Simple Ingredients For Easy Pasta Recipes

If you want to cook something that is very easy to prepare and also economical, just cook pasta. Children and adults love pasta. Pasta is an easy way to prepare food that is filling and satisfying for the whole family. This article discusses some easy pasta recipes that you can prepare for your family.

To prepare a quick and easy meal, you need to know several shortcut ingredients and easy ways to prepare them. This method will help you save time and money in preparing an everyday meal. Pasta sauces, for examples, are easy to make and store in the refrigerator. This way, you can make a large batch and save it for later consumption.

A lot of people enjoy Bolognese sauce over their pasta. To cook this sauce, you need to prepare vegetables, meat, tomatoes, seasonings, and dry herbs such as oregano and basil. Chop the vegetables before you cook them. Brown the meat and cook in low heat until the liquid is reduced and you get the consistency you are looking for. For even easier and quicker Bolognese sauce, use an instant Bolognese herb mix with tomato sauce.

Serve this sauce over any kinds of pasta. However, it is most suitable with fettuccine, spaghetti, or other long pasta. You can keep this sauce in the freezer and reheat it close to serving time. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese for extra flavor.

If you need a healthier sauce, consider preparing pesto sauce. This popular sauce uses healthy ingredients such as olive oil, fresh basil, grated hard cheese, and pine nuts. This is a delicious sauce that will be loved by vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. You can easily turn it into a vegan friendly sauce by omitting the cheese or substitute it with soy cheese.

If you prefer pasta dish or sauce that is hot and fresh, try garlic, mushrooms, and butter pasta sauce. Although this simple dish only takes a few minutes to cook, this dish tastes very good. Basically, you only need to stir fry the garlic with the mushrooms and butter. Do not forget to season it with salt and fresh black pepper.

You can find more easy and quick pasta recipes on the internet or from cookbooks. Experimenting and trying new things will make you know more pasta recipes. Store some ingredients that are essential in preparing pasta sauces. Creating recipes by mixing ingredients is one way to find more easy pasta recipes.

Want to save money by cooking at home? Find some great and easy pasta recipes at http://www.easy-pasta-recipes.net and learn how to cook great food.

Healthy Recipes - A Delicious Pasta Recipe That Will Boost Your Immune System

Love tomatoes and pasta? Did you know they can be combined to boost your immune system? This healthy pasta recipe does just that.

Every day, your immune system battles the millions of bacteria, microbes, toxins and viruses that try to invade your body. But this complex and highly interactive network of organs and specialized cells can help keep you healthy only if it's healthy itself. So how do you make sure your immune system stays strong? Along with getting enough sleep and exercise, and keeping your stress level down, a low-fat, high-fiber, nutrient-rich diet will keep your immune system in top-notch condition. Research suggests that the following vitamins and minerals, in particular, regulate a wide variety of immune system functions:

Vitamin A


B-complex vitamins


Vitamin C


Zinc


Selenium


Magnesium

While it's a good idea to take a vitamin and mineral supplement to ensure you're getting the nutrition your body needs, you obviously want to get as many immunity-boosting nutrients as you can from the food you eat. The following recipe, rich in the vitamins and minerals listed above, offers a delicious way to keep your immune system strong:

Mexican Pasta Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil


3 green onions, thinly sliced


2 cloves garlic, finely chopped


1/2 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey


1 tablespoon chili powder


1/4 teaspoon salt


1 can (14½ oz) stewed tomatoes, chopped


1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped


1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese


1/4 cup chopped cilantro


8 oz package bow- or corkscrew-shaped whole wheat pasta

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well and place in a large bowl.


Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green onions and garlic and cook 30 seconds.


Crumble in ground beef. Sprinkle with chili powder and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes, or until beef is no longer pink.


Add tomatoes and their juices, and jalapeño. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 5 minutes.


Pour sauce over pasta.


Sprinkle with cheese and cilantro. Toss to mix.

For another immune-system-building pasta recipe and to access a user-friendly herb and supplement encyclopedia, visit Melinda Banks' blog at MyOnlineHealthArticles.com.

Easy Pasta Recipes and Spare Ingredients

When you get down to the basics you can still make a hearty meal without having to run to the store. Easy pasta recipes can help you make the most of the little that you already have on hand. As long as you have a box of pasta in the house, you are ready to get cooking.

With a little ingenuity you can pull a treasure trove of ingredients from your cabinet and refrigerator. Take an inventory of the dried spices and herbs in your cabinet. Check the produce bins for fresh veggies and mushrooms that you can use as flavorful additions. Also take out jars of green olives or artichoke hearts.

The best type of pasta for a recipe that incorporates all of the goodies that are on hand is usually a spiral shaped short pasta or even elbow macaroni. You can experiment with what you have, because the idea is to implement those items that are in the house already. Whichever your selection it should be boiled in a large pot of water until it reaches the desired tenderness, then drained and set aside.

There are numerous ways to dress the pasta up. Simple palates might up for a bit of melted butter and a light dusting of a grated hard cheese. Pasta is without a doubt a great way to make use of the last bits of everything after your household has demolished the groceries.

Jars that have nearly run empty, or the last bits of dry salami do not have to go in the trash. A touch of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, or a simple vinaigrette salad dressing can be added to just about any diced mixture of remaining produce, cheese or other items. The stand alone tomato, the last of the mushrooms, green onions, green olives or hard salami can be chopped finely, drizzled with dressing and added to the cooled pasta for a quick, easy pasta salad.

If it is chilly outside and you want to serve something hot within you can make traditional macaroni and cheese with very little on hand. Melt two to three tablespoons of butter over medium heat. As it melts, sprinkle several tablespoons of flower into the pan. Allow the flower to slowly brown and then whisk one half cup of milk into the mixture. Add crushed garlic, salt and if you like it black pepper. Stir until the mixture is at a constant boil, and has a texture that is thick and smooth. Slowly add cubed, shredded, grated or sliced cheese in, whisking continuously until it has melted.

The greater of the variety of cheese that is used, the more unique the final flavor will be. By slow toasting the last piece or heal of the bread, you can create your own bread crumbs. Mix the cheese sauce with the pasta, top with bread crumbs and slow bake in a medium temperature oven for twenty minutes. You can garnish as you please and serve with cracked black pepper.

This article was brought to you by Andrew, the author of http://www.easy-pasta-recipes.net. Lots more easy pasta recipes for salads, lasagna recipes and the classics can be found here also. Send us a great pasta recipe to be posted on the site.

Enjoy Two of the Best Authentic Italian Pasta Recipes

There are a lot of variants of making Italian pasta and they are all very simple. Typically, pasta or noodles have to be cooked in lightly salted water for 10-20 minutes (cooking time depends strongly on the type of flour used and the type of products). Salt is not necessary, it completely replaces spices. By the way, it can be eaten without cooking, washing it down with something. In any case, do not allow cooking in the mess. Suffice it to macaroni become opaque (white) and softened.

If you do not want to pour water, and with it part of nutrients, take in 100 grams of spaghetti around a glass of water and simmer with the lid on low heat. Then all the liquid has been absorbed or boiled out. The same can be done in a microwave oven, but a satisfactory result is not guaranteed.

Pasta in a literal translation from the Italian word for means "dough". This term means any pasta. Pasta should be of hard wheat, besides Italians love pasta "al dente", that is undercooked. This is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Most types of pasta, which can be seen on store shelves, cook pasta cereals. Pasta - affordable and nutritious base of any dish, just add smoked meat, vegetables, meat, nuts and legumes - and you expect a great meal. Add spinach, asparagus or beans, and pasta will be even more nutritious and useful.

