Re: Recipe Swap: Pasta dishes

I've made this Giada recipe several times & have always gotten raves from everyone eating it. The top comes out nice and crunchy.

The original calls for chicken - I use ground beef instead

1 cup Rigitoni pasta
1 package of ground beef
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup shredded mozzarella (sometimes I'll some Monterary Jack for some extra spice)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat.

Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft.

Next add the gound beef & cook until little pink is showing. Not to much because it will cook in the oven.

Put the mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Re: Recipe Swap: Pasta dishes

Seafood and Sausage Pasta with Essence Cream Sauce

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse

Made this for DH and myself..it was delish



Ingredients
12 ounces linguine pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces hot sausage, removed from its casings and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup red bell pepper, cut into thin 1-inch strips
1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, cut into thin 1-inch strips
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped green onions, plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon, plus 2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 pounds small raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes for dry pasta. Drain in a colander. Return to the pot and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cover and keep warm while finishing the recipe.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large saute pan, cook the sausage over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Pour off the fat from the pan.

Heat the oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and shallots and cook, stirring, until just soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, green onions, and 1 tablespoon of the Essence, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Deglaze with white wine and cook until almost completely reduced. Add the shrimp and sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons of the Essence. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp are just pink, about 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and cream and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring until starting to thicken, about 1 minute. Add the cooked pasta, cheese, parsley, and reserved sausage and toss to combine. Cook until the pasta is heated through and well coated, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste.

Divide among 4 pasta bowls, garnish with additional chopped green onions, and serve.

Emeril's Essence:
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and stir well to combine thoroughly. Store in an airtight container and use as needed.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Re: Recipe Swap: Pasta dishes