I love pasta. I love cheese. This has both. Enough said. The recipe comes from the wonderful folks at Pillsbury.

Three-Cheese Rotini Bake

8 oz. (3 cups) uncooked rainbow rotini (spiral pasta)                        

3  tablespoons margarine or butter                        

1  garlic clove, minced                        

1/4  cup all-purpose flour                        

1/4  teaspoon pepper                        

2  cups milk                        

4   oz. (1 cup) shredded American cheese                        

4  oz. (1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese                        

1 oz. (1/4 cup) crumbled blue cheese 

 

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2-quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray. Cook rotini as directed on package. Drain.
• Meanwhile, melt margarine in large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in flour and pepper; cook and stir until mixture is bubbly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Reserve 1 tablespoon each American and mozzarella cheese for top. Add remaining cheeses to sauce; stir until melted.
• Add cooked rotini to cheese sauce; stir gently to coat. Pour into sprayed casserole. Sprinkle with reserved cheeses.
• Bake at 350°F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly around edges.                    

Expert Tips

This recipe easily adapts to your favorite cheese. Instead of American and mozzarella cheese, try Cheddar, colby, Asiago, fontina, provolone or Swiss.
For kids, omit the blue cheese and add hot dogs. Slice one or two hot dogs and stir them into the cheese sauce with the rotini.
Serve this cheesy rotini dish with a green salad tossed with any vinaigrette. Crusty Italian bread and fresh apple and pear wedges complete the menu.

Easy Pasta Primavera

This recipe comes from the folks at Campbell's. Some time ago I signed up for their recipes to be e-mailed to me. I love this! That way I don't have to remember to check out what's new. And they always seem to know what I need -- quick and easy.

 

Easy Pasta Primavera

 
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 3/4 cups Swanson® Natural Goodness® Chicken Broth
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups broccoli florets
2 medium carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 medium tomato, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 of a 1-pound package thin spaghetti, cooked and drained (about 4 cups)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Stir the cornstarch and 3/4 cup broth in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth.

Heat the remaining broth, oregano, garlic powder, broccoli, carrots and onion in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat to a booil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir the cornstarch mixture in the saucepan. Cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the tomato. Add the spaghetti and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the cheese.

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells

This recipe was in the Relish newspaper insert today in our local paper. The recipe is from Jack Witherspoon, a leukemia survivor. This young man got hooked of the Food Network while he was sick and he decided he wanted to be a chef, the article said.

Jack and his mom, Lisa, wrote a cookbook titled Twist It Up. (Chronicle Books, 2011) Be sure to check it out and help this young man raise money for pediatric leukemia research. You can purchase it through Amazon or many other places where books are sold. Thanks!

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells with Marinara Sauce

Marinara Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14 ½ oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 (14 ½-oz.) can tomato sauce
2 beef bouillon cubes
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper

Pasta

1 (12-oz.) box jumbo pasta shells, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound fresh spinach
½ cup water
1 ¼ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cups ricotta cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

To prepare marinara sauce, heat olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, bouillon cubes, basil, oregano, parsley and sugar. Stir well. Simmer over low heat 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper.

Makes about 6 cups.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toss cooked pasta with olive oil and set aside.

Combine spinach with water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, covered, until spinach is wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain well and squeeze spinach to remove excess moisture. Finely chop spinach.

Combine mozzarella, ricotta, eggs, garlic, spinach, ½ cup Parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir to blend. Generously stuff pasta shells with cheese mixture. Place shells in 2 (13 x 9-inch) baking dishes and cover with marinara sauce. Sprinkle evenly with remaining Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is hot and bubbly. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 10.

Diet-Delight Three-Cheese Rotelle

This recipe comes from the October 1990 issue of Redbook magazine. It’s for those of us who love pasta but really need to watch our weight.