If you are looking for the best Italian pasta recipes, this article is perfect for you. It will present you two top-rated pasta recipes which have shown the biggest number of positive reviews.

Pasta with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

You need: 400 g of any noodles or spaghetti, 1 bunch of basil, 12 green olives, 1 tbsp salted capers, a pinch of fiery red pepper 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 large cloves of garlic, 400 g tomatoes: 150 grams of mozzarella cheese.

Wash tomatoes in hot water and peel them. Cut into small cubes. Mix with chopped basil, chopped olives and capers, pepper, olive oil. Let it brew for 5-8 hours. Boil noodles. Tomato mixture when it's heating, add to noodles and finely diced cheese.


Pasta with Garlic and Chili

You need: 450 g spaghetti, 120 ml extra virgin olive oil (Extra Virgin); 5 large cloves garlic, chopped, 3 dry fiery red chili pepper, 1/4 cup of parsley.

Put the spaghetti boil in salted water. While its cooking, heat oil in a small heavy saucepan. Add the garlic and chili and fry until they begin to sizzle, but not yet browned. Remove from heat. Once the paste is prepared al dente, leave a part of it from the pot, where it was cooked, a small cup of water. Then drain the remaining water. Return the pasta to the saucepan, add garlic and chilies in olive oil. Put on medium heat and stir well until the paste becomes hot. If pasta seems too dry, add a little water, molded from the spaghetti. Then add the parsley, mix well and serve.

To learn more about preparing authentic Italian pasta and how to benefit from using the best pasta maker, try visiting bestpastamaker.com, where you will find this and a lot more tips including how to choose the right Imperia pasta maker to enjoy your homemade pasta together with your family.

Advantages of Simple Pasta Recipes

Easy pasta recipes are extremely well liked by a lot of people and this article talks about the reasons for this, such as its versatility and cheapness. A cheap and tasty tuna salad recipe is also shown.

Almost everyone loves easy pasta recipes because they have many advantages to eating it. It isn't expensive at all and makes feeding a family very easy and inexpensive. Quick pasta recipes can also be in many different forms ranging from popular dishes like macroni to the much less used like pasta soups. Basic ingredients can also be used with these simple pasta recipes. Those involved in sports also make good use of this popular ingredient because of its ability to release energy slowly, which can help with endurance sports.

It is useful to sports people because it helps with the creation of energy due to the carbonhydrates it contains. This makes it an important nutrient for athletes and aiding them in getting the best results. It is stored as glycogen in the muscle where they perform as a willingly accessible energy souce during lengthly and strenuous competitions.

Water, eggs and flour are used to make it and you can use these ingredients to make your own also. They are sometimes coloured and the flavour changed, by adding dye and herbs and spices. A bit of extra taste can also be added to the food by filling the pasta with tomatoes or different meat types.

There are also many different types of this food for many different uses. These include spaghetti used in meals such as bolognaise; noodles that can be used in chicken noodle soup; sheets for use in lasagne dishes; and different shapes used in, for example, macaroni cheese; and dried and fresh pasta also. They all help to provide a wide range of tasty, easy recipes that anyone can easily make. A tuna salad recipe is shown below.

Ingredients: - Pasta for 2 - 1 can of tuna - Rocket leaves, watercress, spinach - Cucumber, sliced - 8 cherry tomatoes, halved - 1 pepper, chopped - Few tablespoons of salad cream

What to do: 1. Follow the packet's instructions for cooking the pasta properly 2. Once cooked, mix with everything else and stir well

That's it. Very easy and quick!

The reasons stated above in this article are why Italian food is liked so much by people from many different countries, other than just Italians. Anybody, anywhere can make great meals from easy pasta recipes, with all the simple ingredients that are used.

This article was brought to you by Andrew, the author of http://www.easy-pasta-recipes.net. If you like easy pasta recipes then have a look around the site. A free Italian recipe e-book, with more simple pasta recipes, is also available.

Save Time and Money With Easy Pasta Recipes

Most people's grocery cabinets start to become quite empty toward the end of the month. Don't worry, most likely you can still prepare delicious meals with the few things you have left. Many easy pasta recipes can for example be prepared with the remaining odds and ends you will find in your fridge or grocery cabinet. The ingredients are simple: a box of pasta and a handful of other items which you will most of the time have in your kitchen cabinet.

If you use your imagination you can undoubtedly create a lovely pasta from the ingredients you will find in your refrigerator and grocery cabinet. Take stock of what dried spices you have left in the cabinet. Make a list of the fresh vegetables and mushroom you have - they can add a lot of flavor to your dish. If you have a jar or two of artichoke hearts or green olives so much the better.

The best kind of pasta to go with such a hodge-podge array of ingredients is short pasta, although macaroni is also a good alternative. You are free to experiment as much as you want. That is after all the whole idea - to use whatever is left in the house. The whole mix will eventually have to be boiled up to the point where everything is tender and afterwards drained.

To dress up the pasta you have various options. You could for example improve the taste of any pasta by adding a spoonful or two of melted butter. A sprinkling of grated cheese will also go a long way to enhance the taste of every pasta dish.

Don't throw away the few remaining bits of dry salami or a nearly empty jar of salad dressing or balsamic vinegar. A few drops of olive oil, a little touch of balsamic vinegar or a small quantity of salad dressing can go a long way to improve the taste of nearly any pasta dish. The same is true for a single tomato you find in the refrigerator, or a few mushrooms, olives or green onions.

If the weather is cold outside, you will probably want to serve a hot dish. The trusted old macaroni and cheese will always be a winner in this regard. You don't need much to make a lovely dish. Some butter, garlic, flower, black pepper, salt and bread crumbs will do the trick. And macaroni of course.

Start off by making a cheese sauce from all the ingredients listed above (apart from the pasta and the bread crumbs). Make sure the sauce is smooth and creamy. Afterwards mix the pasta and the sauce. Then bake it in a medium over for more or less twenty minutes. As far as easy pasta dishes go, this one is probably the easiest and one of the cheapest to prepare.

There are many more easy pasta recipes available at http://www.easy-pasta-recipes.net ranging from lasagna recipes to pasta salad recipes to soups. You can also send in your favourite easy pasta recipe, to be posted on the site.

Cheap Pasta Recipe's

The following is a small collection of some of my cheap pasta recipe's which are a must for anyone on a budget.

I have found they are loved by children and adults alike.

Basic Pasta Sauce

1 Medium Onion Diced

1 Clove Garlic Diced

1 Can Chopped Tomatoes / Pasata Sauce

Good Pinch Oregano

Sautee the onion and garlic until soft add the tomatoes and oregano.

Depending on your tastes you can modify this recipe. I also add diced carrots, celery, green and red peppers (capsicums) and mushrooms and for the non vegetarians bacon pieces. Therefore insuring a good supply of vegetables. It helps to make a large batch then you can freeze it until required. I find plastic drinking cups covered with plastic wrap great as you use 1 for a couple of people or more depending on the amount of people you are cooking for.

Sausage Pasta Bake.

400g Pasta

500g Sausages

1 Medium Onion Diced

1 Can Condensed Tomato Soup /Chopped Tomatoes / Pasta Sauce

Pinch oregano

Fry the sausages, once cooked remove from the pan and slice into bite size pieces. Sautee the onion, once soft add the tomato soup and the oregano then add the sausage to the pan.

