Tomato and Bacon Spaghetti (Pasta All'Amatriciana)

from America's Test Kitchen

serves 8-10

Ingredients:
1/2 pound sliced bacon (or salt pork), cut into ~1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
16 ounces spaghetti
1/4 pound Pecorino Romano, shredded

Cook bacon on medium high heat with about 1/4 cup water in a skillet. The water will evaporate over time, but keep the pork moist. Keep cooking until bacon is crisp and most of the fat is rendered (about 5 minutes). Pull out pork with slotted spoon and set fat aside to cool.

Add tomato paste, wine, and red pepper flakes back to the skillet and cook for a minute or two. Add the tomatoes with juice. Simmer for 12-16 minutes.

Bring water for pasta to boil. Season with 1 tablespoon salt. Cook pasta until al dente (follow package instructions, but about 10 minutes). Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain.

In a small mixing bowl, drizzle 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat over the shredded cheese and toss (this will help prevent clumping).

Combine spaghetti, crisp bacon, sauce, cheese, and about 1/3 cup pasta water (depends on how tight the sauce is). Top with a little more Pecorino Romano.

Chicken Marsala

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour for coating
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
½ tablespoon chives
1 cup Marsala wine
½ cup cooking sherry
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup heavy cream


In a gallon freezer bag, mix together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano. Add chicken breasts to bag, one at a time. Pound to approximately ¼-inch thick, then coat in flour mixture.

In a large skillet, melt butter and oil over medium heat. Place chicken in the pan, and brown on each side. Remove chicken to plate. Saute mushrooms and chives. Pour in Marsala wine, sherry and chicken broth. Reduce by a third; thicken the sauce with a flour and water slurry. Reduce heat to low, then add cream. Season to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve with noodles.

Mock Lasagna

6 ounces egg noodles, cooked (al dente) and drained
8 ounces lean ground beef, cooked and drained
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cottage cheese
26 ounces spaghetti sauce

Mix softened cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese in one bowl. Add spaghetti sauce to ground beef and combine. In 3 quart crockpot put a little sauce in the bottom. Then layer noodles, cream cheese, and meat sauce twice. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Farmgirl's Lower-Fat Pesto

1/2 cup (about 2.25 oz.) raw or roasted almonds or cashews
3-6 large garlic cloves, peeled
4 ounces (about 4 cups packed) fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup pecorino romano cheese, finely grated
10 ounces (about 3 small) fresh tomatoes, any kind, quartered
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or more if desired

If using raw nuts, spread them on a baking sheet or piece of aluminum foil and place in a 350 degree oven (or toaster oven) for 8 to 10 minutes.

Process the nuts and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the basil, pecorino romano, tomatoes and salt and process until thoroughly combined and the consistency you like.

With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil through the chute. Add more salt to taste if necessary and more olive oil if desired.

This pesto will keep several days in the fridge, or you can freeze it. Cover the top with a thin layer of olive oil to keep it from discoloring, or pour into an ice cube tray to freeze, then transfer pesto cubes to a heavy-duty freezer bag.

Makes approximately 1 1/2 cups.

Favorite Fettuccini Alfredo

8 ounces dry fettuccini
4 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk (we use skim)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
5 drops Tobasco
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, according to directions.

Meanwhile, get your ingredients out. You'll definitely want to have the flour and milk measured and ready to add.

Melt butter in a saucepan or saute pan with high sides. Stir in flour and cook until flour is browned, but do not let it burn. Wisk in milk, garlic and Tobasco; stir until thickened. Stir in Parmesan.

Drain fettuccini. Serve sauce over pasta.

Makes 4 servings.

We like to add sliced mushrooms, cooked shrimp, or a sliced grilled chicken breast to make it a little more filling.

Firehouse Chicken Parmesan

Recipe from the Ogden City (Utah) Fire Department

1 or 2 eggs
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 jar marinara sauce
Mushrooms
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Fettuccine noodles
Parsley

Beat eggs together in a pie pan. Combine breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and garlic powder in another pie pan. Butterfly the chicken breasts. Dip chicken into egg, then into crumb mixture. Heat butter and olive oil in large skillet. Cook chicken just until both sides are brown.

Lightly coat a 9x13" Pyrex with marinara sauce. Place the browned chicken in pan and cover with marinara (leaving enough to put on fettuccine). Top with mushrooms and Parmesan. Bake at 325 for 40 minutes.

Cook fettuccine accourding to package directions. Top with remaining marinara. Add mozzarella to chicken and melt, about 5 minutes. Top with parsley and enjoy!

Christmas Lasagna

10 no-boil lasagna noodles (or half of a 1 pound box)
1 pound mild Italian sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
2½ cups (about 28-ounce can) diced tomatoes, drained slightly
¼ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon basil
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon parsley

Set noodles aside. Brown and drain sausage. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer uncovered (I use a splatter guard) for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

½ pound mozzarella, sliced or shredded
½ cup grated Parmesan
½ pound shredded mild cheddar

Combine and set aside for cheese layer.

2 eggs
1 pint cottage cheese
2 tablespoons parsley

Beat eggs. Stir in cottage cheese and parsley.

Layer noodles, cottage cheese mixture, meat sauce, cheese in greased 9x13-inch pan or two square pans. Repeat twice for a total of three layers.

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Can be frozen. Allow at least 24 hours to thaw in fridge, then bake.

Chicken Artichoke Cacciatore

4 chicken breast halves
Flour seasoned with salt and pepper (for dredging)
2 T. olive oil
1 6 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
1 16 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 garlic cloves minced
½ t. oregano
½ t. basil
½ t. pepper
1 can/fresh sliced mushrooms (optional)


In sauce pan heat olive oil, dredge chicken, and brown chicken over medium heat. Add artichoke hearts, tomatoes, herbs and spices. Remove from heat. Place in baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour. Serve over pasta or rice.

Pesto Pork Roast

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 cups loosely packed basil leaves (or 1 tablespoon dried basil)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 garlic cloves, peeled

12 plum tomatoes

1-1/2 teaspoons pepper, divided

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1 boneless pork loin roast (3-4 pounds)

1 package (16 ounces) linguini noodles

For pesto, in a blender, combine 1/4 cup oil, basil, Parmesan cheese and garlic. Cover and process until blended. Remove 2 tablespoons pesto to a small bowl; stir in remaining oil and set aside.

Cut each tomato into four slices; place in a greased shallow roasting pan or slow cooker. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle remaining pepper and salt over roast; place over tomato slices. Spread remaining pesto over roast.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160°; or cook in slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours on low. Remove roast and keep warm. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and place in a large bowl. With a slotted spoon, add tomatoes to noodles; add reserved pesto and toss to coat. Serve with pork. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Chicken Pesto Rolls

2 tubes (10-count each) buttermilk biscuits
2 tablespoons pesto sauce
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1½ cups rotisserie chicken, shredded
3 tablespoons roasted red peppers, chopped
2 tablespoons black olives, chopped
Fresh Parmesan cheese
Marinara or Alfredo sauce

Lay biscuits on floured countertop (or cookie sheet) to form a 9x11-inch rectangle. (4 biscuits down, 5 across.) Using flour as needed, press biscuits together well to form one solid layer of dough.

Blend pesto into the cream cheese and spread mixture over entire surface of dough. Distribute chicken evenly over pesto cream. Sprinkle chopped peppers and olives over chicken.

Carefully roll up from the long end and gently compact as you go. With seam side down, slice into 12 equal sections. Place slices, on their sides, into greased 11x7-inch pan. Drizzle lightly with sauce and sprinkly with cheese.

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees. Check middle rolls for doneness of bread.