Diet-Delight Three-Cheese Rotelle

8 oz. tricolor rotelle (corkscrew) pasta
¾ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
¼ cup skim milk
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped, about 1 cup
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1 cup coarsely grated low-fat Swiss cheese, about 4 oz.
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves or 2 teaspoons dried basil
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil springs, optional

Prepare rotelle according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, process ricotta and milk until smooth; set aside. In 1-quart nonstick saucepan over medium heat, heat oil; add onion and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Pour ricotta mixture into saucepan. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring until heated through.

Drain pasta and return to saucepan. Toss well with ricotta mixture, Swiss cheese, parsley, chopped basil, grated Parmesan, chives, orange peel and pepper.

Garnish with fresh basil springs to serve, if desired.

Makes 6 servings, at 273 calories per serving.

Cauliflower Mac 'N Cheese

I found this recipe in the September issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. It looks wonderful! Also check out the interview with Katie Couric and the short story. Hooray for fiction back in Good Housekeeping!

Cauliflower Mac ‘N Cheese

1 medium head cauliflower (1 ½ lbs), core discarded, florets cut into 2-inch pieces
4 medium carrots (10 oz.), thinly sliced
1 cup unsalted vegetable broth
¼ cup reduced-face cream cheese
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch cayenne (ground red) pepper
¾ cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Salt
Pepper
12 oz. elbow macaroni
8 oz. small broccoli florets (3 cups)
2 medium plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat 8-quart saucepot of salted water to boiling on high.

Add cauliflower and carrots to boiling water. Cook 15 minutes or until very tender.

Meanwhile, in blender, combine broth, cream cheese, mustard, cayenne, ½ cup Gruyere, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. With slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to blender. Puree until very smooth.

Add pasta to same saucepot of boiling water. Cook half the time the label directs; adding broccoli during last minute of cooking. Drain; return to pot. Stir in cauliflower sauce and half of tomatoes. Spread in 2 ½-quart shallow baking dish. Top with remaining cheeses and tomatoes.

Bake 35 minutes or until golden brown on top and heated through.

Makes 6 main-dish servings at about 345 calories per serving.

Fettuccine Primavera

This recipe appeared in a newspaper back in August of 1990. I have no idea which newspaper. It somehow got clipped off. But I’ve kept this recipe, fully intending to try it one day. Microwaves really do come in handy sometimes when it comes to quickly preparing a meal.

Fettuccine Primavera

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 green onions, minced (including green tops)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 medium carrot, peeled and very finely diced
½ cup finely diced sweet red pepper
½ cup finely diced green pepper
1 cup finely diced zucchini
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
¾ pound fettuccine
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Combine butter, oil, green onions, garlic and carrot in microwave-safe 2 ½-quart casserole. Cover with lid and microwave on HIGH (100% power) 4 minutes, stirring at two minutes.

Add red and green peppers, zucchini and mushrooms, arranging mushrooms in center. Cover and microwave on HIGH 2 minutes 45 seconds to 3 minutes 15 seconds, or until vegetables become barely tender.

Meanwhile, cook fettuccine al dente according to package directions.

Add whipping cream to microwaved mixture. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes 45 seconds to 3 minutes 15 seconds, or until cream is hot, not boiling. Stir in basil, salt and pepper.

Drain pasta well and return to pan. Add vegetable mixture and toss well. Add cheese and toss again. Serve at once.

Makes 6 servings.

Lasagna Bake

This is another on of those great Kraft recipes. I'm not a big fan of leftovers so this recipe is perfect for me. I can cook exactly enough without having to eat it for days and days.

Lasagna Bake for Two

2 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup undrained canned diced tomatoes (about 2/3 of 14.5-oz. can)
2 Tbsp. PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese Spread
4 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup KRAFT Finely Shredded Italian* Five Cheese Blend, divided

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Cook noodles as directed on package, omitting salt.

Meanwhile, brown meat with onions and garlic in large nonstick skillet. Add tomatoes and cream cheese spread; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and mixture just comes to boil. Add spinach; cook and stir 1 min. Remove from heat, add 1/4 cup shredded cheese; stir until melted.