Meanwhile cook the pasta in salted boiling water, once cooked drain and rinse.

Mix the pasta into the sauce then place into an ovenproof dish, sprinkle with cheese and bake until golden brown.

Tuna Pasta

400g Pasta

1 400g Can Tuna

1 Medium Onion Diced

1 Can Mushroom Soup

Pinch Oregano

Sautee the onion until soft, add the soup then gradually add extra water or milk depending on your taste until the sauce reaches a creamy thickness. Add the can of Tuna (drained). Meanwhile cook the pasta in salted boiling water, drain and add to the sauce serve immediately.

Mushroom Pasta

400g Pasta

1 Medium Onion Diced

200g Mushroom Sliced

1 Clove Garlic Diced

Olive Oil

Sautee the onion, mushrooms and garlic in the olive oil.

Meanwhile cook the pasta in salted boiling water drain then stir in the onion and mushroom mixture.

Spaghetti Bake

400g Spaghetti

1 Can Tomato Soup/ pasta sauce

Pinch Oregano

1 Quantity of Cheese Sauce

Cook the spaghetti in salted water meanwhile heat the tomato soup add a pinch of oregano, once the pasta is cooked drain place in an oven proof dish and mix in the tomato soup. Meanwhile make or heat a quantity of cheese sauce then pour over the Spaghetti sprinkle with cheese and bake in the oven until golden. Serve immediately

My kids absolutely adore this.

Chicken Pasta

1 Large Chicken Breast diced

1 Medium Onion Diced

200g Mushrooms Sliced

1 Clove Garlic

1 Can Condensed Mushroom Soup

Pinch Oregano

400g Pasta

Sautee the chicken until brown add the onion, garlic and mushrooms once cooked add the mushroom soup plus extra water to make to a creamy consistency. Pinch of Oregano. Simmer for around 10 to 20 minutes to let the flavours infuse. Cook the pasta in salted water once cooked drain and serve immediately with the chicken sauce on top.

Emma Thompson Is a mother of 3 that loves cooking, you can learn more by visiting my blog. http://cheapmeals.blogspot.com

Authentic Italian Pasta Recipes

Americans and many other countries in the world have only recently warmed to term pasta. Having made only spaghetti and macaroni for generations the term authentic Italian pasta recipes was truly a blank canvas.

Home cooks and chefs today are becoming more sophisticated about what really are authentic Italian recipes. Well, Italian recipes are and can be simple or elaborate, practical or as foolish, store bought or made at home. But even more today, Italian recipes had become the world's most important culinary art, and almost where ever you go you will find an Italian restaurant on the corner of a road.

In the beginning people didn't knew much about how to boil pasta, missing some of the basic information. At the question: "How much water and salt does one need for one pound of Italian pasta?" S/he wouldn't  probably answer at all.

Instead today, there are more worse questions that you could be asked to answer for: "Should you add oil to the cooking water?" "How thoroughly should the pasta be drained?" Well, I know that for somebody might be tough to answer. So let me help you from the beginning, in the case that you still don't know today.

Four quarts of water for one pound of Italian pasta, one tablespoon of salt, never add oil to the water, and the pasta should still be slightly wet when drained.

Of course cooking is a combination of objective technique and subjective taste.

Lets move now to Italian pasta sauces determining the best  kind of tomatoes for making sauces, which is of course the diced tomatoes packed in water, not puree are best. When making "pesto" best is to pound the leaves to release the oil, blanch the garlic, and toast the pine nuts. The range of Italian sauces goes well far from simple cream sauces. Had you never tasted those made with beans and lentils? Seafood? Poultry and meat?

Here is where I invite you for further investigations, you will come across new Italian recipes learning the best methods for preparing pasta dishes. From pasta soups, pasta salads, and filled pasta dishes, as well as the basic of pasta making from fresh egg pasta to pasta without eggs. All this and a long tradition had made that endless number of Italian pasta recipes.

I hope that you will enjoy the process of discovery as much as the recipes themselves, made at home as in an authentic Italian restaurant.

Attilio Ferullo is the editor of Authentic Italian Pasta Recipes and you can get more information about his activity here: http://www.authentic-italian-pasta-recipes.com

One of Attilio's main passion is Italian food and lover of authentic Italian recipes. Most important he likes to eat well and healthy, no matter how much it will cost him. Living in the sunny Tuscany region of Italy, he had easily become an Italian wine and food expert, looking for what is really considered authentic Italian.

Copyright: you may freely republish this article, provided the text, author credit, the active links and this copyright notice remain intact.

Few Minutes to a Elaborate Meal With Easy Pasta Recipes

After a frenzied day you must consider the necessity of a prompt delight and if you dig up your favorite pasta in dinner then that will be fulfilling as well as scintillating. But you must be thinking that how pasta can be prepared in a jiffy. Yes, it may very well be, when you have got certain necessary components in your stock. You have to merely shop for various basic pasta sauce components, some kind of meats, veggies as well as diverse form of pastas to prepare easy pasta recipes for any meal.

Did you ever assume that how experts prepare quick still lavish preparations? The enigma for their quickness is the assortment of food items and sauces they cook in advance. Let's chat about some points for creating easy pasta recipes.

- The first step is to boil pasta according to the directions on the container. The pasta must be 'al dante' and not overcooked. The most excellent way to save time, you may cook the sauce whilst pasta is getting boiled.

- One thing that you can perform in advance is to cook pasta sauce. Any kind of sauce, such as, tomato sauce, mushroom-garlic sauce or white sauce is often cooked before and frozen for the future use.

- Spare meat is the best option that may prepare easy pasta recipes. Normally, leftover meat is already cooked, that's why no additional cooking is obligatory and it may take very less time in combining the pasta dish. If meat is fresh-cut then also you are required to merely fry the meat in little oil earlier than adding to the pasta.

- Vegetables also plays an important part in creating a fine recipe. Chop the vegetables thinly or you could just chop and stock up in fridge to be inculcated as and when necessary. In the same way like meat, vegetables must also be saut?ed prior to adding up in pasta sauce.

- For making an easy pasta preparation you are required to combine all the components, such as, boiled pasta, sauce, seasonings and the stir-fried meat together with cooked vegetables.

These points are incredibly advantageous and could be your guide to easy pasta recipes. So, follow them and impress your family members.

For exciting pasta recipes GO TO: Easy Pasta Recipes and Italian Pasta Recipes

Facts About Italian Pasta Recipes

Little doubt that Italian pasta recipes are famed across the world, but have you ever questioned that how these recipes are originated or how pasta is originated? I'm confident you have not done at all. Therefore let me to help you in informing about the description of one of several highly accepted food internationally.

Origin and History of Pasta

Although we all know that pasta is generally included in making Italian recipes, but in respect to historians its starting point is thought to be in China. The noodles were being first presented 4000 years back in the Shandong region of China. Unlike today's durum wheat noodles, those noodles use to be made up of foxtail millet and broomcorn millet.

There is so much of speculation on the subject of the foundation of this staple as North African's are eating 'Couscous', an analogous foodstuff like pasta, since ages. Today, pasta is made up of durum wheat that was first announced by Arabs in seventh century during their invasion on Sicily, Italy. It really is assumed that it was during 13th and 14th centuries when it was first officially introduced in Italy.

