Ah Pasta, how I love thee!  Back in my college and medical school days, a group of us would congregate at a friend’s row house (aptly named Villa Ridiculous) every Friday for a night of craziness that we all called ‘Pasta Night.’  This started as a way for us to get in touch with our Italian side by making Pasta from scratch - but also recalls many a fond memory for me, as lots of other fun always ensued.  From watching classy Italian movies like “Johnny Stecchino” to listening to Van Halen’s Jump played on an accordion, playing Johnny Pneumonic pinball or building stadium seating in the living room, the only thing predictable about Pasta Night was the fabulous food!  Being that we were college students, we made pasta from all-purpose flour - but now that I’m old and I’ve tried to incorporate more whole grains into my life, I usually make whole wheat pasta these days.  It may sound overwhelming, and as my husband’s old roommate once said, “can’t I just buy a box of pasta for 69 cents?!”  Well, yes – you can – but there is something particularly rewarding about making your own.  It is fabulously tasty, but on top of that it’s a great activity to do with friends and family – time for bonding in the kitchen, as practiced by Italian grandmothers for decades.  With a hearty sauce and a glass of red wine if you’re game, I hope this recipe will help start many other similarly incredible Pasta Nights! 

I highly recommend using a pasta maker - of course, I may be partial as I haven’t made pasta without one – mine is a manual old fashioned one requiring a crank to be turned, but there are many varieties including stand-mixer attachments.  However, I think it isn’t really 100% necessary to have a pasta maker – a rolling pin, cutting board and patience will do the same thing!  My most important tip for a successful Pasta Night – start a pot of water boiling when you start resting the pasta dough, so it will heat up in time to cook the finished noodles!

Whole Wheat Pasta

Ingredients:

Step 1

Mix flours and salt in a large bowl (This can also be done directly on a flat surface such as a table or cutting board – I just tend to make a mess when I do it that way!) and make a well into the center.

Step 2

Add the oil and the first egg to the well in the center of the flour – use a fork to whisk the egg, slowly incorporating flour from the side.  Continue to add the other three eggs one at a time to the mixture until the dough begins to come together.    If the dough is too dry (it is not coming entirely together, or is cracking easily), add a little water – 1-2 teaspoons at a time, mixing very well after each addition.  The dough should form a smooth ball but it should not feel sticky at all to the touch (if it does, it will be impossible to roll flat!)

Step 3

After the dough is completed, it is very important to let it rest!  The texture will not be right unless you follow this step.  I usually place the dough directly on a counter or cutting board and place the mixing bowl over it, so it does not dry out.  Let rest anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour.   When you start resting your pasta dough – start boiling a large pot of salted water!

Step 4

After the dough has rested, divide into smaller balls, about 1-2 inches in diameter, and flatten into discs.  If you are using a rolling pin, roll the discs flat and cut into the desired shape.  If you are using a pasta machine – clamp the pasta machine securely to a countertop or table.  Set the pasta maker to its thickest setting.  Feed the discs of dough gently into the pasta maker to flatten them out.

Step 5

Adjust the pasta thickness on your pasta machine to medium thickness setting – probably 2 notches above the thinnest setting- this dough is a bit fragile, so I would not go any thinner than that.  Put all of the pasta sheets through the thinner setting. 

Step 6

Now we’re ready to cut!  Using the pasta cutting attachment that comes with the pasta machine, feed the pasta sheets slowly into the cutting attachment. 

After the noodles have been cut be careful not to pile them all together for very long, as they could get squished together and you could end up with a giant lump of pasta dough. 

Step 7

Time to cook the pasta!  Hopefully you started boiling a very large pot of salted water when you started resting your pasta dough and now have a rapidly boiling pot!  Add your pasta to the water.  Keep in mind this is fresh pasta, so it takes significantly less time to cook than dried pasta – maybe 3-4 minutes if the water is rapidly boiling.  Drain as usual and add your favorite sauce.  Happy Pasta Night!

It’s been quite awhile since I last posted. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been spending much of my spare time working in the yard. I’m thrilled with the way everything is turning out; the flowers are beautiful, my herbs and starter plants are doing well and my newly-decorated deck looks great. The yard definitely deserves its own post at some point.

Just as house projects change with the season, so does my cooking. With spring in full swing and summer on the way, I’ve been doing a lot of grilling lately. Since a few days last week felt more like March than May, I pulled out my Crock Pot to make an warm, easy dinner.

I used this recipe from Recipezaar as a guide, but modified the liquid content slightly. There’s a bit of chopping involved, but the recipe goes together quite quickly. The chicken is fall-apart tender and infused with so much flavor. Served atop whole grain pasta, this makes for a filling, comforting and healthy dinner.

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatore

Yields 4 Servings

28 oz. crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp celery powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

2 large chicken breasts
1 large onion, thinly sliced
10 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 pepper, finely chopped

1. Pour tomatoes into Crock Pot.
2. Season with garlic, oregano, basil, celery powder, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Add chicken breasts and cover with sauce.
4. Add onion, mushrooms and pepper. Stir to combine with sauce. Ensure that the chicken is covered with sauce and vegetables.
5. Cook on low for 7-9 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Another delicious recipe from Cooking Light! This recipe for Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce, Asparagus and Peas is a quick and easy weeknight meal.

My husband and I often eat meat-free meals, but most are heavier in flavor and rely on a tomato base. This is quite different from our usual fare. I actually selected the recipe several weeks ago when I was looking to use up heavy cream left over from my ice cream making adventure, and some excess asparagus.

