Tortellini Primavera

Every once in awhile I buy fresh tortellini. And when I do it's only from Costco because #1 the price is amazing and #2 it's really good. There is a lot though so I end up freezing about two-thirds of it. I love to create new recipes using this tortellini because it's so easy to work with and it's cheese-filled so it goes with everything.

I also look for new ways to incorporate vegetables into our meals that aren't just sitting as a side dish. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just fun to have them involved with the main course sometimes. This pasta dish is great because you can use any vegetable you have in the fridge or the freezer. You can get really creative with this one so I encourage you to use your favorites to make this dish your own. We love broccoli and always have some in the freezer so this was the main vegetable in this version. I combined it with carrots and red pepper but you can easily use zucchini, peapods, other peppers, onions, tomatoes, or anything else you can think of! Serve it up with a salad or some crusty bread and you're good to go!

1-Pot Pasta: Creamy Tomato and Spinach

I have found my new go-to dinner. I've seen a few of these one pot meals around and I decided it was high time that I whipped up my own. I wasn't quite sure how my recipe would turn out since I've never made anything like this before and all the ones I've seen have linguine or fettucini noodles, but I honestly couldn't have asked for a better result.

Including all the prep work, the entire meal took me a little over a half hour. It was one of the easiest things I've ever made and it was delicious! The boys loved it and since it was all cooked in one pot, the clean up was a breeze.

Fire Roasted Tomato and Chicken Soup with Cheese Tortellini

Spring is finally here but the snow on the ground means that it's still chilly outside. And that means that I'm still making soup. A lot. We just love those 'warm-you-up-dinners' in our house!

I try to make a lot of different kinds of soups to keep things interesting around here and get everyone to try new styles and flavor combinations. I usually try to incorporate a meat since soup is our main course instead of a starter. (But I throw in a few veggie-only soups now and then just for fun.) This one happens to have meat but it can easily be left out if you're a vegetarian or not big on meat soups.

Pasta Carbonara - The Ham Way

I've finally made a ham category on here. It's been a long time coming considering I have so many recipes on here that use it! I just love it so much and love finding new and creative uses for it. This may not be the most creative use, but it's definitely one of the tastiest!

Classic Potato Gnocchi

If you've never had potato gnocchi, you're missing out. It's a dish that seems like it would bog you down, but it doesn't. They're just light, fluffy little pieces of goodness. They are a bit filling, but they don't have that heaviness associated with them.

Tri-Pepper Ranch Pasta Salad

I have finally found a pasta salad that everyone loves. That's the thing with pasta salads, you either like it or hate it and it's hard to find one that pleases even the pickiest eaters. This one does the trick though!

Simple Roasted Garlic Pasta

Have you tried making your own Roasted Garlic yet? If so, good for you! If not, what are you waiting for?

My husband roasted up a couple heads of garlic last week and there were a few cloves still hanging out in the fridge. I wanted to use them up before they went bad so I figured I'd use them in one of the tastiest ways I know: tossed with pasta.

Zucchini Linguini with Lemon, Ricotta and Garlic

There's something so refreshing about a pasta that isn't bogged down with a heavy tomato sauce. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of a the traditional spaghetti - especially if it's with my mom's sauce - but it's nice to have options when you're in the mood for something a little bit lighter.

Spinach and Ham Pasta Florentine

I'm always on the hunt for fun, easy pasta dishes that my whole family will like. And it's always a bonus if that pasta dish uses leftover ingredients. This recipe in particular was inspired by leftover ham.

I baked a ham out of the blue one day and a few days later, there was still a bit leftover. There was also some lunchmeat that was on it's last leg. I hate wasting food so I thought I would use 'reuse' both in a new way. What immediately popped into my head? A Chicken Florentine recipe that was in a cookbook my mom got many years ago from her friend who lives in California. It is a mixture of creamed spinach and ham stuffed into  a chicken breast and baked. I remember it being pretty darn tasty. (I haven't had that chicken in a very long time and I might just have to steal that cookbook from my mom so I can make it now.)

Homemade Hamburger Helper

I recently posted on Facebook (facebook.com/pinchoflime) about the idea for coming up with a homemade hamburger helper-type dish. I've never actually had the store-bought 'helper' and, to be honest, they really don't look that great. The thought of all those nasty preservatives and fillers just don't do it for me. Plus, it seems that any vegetables are pretty much non-existent in those boxes. Well, I decided to make my own version of the popular meal the other day just to see if the tomato/meat/pasta (that isn't an Italian dish) really was a good combination.

Spaghetti Primavera

Pasta seems to get a bad rep these days and it's a shame because it's not all bad for you. I whipped this meal up for a quick weeknight meal and it's a pretty healthy dish that's light on the budget and the palate. It's full of flavor, loaded up with good for you veggies, and so easy and fast to make! 

Super Simple Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

This is quite possibly one of the easiest meals I've ever made. Roasted Red Pepper sauce probably sounds like it's complicated, but using pre-made or store-bought peppers makes this a fast and great choice for a busy weeknight dinner. It's also a very light meal so you don't get that heavy "I just ate a lot of pasta" feeling. 

Summer Garden Pasta Salad

Pasta salads seem to be getting the cold shoulder from anything that doesn't resemble a party. It just doesn't seem fair! The only time I ever see one of the nice, cool and refreshing salads is at a potluck, family reunion, or other get together. I never saw that in the cooking rule book and I think it's time to bring the dish back to every day life.

I made a pasta salad the other day for lunch. Yes, lunch. There was nothing fancy going on that day, and it was a pretty normal Monday, but I just had the urge to make one and eat one. It was a little creamy, a tad crunchy, and after only four bites, I was full. Was it good? Yep. Was it that filling? You betcha!