Kinds of Pasta

There can be various types of pastas incorporated in Italian pasta recipes. Macaroni, fussili, manicotti, penne and spaghetti are examples of the well-liked kinds. Elongated, small, bow as well as ribbon pasta; all have their individual purposes and benefits in the dishes. Sauces are effectively held with the little shell pastas. Spaghetti and noodles are well-suited for a pot of soup and baked preparations.

Ways to Present Italian Pasta

One can find various cold plus hot pasta preparations. Cold preparations are habitually served as starters. Hot recipes are normally consumed as side dish or as a complete meal. Pasta is prepared with different type of sauces. Sauce is usually either tomato based or cream based. Cheese, vegetables, meats, olives and herbs are the foremost ingredients of pasta sauces.

You possibly can easily discover a number of creative and unique Italian pasta recipes through internet. So, attempt them and cheer your folks.

For more pasta recipes GO TO: Easy pasta recipes

An Easy Pasta Recipe to Impress

You can make a delicious, impressive dish without having to spend a whole lot of money or suffering a ton of tress. With a simple pasta recipe you can serve a dish that has a gorgeous array of colors, is filled with flavor, and best of all simple to make. Your feast can be ready in jiff, but taste like it took hours to prepare.

Pasta can be a rich hearty dish. It can also be a light, summery affair with the right ingredients. Having a quality wine on hand to serve with any pasta a dish is a simple way to kick your meal up a notch. When it is properly chosen it can enhance the flavors that you have added to the pasta. For this recipe a chilled, dry white wine is recommended.

Boil tri-color pasta in a large pot of water. Remove the pasta from the burner and drain thoroughly while it is still quite firm. Your pasta will simmer in a soft later on and should be able to soften a bit further. Toss the pasta in the strainer in order to separate the pasta and ensure that it has been thoroughly drained.

In a deep pan slowly saute several chopped cloves of garlic and a half cup of sliced mushrooms in one teaspoon of olive oil. One rounded teaspoon of a store bought, jarred variety can be substituted. Once the garlic has slightly browned and definitely softened a bit, add one can of diced, seasoned tomatoes. These can be seasoned with basil and oregano. If you have the time you can chop fresh basil in yourself, but the already seasoned tomatoes will do.

A great addition is pine nuts. Because the flavor of these are so distinct, it may be best to leave these out if you are entertaining finicky eaters. They also make for a nice substitution for garlic when your company happens to not be found of garlic.

Once this mixture warms to a boil add one half cup finely chopped spinach. Let this simmer for ten minutes and then slowly stir in one quarter cup of heavy cream and one quarter cup of gorgonzola cheese. Season with sea salt or standard table salt to taste. Transfer the contents of the skillet into a large pot. Add in the firm, spiral pasta and let it soften for several minutes in the warm sauce.

You can add the pasta to a sturdy serving dish and garnish it with fresh shredded parmesan cheese just before serving. Prepare a simple side salad using dark greens and a light vinaigrette dressing. The perfect wine will pull you meal together and leave everyone full, happy and quite impressed.

If you want to cook a great pasta dish then visit http://www.easy-pasta-recipes.net where you will find lasagna recipes, mains, soups and salads.

12 Pasta Recipe Tips

Many of us are pasta lovers. It takes good tips and skill to prepare a delicious paste dish for our love ones, friends or colleagues. Here are some of the tips to enhance your pasta recipe.

When cooking pasta .....

1) Remember pasta is the main dish. Compliment it with sauce not overwhelm it.

2) Get ready before you begin. There should not be a waiting time between draining and saucing.

3) Ensure adequate water to boil pasta. Do not overcrowd them as it needs enough water around it to dilute its starch. If there too little water will result in gummy texture.

4) Add salt in the boiling water just before putting pasta to pump up the neutral taste of pasta. Salt also helps to prevent it from sticking together. Use three and a half tablespoon salt to 6 quarts of water.

5) Do not add oil to water. Some experts believe that any oil cling to the pasta will make it slippery and prevent sauce from absorbing into it. If you want to prevent it from sticking together you should stir it as soon as you drop it into the pot. Stir frequently in abundant, rapidly boiling water.

6) Suggested cooking time on the package is just a rough guide. You could test it to determine whether it is cooked enough or not.

7) Drain it just before you think it is perfectly done because pasta continues to soften in water (or in sauce) even if the heat is turned off.

8) Reserve some of the pasta cooking water. If a sauce is too thick you can use some of the hot liquid to thin it out.

9) Never rinse pasta after it is drained. The starch clinging to it is important to its taste and texture and allows the sauce to "stick" to the pasta.

10) Not all pasta is meant to be served with grated cheese. Sauces containing seafood are prepared and served without cheese.

11) Keep a grater and chunks of cheese at the table to add if appropriate (for those pasta that goes well with cheese).

12) Serve it piping hot as pasta waits for no one.

You can find more recipes information on this web address [http://www.momrecipeideas.com].

Refer to [http://www.momrecipeideas.com]

Easy Pasta Recipes For Kids

If you're trying to encourage your kids to learn to cook, then you might consider some easy recipes for pasta. Most kids quite like pasta, and if they can make something gooey with lots of cheese, or make something with lots of slippery sliding pasta shapes, they might eventually notice that they like other things about pasta dishes as well.

There are lots of places to find easy pasta recipes that kids can make. For example, at Get-Kids-Cooking.com there is a recipe that takes very little time, but which gives parents an opportunity to teach kids how to cook spaghetti.

While seven ounces of spaghetti is cooking for ten minutes, the kids help chop six ripe tomatoes, and will no doubt enjoy giving two cloves of garlic a good crush. The tomatoes and garlic, three tablespoons of olive oil and two ounces of carefully grated Parmesan cheese can go into a bowl, and the cooked spaghetti can be stirred into it, along with fresh chopped basil. It's very simple, but introduces kids to some good tastes.

Easy recipes for kids to make can sometimes be found on larger recipe websites like AllRecipes.com or Epicurious.com, but most of those are geared toward adults. You may have to look harder for pasta dishes aimed toward the kids themselves as the cooks, but there are some entertaining and fun ideas out there. If they prepare the pasta themselves, then the kids may eventually become interested in cooking more elaborate, "grown-up" dishes.

You can get elaborate for your own pasta meals, with complex sauces and ingredients, but for getting kids involved in cooking, there's nothing like a few simple and fun to make pasta recipes.

Nothing beats the taste of fresh pasta made right in your own home. And surprisingly, it's not difficult at all to make. Click here to learn how a pasta roller machine such as the Imperia pasta maker can make it easy for you.

Easy Italian Pasta Recipe - Pasta With Roasted Vegetables & Fresh Herbs

Here is a quick, easy and delicious summer Italian pasta recipe that you just have to make for dinner tonight. Anyone can make this. Your family will feel like they are eating at an authentic Italian restaurant after eating this dish.

But before we get to this recipe, I would like to provide you with a few tips on how to buy the best quality ingredients for this dish.

Tips For Buying Your Vegetables

The key to this dish, or any dish that calls for fresh vegetables, is to educate yourself on how to choose the best ingredients. It can be confusing at the store with all of the different varieties, textures, sizes and shapes that vegetables are available in.

I try to only use organic fruits and vegetables. They may be more expensive, but they are tastier, higher in nutrients, and for the most part, free of any dangerous chemicals.