Drain noodles. Spoon 1/3 cup spinach mixture into each of 2 (2-cup) ramekins; top with noodle, letting excess noodle extend over rim of ramekin. Top each with 1/3 cup spinach mixture; fold noodle back over dish to cover filling. Repeat until all filling is folded between noodle layers; top with remaining shredded cheese.

Bake 20 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 5 min. before serving.

Makes 2 servings.

Four-Cheese Pasta Florentine

This is another one of those wonderful pasta recipes from Kraft. The company also passed along a wonderful guide for preparing the perfect pasta.

"Follow the package directions to ensure that enough water is used for cooking the pasta. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente (tender but still a little firm to the bite), stirring frequently. To prevent pasta from sticking, add it slowly to plenty of boiling water and stir frequently while cooking. Adding oil to the cooking water is not recommended because some sauces may not cling to pasta coated with oil."

Four-Cheese Pasta Florentine

3 cups mostaccioli, uncooked
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed
1 cup 2% Milkfat Low Fat Cottage Cheese
2 eggs
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese


Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, cook spinach as directed on package; drain well. Place in large bowl. Add cream cheese; stir until melted. Stir in cottage cheese and eggs until well blended.

Drain pasta. Add to spinach mixture with mozzarella; mix lightly. Spoon into 8- or 9-inch square baking dish; top with Parmesan.

Bake 25 min. or until center is set.

Makes 4 servings.

Creamy Baked Ziti

This is yet another recipe for Kraft. I latched onto it because I love baked Ziti. Yummy! Kraft also lets us know that you can prepare this recipe for up to eight hours before you need it. Just put it in the refrigerator until you're ready. Just increase the baking time to 30 or 35 minutes or until heated through.

I've never had a problem finding ziti past. If you do, Kraft suggests using other types of tubular pasta, such as penne or rigatoni.

Creamy Baked Ziti

4 cups ziti pasta, uncooked
1 jar (26 oz.) marinara sauce
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
6 oz. (3/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed
3/4 cup sour Cceam
1 pkg. (8 oz.) shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt. Remove from pan; drain. Meanwhile, add marinara sauce, tomatoes and cream cheese to same pan; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently. Return pasta to pan; mix well.

Layer half the pasta mixture in 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with layers of sour cream, 1 cup mozzarella and remaining pasta mixture. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake 20 min. or until heated through.

Makes 8 servings.

Ravioli Primavera

This is from an old magazine clipping. The paper has even turned yellow. Doesn't change the fact that it's another wonderful pasta recipe.

Ravioli Primavera

1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 lb. fresh cheese ravioli
1 cup chicken broth
1 (8-oz) zucchini, diced
1 cup frozen tiny peas
1 (5-oz) bag prewashed baby spinach leaves

Blend butter, basil, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Cook ravioli according to package directions.

In a saucepan, bring broth to a boil; add zucchini and peas. Cover. Reduce heat. Simmer 3 minutes, until zucchini is just tender. Remove from heat. Stir in spinach. Cover pot to wilt spinach.

Drain ravioli. Return to pot. Add basil butter mixture. Toss. Transfer to bowls. Spoon vegetables and broth over ravioli. Sprinkle with extra grated Parmesan, if desired.

Fettuccine With Cheese Sauce

This recipe is one I clipped from a magazine some time ago. I don't know which magazine. I only know that I love pasta and cheese. Yeah.

Fettuccine With Cheese Sauce

12 oz. fettuccine pasta
2 cups frozen green peas
2 teaspoons minced garlic
5 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach leaves (5 oz.)
1 1/4 cups bottled Alfredo sauce
1/3 cup milk
1 quart cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half (if desired)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Put frozen peas in colander set in the sink.

While pasta cooks, coat a large skillet with nonstick spray. Heat over medium-low heat, add garlic and cook 1 minute or until soft. Stir in spinach; cook until wilted. Stir in Alfredo sauce and milk. Cook 1 to 2 minutes to heat.

Drain pasta over peas in colander. This helps thaw the peas. Transfer to a large serving bowl and add sauce and tomatoes. I don't like tomatoes, so I skip that step. Toss to mix and coat.

Makes 4 servings.