Pasta Salad with a Tuna Twist

It's time for another salad side dish to go along with all the summer BBQs and cookouts! This recipe comes straight from my mom and it's too good not to share. She has been making this pasta salad for years and it's always a hit at every get together. I'm not sure when the first time was that she made it, but it's always requested and loved by everyone, especially my husband. If he had his way, I'd be making this pasta salad every week!

Like every good cook who has their own signature dish, my mom never wrote down how much of each ingredient she put in the salad.  It would always taste the same though and always be so good that it was never really a problem. She would mix up the dressing, give it a taste, and then add a little bit more of whatever was needed to get just the right tangy flavor. I happened to make this salad for the last family event but only had ingredients to work from.  I mixed it up a couple times until I felt that I got it 'mom-perfect'.  I added a little of this and a little of that and the final result was a creamy, tangy, fresh pasta salad that goes great with pretty much anything!

Tuna Mac Pasta Salad

Dressing

• 2 c mayo
• generous 1 c miracle whip
• generous 1 c sour cream
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper

Salad

• 1 ½ lbs macaroni noodles (or other pasta, I used small shells)
• 2 ½ c frozen peas
• 1 ½ c finely chopped celery
• ¾ c finely chopped onion
• 3 cans tuna, drained and squeezed well

1. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. 

2. Drain and rinse under cold water. Let dry slightly. 

3. Mix dressing ingredients together.  

4. Mix remaining ingredients together and toss with ¾ of dressing, reserving the rest.  

5. Refrigerate overnight.  

6. The salad will dry out slightly overnight so add enough remaining dressing to bring back moisture before serving.*

This recipe makes about 20 servings.

*Note:

You can mix in all the dressing when first making the salad if you'd like. It will seem like it's too wet, but it will get drier overnight. I'd recommend only mixing in part though because you'll have more control over the consistency and moisture.

Need a smaller serving? The following will serve 6 to 8 people.

Dressing

• 2/3 c mayo
• 1/3 c miracle whip
• 1/3 c sour cream
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Salad

• 1/2 lb macaroni noodles
• 3/4 c peas
• 1/2 c celery
• 1/4 c chopped onion
• 1 can tuna

Follow the same directions as above.

Red, White and....Pasta?

There really isn't much to say about this recipe except 'yum.' I could tell you that I wanted some lasagna but then I'd be lying. I could tell you I wanted some spaghetti, but that wouldn't be true either. I really just wanted to try and make some roll ups. I had some ricotta in the fridge and I wanted to use it up before it went bad so I thought this would be the perfect way to use it. I had everything but the noodles so I went for it.  This recipe is a bit time-consuming, but it was definitely worth it. As for the red and white...well, I simply couldn't decide what kind of sauce I wanted so I made both!

Red and White Lasagna Roll Ups

• Filling 1:
• 1 pkg frozen spinach (8-10 oz)
• 2 carrots, shredded then finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ c onion, finely chopped
• 2 TB butter
• ½ tsp salt

• Filling 2:
• 1 ½ c fat-free ricotta
• ½ c low-fat cottage cheese
• 1/8 c parmesan cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 oz fat-free cream cheese, softened
• pinch nutmeg
• ¼ tsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper

• White Sauce:
• 3 TB butter
• 2 TB flour
• 2 cups 2% milk
• ¼ c parmesan cheese
• 2 oz fat-free cream cheese
• ¼ tsp salt

• Red Sauce:
• 1/3 c onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 TB oil
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• 2 TB tomato paste
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 tsp basil
• ½ tsp oregano
• 1 tsp italian seasoning
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper

• 16 lasagna noodles

• ½ c shredded mozzarrella cheese

Preheat oven to 425.

Noodles: 

1. Cook noodles according to package directions. 

2. When done cooking, submerge in cold water to stop cooking. 

3. Lay out on foil in single layer so they don’t stick.

Filling 1: 

1. In medium saute pan, cook onion, garlic, carrot and salt in butter for about 7 minutes or until soft. 

2. Add spinach and stir to heat through. Set aside.

Filling 2: 

1. Mix all ingredients together and set aside.

White Sauce: 

1. Melt butter in saucepan and add flour. 

2. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes over medium-low heat  until slightly thickened, light golden in color and has a hint of a nutty smell. 

3. Slowly add milk a little at a time, stirring well between additions. 

4. After all milk has been incorporated, turn heat to medium and add parmesan cheese. 

5. Stir continuously until cheese is disolved. 

6. Turn heat to medium-high and add cream cheese and salt. 

7. Stir until cream cheese is melted.

Red Sauce: 

1. Cook onion, garlic and salt in oil over medium heat until softened, about 7 minutes. 

2. Add tomatoes and sauces and stir well. 

3. Add all spices and turn heat to low. 

4. Simmer for about 15 minutes.

Assembly and baking: 

1. Spray a 13x9 inch pan with cooking spray and spread about ¼ c of red sauce over the bottom. 

2. Take one noodle and spread about 2 TB of filling 2 over half of the noodle. 

3. Sprinkle about ½ TB of filling 1 over filling 2. 

4. Roll the noodle from filling end to non-filling end and place into pan, seam side down. 

5. Repeat with remaining noodles.

6. Spoon white sauce over one row of roll ups. Spoon red sauce over next row. Continue alternating colors until all the roll ups are covered. 

7. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. 

8. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle a little mozzarella cheese over each row. 

9. Return to oven and cook for another 15 minutes or until starting to brown.

Allow to rest for 10 minutes then serve.