For this particular dish I use Roma or Plum tomatoes. A Roma tomato is a type of Plum tomato, and to the best of my knowledge, there is no real difference between the two. I like to use Plum or Roma tomatoes for cooking and making sauces. They are more meaty and have less seeds and juice than other varieties. They also taste better in my opinion.

Choose tomatoes that are heavy for their size and have a deep rich color. This deep rich color not only indicates a tastier tomato, but it also is an indication that the tomato has a higher supply of the healthy ingredient "lycopene".

Smell the tomatoes. They should smell fresh and earthy.

Choose tomatoes that are smooth and free of cuts, blemishes and soft spots.

When choosing your squash , make sure it is firm and heavy for its size.

Examine the skin for any cuts or soft spots. Look at the stem and make certain it is not discolored or shriveled.

Choose squash that is smaller and younger as these are usually more tender.

THE PASTA

Am I really going to devote a section of this article to pasta? Can't you just use any old pasta? Does it really make a difference?

In my opinion, yes, it does make a difference. There are many varieties of pastas on your supermarket shelves, but not all are created equal. I have tried many different brands of pasta and always find myself coming back to Barilla.

It just cooks up perfectly, every time. When I say perfectly, I mean "Al Dente". When Pasta is cooked "Al Dente", it should be firm, but not hard. Cooking pasta to this perfect state does require practice. Follow the instructions on the back of the box. They are usually quite accurate. My recommendation would be to taste the pasta a minute or two before the suggested cooking time is reached.

INGREDIENTS

Here are the ingredients that you will need. These measurements are by no means set in stone. Not everyone has the same preferences. You can easily adjust the ingredients below to suit your taste. Cooking is all about experimentation and I find that many of my recipes evolve over time.

1 Pound of Barilla Pasta - I use penne. I have tried other types of pasta like spaghetti and ziti, but penne seems to have the best texture and holds up the best with the ingredients in this dish.

3 - 4 Yellow Summer Squash Cut Into 1/2 Inch Pieces

3 - 4 Roma or Plum Tomatoes Cut Into 1/2 Inch Pieces

4 Cloves of Garlic Peeled and Smashed

1 - 2 Tablespoons Fresh Thyme Chopped

1 Cup of Torn Fresh Basil Leaves

1/4 Cup of Fresh Italian Parsley

1/4 Cup Asiago or Parmesan Cheese Plus a bit more for serving

Several Drizzles of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Unsalted Butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 Degrees.

Add your vegetables and garlic to a large baking sheet. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stir so that vegetables are coated well with the olive oil.

Put the vegetables in the preheated oven and roast , stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned. Make sure they do not burn! It shouldn't take longer then 30 minutes.

While the vegetables are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta but reserve a cup or so of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot.

Add the roasted vegetables, fresh herbs, cheese, butter, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to the pasta.

If the mixture is dry, add some of the reserved pasta water.

Toss and serve. Top with cheese if desired.

Enjoy!

Ralph Serpe is a passionate home cook and webmaster for http://www.chefability.com. Follow this link for more easy Italian cooking recipes and tips like this.

Easy Pasta Recipes Good For Dinner

1. Availability & Storage

Evey supermarket store will carry pasta, even if it is in the most simplest Spaghetti form. In fact, even the mom-and-pop stores across the streets carry them at time. no matter where you live, and no matter what weather it is, you can always rely on a package of pasta to

2. Healthy & Kid-Friendly Too!

Homemade pasta can be quite healthy, contrary to what one might think, if you stick to a healthy Pasta Sauce recipe; using whole wheat pasta and adding nutritious ingredients like spinach, garlic and herbs that add to the vitamin, mineral and fiber content of the pasta, some cheese for protein, tomatoes for lycopene & nuts for omega-3 oils will actually give you a filling meal fit for your kids and your entire family. Plus, pasta comes in so many interesting shapes, tubes, tunnels, macaroni and more, that kids find it fun to indulge in the colorful meal laid out in front of them.

3. Ease of Preparation

It is so simple, even a kid could do it (well, almost, if the kid is at least 8 years old!) Just boil a pot of water, add a teaspoon of salt and empty the pasta noodles into the crock pot. Cook for 10 minutes and you are done. When you are short on time, just add some ready-made Pasta sauce on the top, some Parmesan cheese, some fresh pepper, and you are good to go. Simple enough, right? it doesn't take rocket science to make some Baked Macaroni & Cheese!

4. Budget-Friendly

This is perhaps the most important reason to choose Pasta for dinner. a 2 lb package of noodles can easily feed a family of 4 or 5. Add the cost of some sauce and cheese, and you'll still be looking at a family dinner under $10 - and that includes Garlic Toast too! That's even less than the cost of one person's meal if you go to a non-chain restaurant and order a single item from their menu! And homemade sauces are even cheaper, as you can make in bulk and store and keep for use later on in the month. Try making different kinds of Pesto Sauces, like this Cilantro Pesto, or the Walnut Arugula Pesto for affordable yet tasty variations.

5. Delicious to Eat

Pasta comes in so many shapes and sizes, that its easy to mix and match and create a meal that is delicious, yet different from last time. What I do is keep 5 basic sauce recipes on hand, and 5 different types of pasta packages at home. Then I keep alternating between the pairings. So one time its Ravioli with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce, other time it is Fettuccine in Wine Sauce, and yet another time it is the Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna!

So, if you are wondering what to cook tonight, it might be a good idea to dish out some Noodles and look at one of the Pasta recipes above, then make your family a hit & healthy restaurant-style meal which will not cash out your pockets, and yet make for a tasty eating event.

Recipes & Photo Credit - Fun and Food Cafe @ http://funandfoodcafe.com

Pasta Recipes and Comfort Foods

The best foods make us feel the best, and pasta is definitely one of those. Good pasta reminds us of mother's cooking, so what better food to make us feel safe a comfortable than a steaming bowl of pasta with a great sauce on top? With all the varieties of pasta, there is something for everyone, and you are sure to find a variety that you like really well.

When you are trying to determine a pasta recipe that you'd like to use for a party of a dinner, it helps to have an idea of the kinds of pastas that are out there. Spaghetti is a very popular variety associated with childhood lunches and dinners, so it goes well with the idea of pasta recipes as comfort food. Other good pasta for relaxing frayed nerves includes any lasagna recipe.

Gnocchi is really tasty and comforting because it tends to be a lot more filling than most other kinds of pasta, since it is made with potato flour and egg instead of the usual semolina wheat flour and eggs. The best kind of pasta in my opinion is the long ribbon types like linguine and angel hair, but bowtie and spiral pasta, and macaroni make good pasta dishes as well. What could be more comforting than homemade macaroni and cheese?

My favorite sauces to comfort freaked out people are creamy Alfredo sauce recipes, but these are sometimes not the kind that people want. Tomato sauce with ground beef is also really good and serves the purpose well.

Atlas Stone writes a great deal on delicious pasta recipes. Check out his thoughts on what makes a great alfredo sauce recipe.

Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe - My Shrimp Scampi Pasta Will Rock Your World

My Shrimp Scampi Pasta Recipe. Thousands and Thousands Served.

As a former professional chef who owned a highly acclaimed bistro for about 7 years and spent 30 years cheffing some nice places I like to offer up some of my favorites once in a while.

This is one of my favorite pasta dishes of all time and it is so simple to make.

The first thing I want you to know is that I do not believe in mixing wine or alcohol into any of my fish or seafood dishes.

