speed for 1 minute.Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Frosting Directions:

Combine the brown sugar, milk, butter and salt in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 234° (soft-ball stage). Remove from the heat; cool to lukewarm.Transfer to a small mixing bowl; beat in confectioners' sugar, cream and vanilla until mixture achieves spreading consistency. Frost cake.

Pasta with Butternut Parmesan Sauce

Ingredients:

    1 butternut squash weighing about 2 1/2 pounds
    1 pound pasta
    1 tablespoon of olive oil
    1/3 cup of chopped shallots or onions
    1/4 cup of packed, freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    1/3 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
    1/8 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
    1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, for garnish
    Salt and pepper to taste
    Water as needed to thin the sauce, about 1 cup

Method:
 

Preheat the oven to 350F. Cut the butternut squash lengthwise in half* and scoop out the guts and seeds and discard them (or save the seeds and toast them). Pour 1/4 cup of water into a pyrex or ceramic baking dish and place the butternut squash halves cut side down. Bake for 40 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the squash. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Scoop out the squash flesh from the skins and put into a blender. Discard the skins.
Saute the onion in the olive oil over medium-high heat in a small skillet until just beginning to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add the onions to the blender. Add 1 cup water, the parmesan, 2 teaspoons salt and nutmeg and puree. If you need a little more water, add it. Pour the sauce into a small pot set over low heat. Mix in the sour cream and warm it through. Do not let the sauce boil.
Fill a pot with water and salt (1 tablespoon of salt for every 2 quarts of water). Set over high heat to bring to a hard boil. Add the pasta and cook at a hard boil, uncovered until al dente. When the pasta is ready, drain and put it into a bowl. Mix with a little of the sauce and serve. Add a dollop of additional sauce and some parsley right when you bring it to the table.

*Be careful when you cut the squash, winter squash are hard! The best way to do it safely is to slice a bit off of both ends so that you can stand the squash upright without it rolling. Then cut down the middle. See how to cut and peel a butternut squash for visuals, though note for this recipe you do not want to peel the squash before roasting.

Italian Sausage Spaghetti

Ingredients:

    1 large (7 to 8 inch link) Italian sweet sausage
    1 large Italian hot and spicy sausage
    1 yellow onion, chopped
    2 cloves of garlic
    3/4 large (28 oz) can of whole tomatoes
    Olive oil

    1 lb (16 oz) spaghetti pasta
    Salt

    Grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

The Sauce:
Take the Italian sausage meat out of the sausage casings. Break up into pieces and mix the sweet and spicy sausage meats together. Brown the sausage meat in a large skillet on medium high or high heat with a little olive oil. In a separate skillet sauté the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent. Purée the tomatoes in a blender, add to the skillet with the sausage meat. Add the cooked onions and garlic.

The Pasta
Fill an 8-quart or larger stock pot at least half full with water and bring to a boil. Add a tablespoon of salt. Slowly add the pasta, stirring to prevent clumping. Allow the water to come to a boil again. Cook, uncovered, with a fairly vigorous boil, for as long as the directions on the pasta package say, usually about 10-12 minutes. When pasta is al dente (cooked but still a little firm), remove the pot from the heat. Add a cup or two of cold water to the pasta to stop the cooking. Drain the water from the pasta through a colander. Place the pasta in a serving bowl.

Serve immediately. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

Creamy Shrimp and Broccoli Fettuccine

Ingredients:

    2 to 3 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
    1 pound fettuccine (use rice-pasta for gluten-free version)
    Extra virgin olive oil
    2 cups heavy cream
    2/3 cup white wine
    6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp (if using frozen shrimp, defrost by running cold water over them for a few minutes)
    2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
    Salt

Method:
 

Fill a large 8-quart stock pot at least half full with water and with 1 Tbsp of salt; bring to a boil. While the water is the large stockpot is heating, bring a smaller saucepan (2-3 quarts) half filled with water to a boil. Blanch the broccoli in the boiling water for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Drain and run the broccoli under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.Cook the pasta in the large pot of boiling water according to the directions on the package (anywhere from 3 to 12 minutes, depending on the type of pasta you have) until al dente, or still slightly firm. Drain and toss with a little olive oil to keep from sticking.While the pasta is cooking, combine the cream, wine, garlic, and black pepper in a large skillet and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes until the mixture thickens.
Add the shrimp and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the shrimp have turned pink on all sides. Toss in the broccoli and the parsley. Mix in the fettucini. Salt to taste.

Classic Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:

    1/2 pound angel hair pasta or spaghetti
    1 small bunch broccoli, about 1 heaping cup of florets
    1 small zucchini, diced
    4 asparagus spears
    1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen
    1/2 cup snow peas
    3 minced garlic cloves
    3 Roma or other paste tomatoes, seeded and diced
    12 basil leaves, chopped
    4 Tbsp. butter
    1/4 cup chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian option)
    1/2 cup heavy cream
    1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
    Salt

Method:
 

