Herbed Pasta with Tomatoes

This is a very simple dish that is great when you have fresh tomatoes and herbs. It can be ready in about 15 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 cup pasta- your choice of shape
water for cooking

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 or 3 Tablespoons fresh chopped basil
2 or 3 Tablespoons of fresh chopped oregano
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1 small to medium size tomato, chopped
Sprinkling of salt and pepper to taste

Salt and heat the water to boiling.
Add the pasta and cook to package directions.
Drain.
Add the pasta back to the pan and add the olive oil, herbs, salt/pepper and chopped tomato.
Toss.
Serve.

Enough for 4 good size servings.

Vary your herbs for a different flavor.

Creamy Pesto Pasta

This pasta dish is a combination of fettuccine Alfredo and pesto. Serve as in or mix in some chicken or seafood for a great meal.

Ingredients:

3 cups(8 oz) rigatoni or penne pasta
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 4 teaspoons dried
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 2 Tablespoons dried
1/4 cup water


Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain.
In a saucepan, cook the basil and garlic in olive oil for about 30 seconds.
Reduce the heat.
Add the cream cheese, cottage cheese, and Parmesan cheese.
Stir until fairly smooth.
Add the parsley and water.
Cook uncovered for 3 minutes.
Stir in the drained pasta.
Serve.

4 main dish servings.

Zucchini Alfredo

Zucchini Alfredo is a great way to use up your summer bounty of zucchini. It is an alfredo sauce with zucchini in it.
Quick and easy.

Serve it over pasta.
Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons cooking oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup milk
4 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil. Use 1/2 or 1/3 dried if needed.
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Heat your water for the pasta.
While the pasta cooks, make the sauce.
In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
Add the garlic and cook and stir a couple minutes.
Add the zucchini and cook for about 10 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated. Stir frequently.
Add the milk.
Cube the cream cheese and add that to the skillet.
Stir until the cream cheese is melted and smooth.
Stir in the basil.
Taste and season with the salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Serve over the cooked and drained pasta.

Bacon Popper Mac and Cheese

This recipe is my own creation. I combined my love of bacon cheddar poppers with my love of mac and cheese.
If you have never had bacon cheddar poppers, they are jalapeno peppers stuffed with cheddar cheese and wrapped with bacon.
They are so good.
My daughter and I were looking forward to having them, but the garden didn't turn out too good. So, not enough hot peppers to make any.
I came up with this dish to give us the flavor.

You will need a 2 quart oven safe casserole dish.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked macaroni
4-6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
6 Serrano or jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried minced onion or 2 Tablespoons fresh onion
pinch dry mustard
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 dry bread crumbs

Bring salted water to a boil in a large saucepan.
Cook the macaroni about 8 minutes.
Drain.
Meanwhile, cook and crumble the bacon and seed and chop the peppers.
After draining the macaroni, put the pan back on the stove.
Over low heat, melt the butter.
Add the flour, salt, pepper, dry mustard and onion.
Stir in and raise the heat to medium.
Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to bubble.
Keep stirring and cooking for about a minute.
Take off heat and add the milk.
Put back on heat.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles.
Lower the heat to low.
Add 1 cup of the cheese and stir in until smooth and melted.
Repeat with the rest.
Transfer the macaroni, peppers, and most of the bacon to the casserole.
Pour the cheese sauce over the top and stir everything together.
Over the top, sprinkle the remaining bacon and bread crumbs.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the mac and cheese is all bubbly and hot.

Serves 4-6.

Pasta Salsa

Pasta is very big in my house. So I am always trying to come up with news ideas for meals.
And this is what I came up with.
You can use any salsa. Either make a double batch of the fresh salsa recipe or just use some from the store.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
2-3 cups pasta of your choice
32 oz. salsa

In a large pan brown the ground meat, seasoning to taste. Drain, if desired.
To the meat in pan, add the salsa and heat to boiling. Add the pasta and cook until pasta is done. Since different shapes cook faster go by the directions for an idea of how long to cook.
Stir occasionally.
Once pasta is done, if the dish is not as thick as you'd like turn down the heat and let simmer for a few minutes longer.
Serves 4-6.
Very quick, simple, and tasty.
I hope you enjoy it.