There are two reasons for this:


I like to taste my seafood and not have the flavor changed by adding wine to it. Many seafood dish recipes call for white wine and fresh tomatoes. When I eat seafood cooked with white wine and tomatoes together I get violently ill for some reason so as a chef I avoided combining them in my recipes.
Here is my recipe for shrimp scampi.

This recipe is for 2 very hungry adults and one or two small children;

Ingredients


1 pound of Bow-tie aka "Farfalle" Pasta 1.5 pounds of raw white "shell on" shrimp or the raw "shell on" shrimp of your choice. Shrimp must have shell on when you buy them to make this recipe. 8 large cloves of fresh peeled garlic "sliced thin or chopped medium fine chop, but not minced 1/2 pound of fresh green beans, blanched in boiling water and then cut into 3 or 4 pieces each so you have 1" Lengths of beans. 3 tablespoons - each of WASHED, FRESH, medium chopped, Italian Parsley & Basil. Dried herbs just don't cut it in this dish. Juice from one FRESH lemon " not that crappy stuff in the bottle" All Shrimp Stock YOU made from the shells "recipe will follow" 1/4 to 1/2 stick unsalted butter "depends on how much fat you want". If you go with 1/2 stick then save some of it for the very end when you are tossing the pasta and then add it to finish the dish off. 2 tablespoons olive oil - "the olive oil keeps the butter from burning" Parmesan Cheese - As much as you like! tablespoon flour "optional"
All right now that you have every thing together I will take you by the hand.

Whoever you make this for will be your best friend, TRUST ME!


Put your pot of water on the stove for the pound of farfalle pasta you have to cook. Be sure to season the water properly with salt "To Taste". I use farfalle/bow-tie pasta because I have tested all sizes and shapes and find farfalle/bow-tie pasta sucks up the broth better and fits perfectly with the size of the shrimp and green beans. The green beans are quite unusual in scampi and is a key ingredient in this dish. Leave the beans out if you prefer. Peel the shell off of the shrimp and remove tail-shell also. Place shells in the smallest pot you have "preferably a non reactive pot like stainless steel". Press and crunch the shells down a little. If you don't crunch them down in the pan then you will have to much liquid in the pan. Crunching the shells down also releases the flavor. BE CAREFUL not to cut yourself on the shells! I use the bottom of a plastic drinking glass to crunch the shells down in the pan. Cover the shells with barely enough cold water to cover. Bring the shrimp pot to a medium boil and then immediately turn it down on very low and simmer for 10 minutes, stir the shells up a few times while simmering. Cook NO more than 10 minutes because the fresh flavor will be cooked off if you do. Strain off the shrimp liquid, discard the shells. Keep liquid aside for the dish.
All right, by now your pasta water should be boiling and your shrimp stock should be strained.

Cooking is all about timing so you will fly through the next step and be eating in less than 15 minutes.

Final approach:


Drop your pasta in the boiling salted water and stir it a couple of times during the first minute. Place your frying pan on the stove over medium heat, add butter and olive oil to the cold pan. As butter melts with olive oil swirl it around the bottom of the pan to coat. Add chopped garlic and then turn the pan on low. Constantly stir garlic so it evenly cooks but is not browning. Garlic will begin to become translucent in color. Add green beans to pan and cook on low for a minute or 2 while constantly stirring. Turn heat up on pan so it doesn't cool while adding the shrimp. Add shrimp and spread around pan. Reduce heat when shrimp is cooking over medium heat. Turn shrimp in pan so they cook evenly and stir to keep garlic from burning. Stir your pasta in the boiling pot. If it is ready then strain it but do not rinse or oil it down. Once the shrimp is cooked 1/3 of the way through, sprinkle pan mixture with flour and stir for 30 seconds or so. Add the shrimp broth to the pan and raise heat to high. Stir constantly especially on the bottom of the pan so it doesn't burn. When everything looks good and the shrimp are ALMOST fully cooked l, Add lemon juice, Add Chopped Basil & Parsley and stir. Toss with pasta and some fresh ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese

If the pasta doesn't fit it the fry pan then leave the pasta in the pot you cooked it in and dump the shrimp mixture over the pasta. Stir it well and then cover tightly and cook on very low for about 2 minutes so the liquid is absorbed and the flavors come together.

Finish with extra virgin olive oil drizzle (optional)

The trick to the dish is not to overcook the shrimp.

Another great variation on this dish is to leave out the flour and green beans and substitute them with fresh wilted spinach, diced feta cheese and tomato, for that Greek Style Shrimp Scampi Pasta.

I find myself bored not having my regular customers to cook for so I think this is a great medium to share my all time favorites. I could write 50 books if I put my head down and did it.

Enjoy!

Thanks for reading my recipe article. If you enjoyed the recipe and like to cook please visit me at http://EdibleBlogger.com Edible Blogger is my massive food website featuring cooking equipment, gourmet foods, fine wines and more. Over 15,000 items and growing.

Top Shrimp Pasta Recipes

In a traditional Italian menu, pasta is never the main course of a meal. A pasta dish is served as primi piatti (1st course) and will be followed by a secondi piatti (second course), which can be meat or fish accompanied by some side dish such as vegetables. Sometimes, when a go to a good Italian restaurant, I try to eat in the traditional Italian way. So, I order some pasta as first course and then some meat or fish. The problem is that after I eat my pasta dish I'm already full and I cannot eat more fish or meat. For me, pasta dishes make a great complete meal, specially if prepared with some meat, chicken or seafood. Actually the great advantage of a pasta dish is: it can be quickly and easily prepared and you have a complete meal. Not to forget the uncountable variations of pasta recipes that there are available.

I personally love the combination of pasta and seafood, specially shrimp pasta dishes. Fortunately my family loves them too, because I prepare shrimp pasta recipes again and again. A very important thing that should be paid attention when preparing any dish with shrimps is not to overcook them. The simple rule is - once the shrimps turn red, they are ready.

Below, I've put together some shrimp pasta recipes that I've already tested and approved. I hope you like them too.

Shrimp Linguine Alfredo

Ingredients:

40 small shrimps, peeled and deveined

1 (12 ounce) package linguine pasta

1/4 cup butter, melted

4 tablespoons diced onion

4 teaspoons minced garlic

1 cup half-and-half

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

4 sprigs fresh parsley

4 slices lemon, for garnish

Directions:

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan. Saute onion and garlic over medium heat until tender. Add shrimp and saute over high heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in half-and-half. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens. Place pasta in a serving dish, and cover with shrimp sauce. Sprinkle with black pepper and Parmesan cheese. Garnish with parsley and lemon slices.

Shrimps with Stir-Fried Noodles

Ingredients:

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

12 ounces Chinese noodle

2 green onions, cut in 2 cm pieces

1 clove garlic, finely minced

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

4 tablespoons rice wine

8 ounces frozen green peas

1 red chili, chopped

Salt and Cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook noodle as directed on package. Drain, rinse in cold water, add a few drops oil and mix to keep from sticking. Set aside. Heat the oil in a Wok. Add shrimps, green onions, and garlic; cook and stir until shrimps turn red. Add green peas and stir for 1 minute. Stir in rice wine and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Add noodle, stir well and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the noodles with the chopped red chili. Serve immediately.

