Lydia's Bacon and Tomato Pasta

Submitted By: KalebsMommy111

1 (16 ounce) package dry penne pasta
6 slices bacon
3/4 pound broccoli, cut into 1 inch pieces
12 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped tomato or 4 roma tomatoes sliced.

Cook the pasta :)

Cook the bacon in skillet, then add 1/2 of the garlic to skillet

Cook until browned and crisp, then drain on paper towels..

Add half of the garlic to the bacon grease, and cook over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the broccoli and continue to cook and stir for 3 or 4 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender but still bright green.

Stir in the remaining garlic, salt and pepper. Add the pasta to the skillet, and stir to coat.

Remove from the heat and mix in the Parmesan cheese and crumble in the bacon. Add tomatoes, Toss again, and serve!

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Easy Pasta Salad

Submitted By: CAbrideinFL

Grill up some chicken breasts.
Boil a half a box of rotini.
Get a pint of the spinach dip from Publix.

Mix all together. Easy pasta salad.

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Cajun Chicken Pasta

Submitted By: KalebsMommy111

4 ounces linguine pasta
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 green onion, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Place the chicken and the Cajun seasoning in a plastic bag. Shake to coat. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the chicken in butter or margarine until almost tender (5 to 7 minutes).

Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, mushrooms and green onion. Saute and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat.

Add the cream, basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Heat through. Add the cooked linguine, toss and heat through. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

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Giada's Carbonara

Submitted By: CaneWife

6 oz pancetta, chopped
2 cups heavy cream (I would try light cream)
1.5 cups grated Parmesan cheese
6 egg yolks (I would probably cut this to 3)
18 oz fresh fettucine
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1.5 cups cooked peas

Cook pancetta in a large, heavy skillet until almost crisp, about 7 minutes. Drain, return to skillet and turn heat to low. In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, cheese and egg yolks. Add the cream mixture to the pan with the pancetta and cook at a very low simmer, stirring often with a wooden spoon.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add fettuccine and cook to taste (2-3 minutes for fresh, 8 for dried).

Drain pasta and add it to the cream mixture with the salt and pepper. Continute cooking over very low heat until the sauce coats the pasta thickly (about 3 minutes - do not boil). Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy!

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Tortelinni Primavera

Submitted By: KenleyB

1 cup mushrooms, chopped
½ cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp. margarine
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
8 oz. cream cheese
1 tomato, chopped
¼ cup milk
¼ cup parmesan cheese
1 t. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
family size cheese-filled tortellini, cooked and drained


Heat margarine in a skillet. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic and sautee. Add all remaining ingredients except tortellini. Heat until all have melted together and are well blended. Cook until the mixture just begins to boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in tortellini

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Tequila Shrimp Pasta

Submitted By: GatorHightowers

1 box of pasta (any kind works, but I prefer linguine)
1 lb of uncooked shrimp, peeled and de-veined
3/4 cup diced white onion
1 bell pepper juliened (any color--green works well)
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup tequila (the alcohol cooks out--you can substitute white wine if you want)
1 cup heavy whipping cream (plus extra)
salt and pepper
fresh cilantro
garlic
olive oil

1. Bowl your pasta and set aside

2. heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high and add onions, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook until the garlic and onions are browned.

3. Add the tequila and bring almost to a boil; add the shrimp and peppers and sautee until the shrimp are cooked. It's important not to overcook the shrimp b/c they will become tough.

4. Lower the heat to simmer and mix in the heavy cream, stirring frequently to create a cream sauce--if it's to thin, you can add flour; too thick, add more cream or milk--be sure to add each a little at a time. The longer you leave the sauce on the heat, the more it will reduce/thicken--leave it on until the sauce is a consistency that you desire.

5. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and any other spices to taste--I kind of experiment every time I make this.

6. Pour the shrimp and sauce over the pasta, garnish with cilantro and serve.

The sauce usually thickens quite a bit in the fridge, so I keep some extra cream on hand for warming up leftovers.