Get a large pot of water boiling. Salt it well. It should taste like the sea. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Boil the broccoli for 1 minute. Add the asparagus and boil another minute. Add the snow peas and boil for 30 more seconds. Remove all the vegetables and plunge them into the ice water. Once they’re cool, drain in a colander.If you want, you can boil your pasta in the same pot you boiled the vegetables in, or you can start over and boil new water; I use the same water.
In a large sauté pan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. When the butter is hot, add the garlic and zucchini and sauté 1 minute. Add the diced tomatoes and sauté another 2 minutes, stirring often.
Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and turn the heat to high to bring it to a boil. Add the cream and toss in all the vegetables you boiled, plus the peas. Stir to combine. Turn the heat down until the cream-chicken broth mixture is just simmering, not boiling.
Add the parmesan cheese and stir to combine. If the sauce seems too thick – it should be pretty thick, but not gloppy – add some more chicken broth, cream or water. Boil the angel hair pasta. Note: If you are using spaghetti, you will want to start cooking it before you begin sautéing the garlic and zucchini. Angel hair will only need 1-2 minutes to cook, vermicelli or spaghetti can take 8-12 minutes.As soon as the pasta is done, transfer it with tongs into the sauce and stir to combine. Add the basil now, and taste for salt. Add salt if needed. Grind some black pepper over everything and serve immediately.

You will want a dry white wine with this, ideally a dry French white.

Chicken Florentine Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

    12-16 ounces dried short pasta (bowties, penne, gemelli, etc)
    4 chicken breast cutlets (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds total)
    Salt
    2 Tbsp olive oil
    1/2 yellow or white onion, chopped, about 1 cup
    3 garlic cloves, minced
    1/2 cup white wine or stock
    8-16 ounces of fresh spinach*, washed, long stems removed and chopped
    Black pepper
    1/4 cup cream
    1/4 cup (or more) pesto

*To wash spinach, fill up a clean sink basin with cold water and let the spinach soak in the water. Move it around a bit to loosen any dirt. Fresh spinach is usually pretty dirty, so you may need to do a couple of soakings. Remove the spinach and shake off excess water. Lay the spinach leaves down on a clean towel and pat dry.
 

Method:
 

Bring a large pot of salted water (add enough salt so that the water tastes salty) to a boil. Add the dried pasta and cook until al dente.
While preparing the pasta, cook the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan and brown the chicken breasts on both sides over medium-high heat. They don't need to be cooked all the way through, just browned. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add the chopped onion to the pan and sauté 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the onions cook, slice the chicken into strips. Put any pieces that are cooked all the way through in one pile, and put the ones that still need a little cooking in another pile.
When the onions are just beginning to brown, add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the white wine or stock and boil vigorously until the liquid is reduced by half.
Add the spinach and the undercooked pieces of chicken to the pan. Using tongs, turn them over to coat them with the juices in the pan. Continue to cook, turning and stirring often, until the spinach is wilted and the chicken cooked through, about 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add some black pepper, the pile of cooked chicken pieces and the pesto. Stir to combine. Drain the pasta put it in a large bowl. Add the cream to the saute pan and stir well to combine. Add the contents of the pan to the bowl with the pasta and mix well. Serve at once.

Buttery Tomato Pasta

Ingredients:

    1/2 pound of fusilli pasta or elbow macaroni
    1 14 ounce can of good quality whole tomatoes
    2 Tbsp butter
    2 teaspoons sugar (more or less to taste)
    Salt
    Pepper
    Pinch of dried basil or fresh sliced basil (optional)

Method:

1 Half fill a 4 quart pot with water. Add a tablespoon of salt. Bring salted water to boil. Add pasta. Cook until al dente, tender but still a little firm.

2 While the pasta water is heating and the pasta is cooking, prepare the tomatoes. Shred the canned whole tomatoes with your fingers as you put them in a small saucepan. Add any tomato juice left in the can to the pot. Add the butter. Heat to a simmer and stir to melt the butter. Simmer gently while the pasta is cooking. Stir in sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. If you have fresh basil, thinly slice a couple leaves and stir in. If not, if you want you can add a pinch of dried basil.

3 When the pasta is done, drain it. Stir in the cooked tomatoes and put in a serving bowl.

Serve immediately.

Broccoli Rabe with Pasta and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients:

    1 pound (a large bunch) broccoli rabe, rinsed, cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces
    Salt
    2 Tbsp olive oil
    1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like things)
    1 large clove garlic, chopped (about 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped)
    2 ounces sun dried tomatoes (packed in oil), roughly chopped
    8 ounces penne pasta (or other favorite short pasta)
    1/2 ounce freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    More salt
    Freshly ground black pepper

Method:
 

Bring two large pots (4-quart pots filled at least half-way) of water to a boil, one pot for blanching the broccoli rabe, the other for the pasta. Whichever pot comes to a boil first, in place the broccoli rabe. Blanch only for one minute, then use a slotted spoon to remove the rabe from the hot water to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain the rabe and pat dry with paper towels.
Typically penne pasta takes about 10 minutes to cook to al dente. So start the pasta before you start sautéing the rabe. When the water comes to a rolling boil, add a tablespoon of salt to it, let the salt dissolve, then add the pasta. Once the water returns to a boil, start the timer. Let the pasta cook, at a rolling boil, uncovered, for whatever time is necessary to cook it to al dente, cooked through but still a little firm.Once the pasta is in the water, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium to medium high heat. Add the chopped garlic and the red chile flakes. Cook until the garlic just begins to brown at the edges. Then add to the pan the blanched broccoli rabe. Toss to coat with the olive oil, chile flakes, and garlic. Sprinkle with salt.
Cook the broccoli rabe about 5 minutes, until just tender. Stir in the chopped sun dried tomatoes. When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the rabe. Sprinkle everything with black pepper and the grated Parmesan cheese. Toss to combine.

Serve immediately.