Shrimp Spaghetti with Arugula and Basil

Ingredients:

9 ounce Spaghetti

7 ounce medium shrimps peeled and deveined

11 ounce cherry tomatoes, make a cut but not so deep enough to separate it into halves

5 large cloves garlic, sliced

4 tablespoons olive oil

5 ounce arugula

1 ounce fresh basil leaves

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling lightly salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan, stir in garlic for 2 minutes, add shrimps, salt and cook them for 3 to 5 minutes or until they turn red. Remove with a slotted spoon and and set aside. Leave the garlic in the frying pan. Add in the same frying pan the cherry tomatoes and cook them, stirring frequently until they get soft and a little bit sauce is formed (but the tomatoes should not melt completely). Add the shrimp, stirring for 1 minute. Reduce heat, add arugula and basil, stir quickly. Remove from heat. Drain pasta and mix with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Enjoy your meal!

Do you also like shrimp pasta? Do you want more shrimp pasta recipe ideas? Just click here: http://www.weloveseafood.com/ShrimpPastaRecipes.html

Chicken Pasta Recipes

These chicken pasta recipes are delicious. Just check these out and I'm sure you'll be amazingly surprised.

So here we go for some chicken pasta recipes:

>>Easy Chicken & Pasta

1/2 tsp olive oil

1 1/2 c frozen mixed vegetables thawed

1 c twist pasta cooked

1 lb ground chicken breast, skinless cooked

1/2 c water

1/2 c red and green bell peppers chopped

1/2 c onions chopped

10 3/4 ozs low fat cream of mushroom soup

In a skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add chicken, onions, and bell peppers. Cook until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Stir in cream of mushroom soup, water, pasta, and mixed vegetables. Cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.

Here is a hot hot hot pasta dish that you'll surely have fun to prepare. It's very easy to do, just check it out:

>>Chicken Pasta Hot Dish

1 1/2 ts salt

1/2 lb spiral noodles

1/4 c butter/margarine

2 c diced cooked chicken/turkey

3 c shredded cheddar cheese

3 c milk

3 tb crushed cornflakes

3 tb all purpose flour

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In a large saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour and salt. Blend in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Add cheese; stir until melted. Combine pasta, cheese sauce and chicken. Mix well. Stir in flour and salt. Blend in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Add cheese; stir until melted.

Pour into 3 quart casserole. Top with cornflake crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees until hot, about 30 minutes.

That's it for today! If you want more chicken pasta recipes just check below:

Nathalie Sanders is a chef mom. She reveals her delicious recipes and up-to-date cooking tips in a very famous newsletter: Quick Easy Recipes Secrets. She is also a fan of Secret Restaurant Recipes. You can grab a copy here: Copycat Recipes.

Fresh Tomato Pasta Recipe - Ingredients And Directions On How To Make The Perfect Tomato Pasta

Try this fresh tomato pasta recipe while tomatoes and basil are plentiful in the garden and farmer's markets. It is a very simple recipe, going over the basics. It is so easy to make your own tomato sauce, and also much healthier than sauces in a can or jar.

There are lots of options for whole grain noodles now, like kamut or brown rice, and they are much more nutritious than a white pasta.

As you probably know, tomatoes are fruits, but they are served as a vegetable. They are in the same family as potatoes and peppers. They originated in South America and only became popular in North America in the last century.

Serves 2 for dinner.

Fresh Tomato Pasta Recipe Ingredients



1 tsp olive oil

1 diced onion

2 cloves minced garlic

4 diced tomatoes

1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil, or 2 tsp dried

1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano, or 1 tsp dried

pinch sea salt & pepper

half a 454g (1lb) package of whole grain pasta

Fresh Tomato Pasta Recipe Directions:



Saut? the onions with a bit of olive oil in a large sauce pan on medium heat until translucent. Saut? the garlic next, until it softens.

Stir the tomatoes in, and then leave them to cook until they soften.

Stir in the basil, oregano, pepper and salt onto the tomatoes next, and leave the sauce on the heat at least another 10 minutes for the flavors to combine.

Cook the noodles by adding them to a pot of salted boiling water. If you are using brown rice or corn/maize pastas they cook a bit differently than wheat pastas. As the water hits the boil, add enough cool water to break the boil. Keep doing this until the pasta is cooked.

Assemble this simple, healthy meal by topping the pasta with tomato sauce, and garnish with fresh herbs.

To watch a free video of me making this fresh tomato pasta recipe, so I can show you the exact techniques that will make the perfect tomato sauce, go to http://www.healthyveganrecipes.net/video/tomato-basil-whole-grain-pasta

Heather Nauta is a registered holistic nutritionist who teaches you how to live a healthy vegan/vegetarian lifestyle, including how to get proper nutrition, enough protein, vitamin b12 and other minerals, and how to make an amazing variety of simple, fast healthy recipes that taste incredible for you and your family.

CR Gibson Al Dente Pocket Page Recipe Book

C.R. Gibson's line of recipe holders have always been the best, and the Al Dente collection is no exception. Featuring a rich cream faux-leather cover with a sculpted fork in a die-cut window, this binder adds a bit of understated elegance to your kitchen. The Recipe Card Organizer comes with 12 tabbed dividers to help you group your recipes by category and 20 recipe card protectors (each holds 2 cards) to keep your recipes clean and ready to use. Forty 4 by 6 inch recipe cards are included, and extra cards and recipe protectors are also available. The organizer measures 9 1/4 by 8 1/4 by 1 3/4 inches overall.

Price: $20.00

Click here to buy from Amazon

30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray - Fast & Light

Studio: Wea-des Moines Video Release Date: 06/05/2007 Run time: 95 minutes

Price: $24.98

Click here to buy from Amazon

miBook Pasta, Pizza, and Salads

MIBOOK PASTA PIZZA SALAD 150 STEP BY STEP RECIPES

Price: $19.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Kitchens of India Paste for Butter Chicken Curry, 3.5-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6)

Kitchens of India paste for butter chicken curry rich, mildly spiced gravy recreates the taste of truly mouth-watering butter chicken. Just add tender nuggets of chicken, cook and serve.

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon

Classico Signature Recipes - Pasta Sauce Vodka Sauce - 24 oz

Great looking 50/50 shirt. Please refer to our sizing chart for measurements.This design also available as a men's or women's tee shirt, and a men's hoodie in our other amazon.com listings.

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon

America's Test Kitchen: The Complete 2nd Season

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN SEASON 2 - DVD Movie

Price: $39.95

Click here to buy from Amazon

Kraft Noodle Classics, Tangy Italian Spaghetti Dinner, 8-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 24)

Spaghetti & traditional spices, grated parmesan cheese. Just add tomato paste. When we were growing up, dinner was a hearty, flavorful meal made from wholesome ingredients and prepared with mom's special touch. But with today's hectic lifestyles, who has time for all that work. With Kraft Spaghetti Classics, a homemade meal like your mom made is only minutes away - all you need to do is add tomato paste to the specially-blended, tangy herbs and spices. Kraft Spaghetti Classics will help you make a great-tasting meal your whole family will love - in only 15 minutes.

Price: $44.45

Click here to buy from Amazon

Ravioli Maker

Prepare a variety of fillings and roll them into fresh pasta sheets with the KitchenAid Ravioli Maker to create exquiste, homemade ravioli. The Ravioli maker attaches to any KitchenAid Stand Mixer Hub.

Price: $169.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Norpro Ravioli Maker and Press

Make perfect 1-1/2" squares of ravioli with this easy-to-use plastic and metal press. Recipe and instructions are included. Makes 12 delicious ravioli at a time.