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Lydia's Easy Pasta Salad

1 box of "Suddenly Salad" original

Make according to box.

Add a little mayo to the mix.

Add carrots, celery, broccoli, sliced cherry tomatoes, and mozxarella cheese crumbles or cubes!

Instead of the topping they include, I use regular parmesean cheese.

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Light Fettuccine Alfredo

Submitted By: CaneWife (Jenn)

1 pound fresh linguine
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup fat free milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup light cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 3 minutes. In a saucepan melt butter, add milk and then whisk in cornstarch over medium heat until lightly thickened. Add pasta to the saucepan and toss. Add light cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Toss and thicken more. Serve immediately.

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Penne Rustica

Submitted By: mayerfan83 (Kenley)

I cant take credit for this, I had it at our friends house over the weekend and it was SOO GOOD!! Tasted like something you would get in an restaurant.

1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1/2 pound hot Italian sausage, available in bulk at butcher counter or, 2 links, casings removed
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, available in bulk at butcher counter or, 4 links, casings removed
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen green peas
24 leaves fresh basil, torn or thinly sliced
1 pound penne rigate pasta, cooked to al dente
Grated Italian cheese, for passing

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan. Add sausage meat. Crumble sausage meat as it browns. Add chopped garlic to the pan. When all of the crumbles have browned evenly, deglaze the pan drippings using chicken or vegetable broth. Stir in crushed tomatoes and bring the sauce up to a bubble, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir cream into your sauce, this will blush the color and cut the acidity of the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir peas and basil into your sauce to combine. Toss hot drained penne rigate in pan with the sauce, then transfer pasta to serving bowl.

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Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo

Submitted By: Soon2BMrsMelvin (Lydia)

4 chicken breast diced or cut into strips (You can also choose to serve these sauteed in a little garlic on the side of the pasta)

bowtie pasta (per serving size on box for amount of guests)

1 bag of sun dried tomatoes

1 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

You can either choose to make homemade alfredo (recipe follows) or use alfredo in a jar.

Cook chicken and pasta according to your liking.

Sautee mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes.

Add spices such as oregano and a fresh basil leaf.

And some garlic.

Add in alfredo sauce and combine all ingredients.


Here is my homemade alfredo recipe..

1/2 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sour cream
1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan, add cream.

Stir until cream is warmed through - do not boil!!!

Add sour cream and stir to mix.

Add your noodles and whatever else is going into the mix, then add cheese and parsley.. it is SOOOOOOOO GOODDDD!!!

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Baked Spaghetti

Submitted By: Sara_18 (Sara)

Sauce ingredients:
2 cups canned, diced tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 cup water
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 cup diced onions
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon Oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 small bay leaves

Meat mix
2 boneless raw chicken breast, chopped
1 cup minced sausage
1/2 cup onion diced
1/4 green pepper diced

Cheese:
1 pack (8 oz) low fat cream cheese
2 cups colby jack
2 cups mozzarella

Pasta - 8 oz whole wheat spaghetti - cooked al dente

Combine sauce ingredients in a stock pot. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 1 hour covered.

Combine chicken, sausage, peppers & onions in a saucepan. Cook until done and add to tomato mixture. Simmer for another 20 minutes.

Layer bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan with sauce. Add a layer of pasta, pinch cream cheese over pasta, place half mozzarella on top then 1/2 of cheddar and Jack cheese, repeat layers ending with sauce.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Top with remaining cheese. Return to oven and continue to cook until cheese is melted. Cut into squares before serving

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Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Submitted By: tpatch (Theresa)

2 tbsp corn starch
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/2 cups milk
2 tbsp butter
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I like sharp cheddar)
8 oz. elbow macaroni, cooked al dente
Plain bread crumbs

In medium saucepan combine first three ingredients - stir in milk.

Add butter, stirring constantly over medium-high heat until sauce thickens. Don't stop stirring or it will scorch! Remove from heat.

Stir in 2 1/2 cups cheese until melted.

Add macaroni - pour into 2 qt casserole dish.

Sprinkle with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs.

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Makes 4 servings.

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