Dear Reader: Many of the recipes that readers sent to me call for a little bit of this and a handful of that. So add the seasonings to your own taste. But remember, you can always add more, but once the garlic or oregano is in the sauce, you can’t take it out. Let me know if you try any of the recipes. They all look good to me. Thanks for reading with me. It’s so good to read with friends. Suzanne Beecher Suzanne@Emailbookclub.com

Readers Share Their Pasta Recipes

I have a good pasta recipe - I cut up several colors of peppers, sweet onions, small zucchini, baby carrots, garlic, olive oil, freshly ground nutmeg, white pepper and some salt and toss everything together and put in a roasting pan and place in a 400 degree oven - after about 20 minutes stir vegetables and put back in oven - after about another 20 minutes turn off oven and then cook a one pound box of penne (or any other pasta you like). Drain pasta, add roasted vegetables and add some chopped fresh Italian parsley and also add 1/2 cup or more of your favorite cheese -- this tastes good hot, but can also be served at room temperature or cold. You can also vary the vegetables and add more cheese just before you serve it. I add several tablespoons of oil with the vegetables and that makes the sauce for the pasta - you can also add a little of the pasta water to the dish. I like the taste of the roasted vegetables, it intensifies the flavor.

Ellen Donohoe
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Pasta Fasta

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
enough rotini or penne for 2
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

In the morning: Combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover and leave to marinate on the counter. Dinnertime: Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pot. Add marinated veggies (don't drain) and cheese. Toss, cover. Set aside for 5 minutes, until cheese melts. Place in your favorite pasta bowl and serve immediately. Serves 2.

Enjoy!
Shelly Chalmers
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This is really my friends pasta recipe that I have adopted from her.

About 8 oz of red wine, unless you want one to drink as you go.
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 jar of Vodka Pasta sauce
1 lb shrimp-peeled
1 lb of scallops (chopped if large)
garlic
onion
basil and any other Italian seasonings you want to throw in there Some type of pasta. I like fettuccini or penne.

Since I don't cook with recipes, just follow along and adapt it to your tastes

I saute the garlic -about a clove- and one small onion in a little olive oil or butter and then add the tomatoes, Vodkas sauce, wine my seasonings. I reduce the temp and let simmer while I cook the pasta to al dente stage and steam the shrimp. I then saute the scallops in the sauce for about 5 minutes add shrimp and serve over the pasta. Enjoy. Good with a red wine, but not too bold. Also good with crusty bread to sop up the sauce and a green salad.

Doreen
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Here's a great recipe:

Add 2-4 cloves fresh garlic (minced) to 2 cans "Italian Herb" diced tomatoes. Let simmer. Add 12 oz. pkg. of precooked shrimp and cook until heated through. Serve over pasta.

Cathie Fowler
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Spaghetti with Green Sauce

1 package cream cheese
basil
parsley
garlic (if you like)
spaghetti

Cook the spaghetti in boiling water until done. Mix cream cheese, seasonings and fresh boiling water to make a sauce. Pour over cooked, drained pasta.

Mary Beth Smith
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Pasta with Shrimp and Snow Peas

3 oz. uncooked angel hair pasta
1/2 cup sliced onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup sliced sweet red bell pepper
1 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 lb snow peas
8 oz. uncooked shrimp
salt, pepper to taste
crushed red pepper flakes

Brink a large pot of water to boil for pasta. Clean and devein shrimp. Set aside. Clean and string peas. Set aside. Spray non- stick large pan with Pam. Saute onion and red pepper until soft. Add tomatoes and bring to a slow simmer. Add garlic, minced. Simmer 10 minutes. Add shrimp, peas, and basil. Cover.

Add pasta to water. Cook according to directions. When pasta is done, shrimp should be pink and peas al dente.

Molly DeTuri
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Pasta with Feta and Spinach
Serves 2

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 large garlic clove -- pressed
1/3 pound penne pasta - cooked (or use rigatoni or other medium
pasta shape)
1 cup chopped spinach
4 teaspoons chopped pitted kalamata olives
1 tablespoon capers
1/3 cup crumbled Feta cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar and garlic and mix well. When pasta is cooked, drain well and add hot pasta back to the pot it was cooked in. Add the olive oil mixture, spinach, olives, capers, and cheese, toss well and serve.

Alicia Young
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Spring Pasta Salad with Asparagus, Tomato and Mozzarella

1/2 lb asparagus stems
1 lb penne pasta
1/2 lb mozzarella,
1 large bunch scallions, sliced into thin rounds
2 dozen ripe cherry tomatoes, cut in half and drained for 20 minutes
1/2 cup lightly toasted pinenuts
large handful fresh basil, slightly chopped
Bring large pot of water to boil. Add asparagus and blanch it until just tender. Scoop asparagus from pot and place in colander. Run cold water over it to stop the cooking. Drain well and slice into small pieces.