Price: $19.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Video Cooking Library PASTA, PASTA, PASTA

The Video Cooking Library show you how to transform simple meals into special occasions. You'll learn the tricks and techniques of expert chefs through step-by-step demonstrations. Recipes include: Buttered Ribbons, Cannelloni with Veal and Spinach, Fettuccine Alfredo, Cannelloni with Sausage, Garden Pasta, Tortellini En Broda and Checken with Pasta.

Price: $25.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Pasta Shapes

I love my pastas. Every time I traveled I make it a point to try out the pasta dishes. I have seen many shapes and tasted many different pasta dishes.

While reading the other day, I realized there are almost 350 different types of pastas in the world. Wow, it's pretty a lot compared to something that is made out of just water, flour and eggs.

There's fusilli, papperdelle, penne, conchiglie, lasagne sheets, capellini, farfalle, fettuccine, tortellini just to name a few. The name itself can be a mouthful to say.

It got me wondering, how do I pair the correct pasta with the correct sauce?

I always make my own fresh pastas at home. Once I tasted freshly made pasta, I have never purchased dried pastas from the supermarket anymore. I love to experiment with them and so decide to compile information on the different types of pasta shapes and the best sauces that goes with them.

So all of you at home who love your pastas, I hope the following will be helpful as you venture into the past world.......By the way, if you want to learn how to make fresh pastas at home, check out my favorite pasta machine that never fails to help me produce great tasting pastas every time and make me look like  a great pasta chef. Click on Atlas Pasta Maker for my secret pasta dough recipe.....

Lasagne Sheets

Lasagne Sheets

Lasagne are square or rectangular sheets of pasta, which are cooked, interlayered with other ingredients and baked. Lasagne is a great dish for warming the body on a cool evening. Lasagne dishes are tantalizing and tempting, so feed your senses with each and every mouthful.

(Picture and information courtesy of tarladalal.com)





Pappardelle

 

Papardelle

Papardelle are broad bank ribbons and are commonly served with heavy and rich sauces. It was created in Tuscan. Papardelle sulla lepre is a traditional Tuscan favorite and are often served with stewed hare sauce. The broad shape ribbon of the Papardelle can absorb heavy sauces and yet hold their shape well so it will go well with pot roasts.

(Picture courtesy of pastafrescacarmelaocone.it)

Fusilli

Fusilli
Fusilli looks like a thick corkscrew. It matches well with most pasta sauces because the narrow crevices can capture and retain pasta sauces. It also retain it's shape well when soaked in sauces. I love the fusilli. I use it with almost all pasta recipe. I baked the fusilli in casseroles, add it to chicken broth and also add it to my salads.

(Picture courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org)

Capellini

The Capellini is also passionately known as "little hairs". It looks like your regular pasta but only very much thinner but slightly thicker than the angel hair pasta.Since it has a very delicate appearance, it is best served with delicate sauces such as consommes or broth. I like to serve it with basil pesto or just toss it with olive and fresh chopped tomatoes. Mmmmmmmm.....it's making my mouth water just writing about it.

(Picture courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org)

Conchiglie

Conchiglie
My son call the Conchiglie his sea shells because of it's shape. The Conchiglie usually comes in various sizes. The Cochiglioni are very large Conchiglie and are usually stuffed and baked while the tiny Conchigliette are cook in soups and pasta salads. The Conchiglie hollow centre retails sauces well. I love to use the Conchiglie to replace for macaroni for the conventional macaroni and cheese dish. Give it a try and you will love the interesting twist it gives
(Picture courtesy of.pastafrescacarmelaocone.it)

Tortellini

Tortellini
I have to say my Tortellini is one of my favorite pasta. With an amazing story behind the Tortellini where the shape was inspired by the goddess Venus navel. The Tortellini is traditionally stuffed with cheese, vegetables or meat and are served with light broth or cream sauce. I love to experiment whenever I made the Tortellini. I will usually stuff it with the conventional spinach and ricotta cheese but I also have tried stuffing it with seafood, roasted turkeys and broiled chicken. The taste is heavenly.......
(Picture courtesy of eatathomecooks.com)

Penne

 

 

Penne

One of the most popular shape pasta around because it is able to compliment most sauces, both light and heavy sauces. It also taste great with salads or as baked dishes. It is short and hollowed-out tube with smooth surface efficiently traps pieces of meat and sauces. I love to dish out my Penne with spicy flavourful tomato sauce.

(Picture courtesy of andreasrecipes.com)

Farfalle

Farfalle
The butterfly as it is famously known, the Farfalle is also shaped like a bow tie. Most commonly added to tomato-based sauces or cream sauces. It is also added to pasta salads. My kids love the Farfalle because of it's shape.

(Picture courtesy of gallery.hd.org)

There you have it, some of the different pasta shapes known. Whatever shapes they come in, they definitely make great tasting dishes when cooked and added with the right sauces. Who would expect just by mixing flour, water and egg you can produce many different shapes of pasta.

If you are into cooking, I highly recommend you create the above pastas fresh from home. Use my favorite pasta machine and use my secret pasta dough to dish out great tasting pasta recipes for friends and families. I guarantee you will be the envy of them. Click on Atlas Pasta Machine to find more about how to create great tasting home made fresh pasta.

Bon appetitooooo......Writing this has made me hungry. I'm off to make some pasta right now :)

Making Pasta

Making Pasta With All Shapes and Sizes

Pasta is a widely known food that originate from Italy. As a woman I have always been inspired to try and make my own pasta. However, hearing stories on how easy it is to go wrong when making pasta have prevented me from ever trying. I have friends to have tried and end up with a soggy uninspiring mess.

Well, that was in the past.....

Now I love to make homemade pasta for my families and friends. All thanks to being brave enough to take the first step and never to give up. Most of all thanks to my favorite pasta making machine, the Atlas Pasta Maker and my secret pasta recipe.

As with all the most basic foods the key to cooking good pasta is to choose good quality ingredients. The simpler the food the more important quality becomes. Poor quality can be less easily disguised in a simple pasta dish than in something more elaborate.

Want to know my secret pasta dough recipe? Click on Making Pasta.....

Good quality pasta is made from durum wheat.

Families and friends who have eaten my freshly home made pasta swears by them because the pasta dishes taste more authentic. Even though pastas are made from cheap ingredients, it does not necessarily make your dish cheap. Fresh homemade pasta taste excellent and you do not need to dish out elaborate sauces just to make your dish stand out.


When making pasta, you also need a large pan to cook. I highly recommend avoiding using stainless steel pans because they are not good conductor of heat. It will make cause your pasta to sit in the water long during cooking and your pasta will go soggy.

Always boil your water to a good rolling boil before you add your pasta. Never put a lid on the pan and season your water with salt to prevent your pasta from tasting dull and bland.

Some people like to add oil to the water. They believe that this will stop the pasta sticking together. This is not true, because the oil stays on the surface of the water and does not touch the pasta. But oil can help to prevent the foam that is produced when cooking pasta from boiling over the side of the pan.

After a few minutes of boiling lift out a piece of pasta from the boiling pan and squeeze between the nail of your thumb and forefinger. It should have a slight resistance and is known as al dante.  There is some "bite" left in it. Your pasta is now ready to serve with the sauce of your choice.

Do not be afraid to create your own homemade pasta. It can be done. Learn how I do it with my favorite pasta making machine. Click on Atlas Pasta Maker to start dishing out great tasting pastas for your families and friends.