I was amazed at how quickly the dish came together. While the instructions list the pasta and sauce preparation serially, I prepared them concurrently. I started making the sauce at the same time I threw the pasta in the boiling water. I think it took about 20 minutes from the time I put the water on to boil to when I tossed the pasta and sauce together.

I followed there recipe pretty closely, altering the ingredients and procedure only slightly based upon what I had in the house at the time. Since I didn’t have cornstarch, I thickened the lemon cream sauce with about a tablespoon of flour. I also added a handful of Parmesan cheese at the same time I added the cream.

The lemon cream sauce is smooth, light and fresh. The bright tang of lemon and the tasty crunch of asparagus hint at the coming of spring. Served with a Caesar side salad, it was a refreshing and fun weeknight meal.

Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce, Asparagus and Peas

Yields 4 Servings

8 ounces uncooked long fusilli, or pasta of your choice
1 3/4 cups (1 1/2-inch) slices asparagus (about 1/2 pound)
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of ground red pepper
Coarsely ground black pepper (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. During the last minute of cooking time, add asparagus and peas. 3. Drain pasta mixture and set aside.
4. Melt butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat.
5. Saute garlic for 1 minute.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together cornstarch and broth.
7. Add broth mixture to saute pan and bring to a boil.
8. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly.
9. Remove pan from heat and stire in cream, lemon juice, salt, black pepper and red pepper.
10. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat.

I got this Cavatelli and Broccoli recipe from a friend of mine whose Italian cooking is second to none. It’s one of my favorite vegetarian dinners. It is very easy to make, and the only tip I have is to make sure to use fresh broccoli! It really just isn’t the same without that crisp texture that frozen broccoli lacks. This serves about 4 people as a main dish, more if you serve it as a side.

Cavatelli and Broccoli

Ingredients -

• 2 average-size broccoli crowns, cut into bite-size florets
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bag of frozen ricotta cavatelli (located the frozen pasta section of the grocery store)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

In the mean time, put the olive oil into a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic when the oil is heated and saute until lightly browned. Add the broccoli florets to the skillet and saute until the broccoli becomes a brighter shade of green, about 5 minutes.

When the pot of water comes to a boil, add the frozen cavatelli straight from the freezer to the water. These cook really fast – once water returns to a boil, let cook for 1-2 minutes then drain.

Mix the cavatelli into the skillet with the broccoli. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the cavatelli and broccoli and serve!

I’ve been making this recipe for Dijon Alfredo Sauce for years. My husband and I stumbled across this on allrecipes.com when we were searching for a cream sauce to go along with a bottle of Gew?rztraminer that we had picked up.

The Dijon mustard adds an interesting bite to the creamy Alfredo sauce and complements the asparagus quite nicely. In fact, this dish made me fall in love with asparagus. The sauce is rather rich, but it’s a fun treat. This dish has always gotten rave reviews from guests.

I love making this dish for company because of its’ unique flavor combinations and impressive presentation. It does require around 30 minutes of hands-on preparation, but the steps aren’t too complicated. I typically work on dinner while casually visiting with guests in the kitchen.

Based upon reader reviews, I have lightened up a the recipe by reducing the amount of butter and using light cream in place of whipping cream. I also use far less mustard than the original recipe. The resulting sauce is rich, smooth and flavorful.

Asparagus and Ravioli with Dijon Alfredo Sauce

Yields 4 servings

2 (9 ounce) packages refrigerated chicken- or cheese-filled ravioli
1 pound fresh asparagus
6 tbsp butter, divided
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1-2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups light cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1. Cook ravioli in a large saucepan according to package directions; drain and keep warm.
2. Snap off tough ends of asparagus; cut asparagus into 2-inch-long pieces.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add asparagus, and saute 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Spoon over ravioli.
4. Melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium heat; add garlic, and saute 1 minute. Whisk in mustard. Gradually whisk in light cream until smooth.
5. Bring cream mixture to a boil; reduce heat, and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Stir in cheese and remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Pour over asparagus and ravioli, and toss. Serve immediately.

I maintain a “recipe to try” binder that contains recipes I’ve pulled from magazines or found online. Since I’ve had good luck with many other Cooking Light recipes, I decided to give this low fat light alfredo sauce a try. I served it with herb-seasoned baked chicken and steamed broccoli on cellentani pasta.

The Alfredo sauce is easy to make and comes together quite quickly – more quickly that I had anticipated! I was lucky enough to have someone willing to stir the sauce while I drained the pasta and sliced the chicken.

The resulting alfredo sauce had a nice flavor, but the consistency was not what I expected. After blending in the Parmesan cheese, the sauce had a thick fondue-like consistency. I added two additional tablespoons of milk and two tablespoons of chicken broth to thin it to a sauce-like thickness. After tossing the pasta with the Alfredo sauce, the sauce remained smooth but clung quite thickly to the pasta. I was glad that I hadn’t used fettuccine, as it would have been difficult to separate the noodles.

Since I enjoyed the flavor, I will give this sauce another try. If I can’t get the alfredo sauce to be thinner and less sticky, I’ll move onto another recipe. This one has potential. Stay turned for future updates.

Cooking Light: Light Alfredo Sauce

Yields 4 Servings

1 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups skim milk
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tbsp reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups hot cooked pasta of your choice (8 ounces uncooked pasta)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Cracked black pepper
Optional: Extra milk or chicken broth to thin sauce to desired consistency

1) Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2) Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
3) Stir in flour. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 6 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly.
4) Add 1 cup Parmesan , cream cheese, and salt, stirring with a whisk until cheeses melt. If needed, add extra milk or broth 1 tbsp at a time to achieve desired consistency.
5) Toss sauce with hot pasta. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Garnish with black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.