Bring water back to rapid boil and add pasta. Cook until al dente. Run pasta under cold water and drain.

In large serving bowl, add pasta, the asparagus and all remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and toss well. Best served at room temperature.

Sometimes I'll throw in different veggies and some shrimp for variety.

Enjoy!
Jody Terry
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I would love to send you my favorite pasta recipe - but it's probably copyrighted because you can find it on the back of every jar of Prego!! I love pasta but I'm a working mother and the kids prefer Prego over homemade sauce anyway!! So my recipe would be: boil 1 lb. box of pasta of your choice, heat Prego sauce and serve - dinner for 4 in 15 minutes!! And everyone's happy because we've have Pasgetti!!!

Dawn Bodart
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Pasta Salad
1 lb. twist or sea shell noodles, cooked (the tri-color is really
good)
1/4 lb. provolone, Italian sausage and pepperoni
1 green pepper and 1 small onion, chopped
3 ribs of celery, sliced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 small can olives and green olives, sliced
fresh mushrooms

Dressing
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup vinegar
1 t. pepper
1 T. oregano
Mix together and pour over all ingredients
It's such a good recipe because it's so versatile. You can put it everything or leave others out. Good luck!

Cathy Day
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Ingredients: 1 package Ramen noodles
1 can tomato soup
tap water (you've got to love the simplicity of college-born
cuisine)

Boil water in a small pot. Add Ramen noodles (throw away the spice packet - you won't need it.) and let cook 3 minutes. Drain noodles and return them to the pot. Add the tomato soup with 1/2 can water
 Bring it to a boil. Eat!

It tastes a bit like spaghetti-Os(probably would be easier just to buy a can of those), but it's our own shared addiction. Just a side note: I crack the noodles into smaller chunks before boiling them to make it easier to eat, but my husband prefers the long version. I think he just likes laughing at me when I end up wearing more than I eat from my bowl.

Kathryn Tietz
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Turkey Tetrazzini

1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
2/3 cup milk
1 (16 oz) jar Alfredo sauce
3 1/2 cups chopped cooked turkey (chicken or ham)
12 ounces thin spaghetti, cooked
1 (10 oz) package frozen peas, thawed
1 (8 oz) package sliced fresh mushrooms (optional)
1 1/2 cups shredded Baby Swiss cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup crushed garlic and onion seasoned croutons
1/4 teaspoon Paprika

Whisk together the soup and milk in large mixing bowl; whisk in Alfredo sauce. Stir in chopped turkey, next 4 ingredients, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Pour into a lightly greased 15 x 10 baking dish.

Stir together remaining Parmesan cheese, crushed garlic and onion croutons, and sprinkle evenly over casserole mixture.

Bake covered, at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake additional 15 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Let stand several minutes before serving.

Note: This casserole may be assembled and frozen up to 1 week, or placed in refrigerator overnight. Can also be divided into 2 - 11 x 7 baking dishes.

Shirley Fraser
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Rigatoni with Creamy Tomato Sauce
8 oz. dry pasta (rigatoni or penne), cooked, drained and kept warm.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
2 tablespoons dry vermouth or white wine
1 1/2 cups (14 1/2 oz) chunky tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup California ripe olives, halved
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions.

In a large skillet, heat oil. Add onion and saute 4 to 5 minutes. Add vermouth/wine; cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and juice, cream, pasta, olives and Parmesan cheese; toss well. Sprinkle with green onions.

Enjoy!
Leuinda Fields
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Macaroni Salad.
This is a great alternative to plain old potato salad.

1 bag of egg noodles
6 - 8 eggs
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Salt & Pepper
Relish (sweet or dill)
Onions (optional)

Cook then drain the noodles. Boil, peel, then chop up the eggs. In a large bowl, mix noodles, eggs, mayo (to taste), a dab of mustard (for color and flavor), salt & pepper (to taste), relish (to taste), and onions (to taste). Chill and serve.

Bridget Breithaupt
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Pasta Fry

Cook 1/2 pound spaghetti #9
Beat 4 eggs
Add eggs to hot non-stick pan coated with cooking spray
Add cooked spaghetti
1 cup fresh green onion tops
Add salt and pepper to taste
Stir constantly until eggs are cooked thru

Karen Petitto
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One my family enjoys is penne vodka - 12 plum tomatoes (chopped & seeded), olive oil, 6 cloves of garlic (coarsely chopped), 2 shallots (chopped fine), half & half, 1/2 c good vodka of choice. Super easy and fast! Olive oil in the bottom of pan, heat shallot,
garlic until sweating. Add tomatoes - simmer apx 20-30 min. pressing with spoon and stirring occasionally. When cooked down, add vodka on low heat, simmer another 15 min., then add about 1/2 c half & half (maybe more if u like sauce lighter in color). Simmer another 15 min. Done!!! Add ins - sauteed prosciutto (imported please!), sauteed mushrooms, peas, asparagus --- Happy eating!

Debbie Del Franco



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