Glossary for cooking procedures and ingredient
Ziti with Broccoli & Riccota
Ravioli with Cream, Mushrooms & Peas
Spaghetti Pie
Ziti with Riccota & Spinach
Tomato Basil Bow-Tie Salad
Pasta Salad with Chick-peas & Roasted Peppers
Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese

Ziti with Broccoli & Ricotta : (serves 2-3) 1/2 pound ziti, penne, rigatoni, or totini, 1 tsp. unsalted butter, 1 tsp. olive oil, 3 garlic cloves, minced, 3 scallions, thinly sliced, 1 bunch broccoli, stalks peeled and cut into small pieces plus flowerets cut to small pieces,1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese, at room temperature, 1/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp. dried basil ,1/4 tsp. dried oregano, 1/4 tsp. salt, Freshly ground black pepepr to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then cook the pasta until al dente, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and scallions; saute 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the broccoli, toss, then add a few tablespoons of water. Cover the pan and cook just until the broccoli is tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes. Keep warm over low heat. In a medium bowl beat together the ricotta, milk, Parmesan, basil, oregano, salt and pepper, along with 2 tablespoons of the boiling pasta water. Drain the ziti in a colander. Place in a large serving bowl or return to the pot. Stir in the ricotta mixture to coat, then toss with the broccoli. Serve immediately. Recipe from: Quick Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin.

Ravioli with Cream, Mushrooms and Peas: (serves 4) 1 pound fresh or frozen small ravioli (or cheese tortellini or regular-sized ravioli), 2 tsp. olive oil, 4 1/2 cups (about 12 oz) fresh mushrooms, sliced 1 cup frozen peas, 1/2 cup heavy cream, Salt to taste, Freshly ground black pepper to taste,1 Tlbs. unsalted butter, cut into bits, Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large stockpot, cook teh ravioli in boiling water until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until brown and juices evaporate, about 10 minutes. Add the peas and cook 3 minutes more, or until heated through. Stir in the cream and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from the heat. Drain the ravioli thoroughly. Meanwhile, melt the butter in the stockpot, then return the ravioli to the pot and toss to coat. Pour on the sauce and heat until bubbly, about 1 minute. Serve with some Parmesan cheese sprinkled on each serving.

Spaghetti Pie: (serves 6-8) 1/2 pound spaghetti noodles, 1 Tlbs. olive oil, 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 3 egg whites, 1 cup ricotta cheese, 1 cup TVP flakes, 1 cup hot water, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper, 1 3/4 cup stewed tomatoes, drained and cut up, 2/3 cup tomato paste ,1 tsp. dried oregano, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper ,1/4 tsp.salt, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine TVP with hot water and set aside. Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain well. Place in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta for the filling. Toss remaining spaghetti with the Parmesan cheese and egg whites. Turn into a 10-inch pie plate and press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the plate to form a crust. Evenly spread the ricotta cheese over the spaghetti. Saute the onions and green pepper in oil unitl softened. Stir in TVP, stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, garlic powder, black pepper, salt and reserved spaghetti. Heat thoroughly. Spoon TVP mixture over ricotta cheese. Cover loosely with foil and bake in a 350F degree oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the grated mozzarella cheese and bake an additional 8-10 minutes or unti cheese melts.

Ziti with Ricotta & Spinach: (serves 8) 2 pounds fresh or 1- 10oz. package frozen spinach, chopped and drained, 1 pound ricotta cheese, liquid substitute equivalent to 3 eggs, 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, Salt and black pepper to taste, 3 cups your favorite spaghetti sauce ,1 pound ziti or penne, cooked according to package directions and drianed

Cook the spinach with a small amount of water until it wilts or heats through. Drain and press out any excess moisture. In a large bowl, combine spinach with the ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, salt, pepper and 2 1/2 cups of the spaghetti sauce. With a fork, whip the mixture until it becomes fluffy and then add the cooked ziti or penne. Spread the remaining spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the baking dish and cover with the pasta mixture. Bake at 375F degrees for about 20 minutes or until heated through.

Tomato Basil Bow Tie Salad: (serves 6) 1 pound plum tomatoes, chopped (2 cups) ,1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips, 2 tsp. olive oil, 1 Tlbs. red wine vinegar, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1 tsp. salt, 6 oz. bow tie pasta (or any other shape of pasta), cooked and drained Freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Add bow ties; toss to combine. Sprinkle with pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pasta Salad with Chick-Peas and Roasted Peppers: (4-6) 1/2 pound rotini (short corkscrew pasta), 1 large green bell pepper, 1 large red bell pepper, 1- 19 oz. can chick-peas, rinsed and well drained, 1 medium tomato, diced, 16 black olives, sliced, 2 Tlbs. minced fresh parsley, 1/2 cup slivered red onion. Dressing: 1/4cup olive oil, 2 Tlbs. red wine vinegar, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, 3 garlic cloves, minced, 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, 1/2 tsp. salt, Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Roast, peel, seed and chop the peppers. (To roast peppers see glossary). Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente in a large stockpot of boiling water. Drain the pasta in a colander and shake vigorously to remove all the water. Place in a large bowl. Stir in the peppers, chick-peas, tomato, olives, parsley, and onion. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all the dressing ingredients. Shake vigorously, then pour over the pasta mixture and toss well. Serve the salad warm or at room temperature.

Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese: (serves 4) 2-3 cups macaroni, 1 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice, 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced, 2 green onions, thinly sliced, 1 cup grated extra sharp Cheddar cheese, 1 Tlbs. butter, 1 Tlbs. unbleached flour, 2 1/4 cups low-fat milk or soy milk, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/8 tsp. nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. dried dill weed, 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste, freshly ground black pepper, to taste, 1/4 cup bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain and then rinse with cold water and then drain well. Pour into a shallow baking dish. Stir in the squash, red pepper and green onions. Sprinkle the cheese on top and then lightly mix the ingredients in the baking dish.  Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and then whisk in the flour. Let this cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to turn light brown. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil, whisking constantly.  Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, dill weed, salt and pepper.  Pour this sauce over the pasta and toss lightly.  Sprinkle on the bread crumbs and bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and the top is light brown.