Spaghetti with Three Tomato Sauce

1 pound spaghetti

1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, oil reserved

4 garlic cloves

1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes

1 pound fresh cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

fresh parmesan and fresh basil

Cook spaghetti al dente.  Drain and return pasta to pot.  Meanwhile heat 2 Tbsp sun dried tomato oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.  Add canned tomatoes with juice and sun-dried tomatoes.  Simmer gently over medium, stirring occasionally and breaking up canned tomatoes until thick, 15 minutes.  Add cherry tomatoes, simmer until soft, 10 minutes.  Add to pasta.  Season with coarse salt and ground pepper.  Toss and serve immediately.  Garnish with freshly grated parmesan and torn basil leaves.  

Supreme Pizza Pasta Salad

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
8 fresh white button mushrooms, sliced
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
 1 sticck pepperoni, cut into small dice
1 Ib fresh mozzarella cheese
20 leaves fresh basil, torn or thinly sliced
1 Ib wagon wheel pasta, cooked and drained

Dressing:
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 rounded Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/3 cup EVOO
pepper

Combine tomatoes, onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, pepperoni, mozzarella, basil and pasta in a big bowl.  Whisk garlic salt, oregano tomato paste and vinegar together.  Stream in olive oil while continuing to whisk.  When oil is incorporated, pour dressing over pasta salad. add a few grinds of black pepper then toss to coat evenly.

Sausage and Bean Dinner

1 Ib turkey sausage, cut 1/4 inch thick slices
1 Large green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 14 oz cans stewed tomatoes
15 oz can kidney beans, drained
15 oz can pinto beans, drained
15 oz can Great Northern beans, drained
1/2 tsp garlic powder
16 oz pkg rotini pasta

In a large Dutch oven, brown sausage over medium high heat.  Remove sausage; set aside.  Discard drippings.  Cook pepper and onion in vegetable oil over medium heat until tender.  Add sausage, tomatoes, beans and garlic powder, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Serve sausage mixture over pasta.

Skillet Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans

1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp EVOO
1 16oz package shelf stable gnocchi
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
6 cups chopped spinach
1 15-oz diced tomato with Italian seasonings
1 15-oz can white beans, rinsed
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat 1 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until pumped and starting to brown, 5-7 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl. Add the remaining 1 tsp oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Stir in garlic and water.  Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4-6 minutes.  Add spinach and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt 1-2 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes, beans and pepper and bring to a simmer.  Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parm.  Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Garlic Shrimp and Blistered Tomatoes over Lemon Linguine

2 pints cherry tomatoes
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 Tbsp butter
2 Ibs peeled and deveined large shrimp
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup feta cheese

12 oz uncooked linguine
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tsp grated lemon rind

Preheat broiler.  Toss tomatoes with 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and red pepper on a rimmed baking sheet.  Broil 4-5 minutes or until tomatoes burst.  Melt butter in a large skilled with remaining 1 Tbsp oil.  Sprinkle shrimp with 3/4 tsp salt, sauté shrimp and garlic 2-3 minutes or until shrimp turns pink. Toss shrimp with tomato mixture and sprinkle with cheese.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Toss hot cooked pasta with oil, parsley, and lemon rind. Serve with shrimp and tomatoes.

Lemony Meatballs and Garlicky Linguini

1 Ib lean ground beef
12 oz Italian sausage
2/3 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 Tbsp lemon rind
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4  tsp oregano
1 Large egg, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp olive oil
6 cups marinara sauce

Combine ground beef and sausage in a large bowl.  Add breadcrumbs, nuts, parsley and lemon rind; sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano.  Add egg and gently mix just until combined.  Divide mixture and roll into 36 meatballs.  Heat oil in a Dutch oven or over medium-high heat; add meatballs and sauté 6-8 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.  Add marinara Sauce and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15-20 minutes or until meatballs are no longer pink in center, serve over linguini

Garlicky Linguine
12 oz linguine
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parm cheese
1 cup torn fresh basil

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot.  meanwhile heat oil in a large skilled over medium heat; add garlic, and cook 1 minute or until fragrant.  Stir garlic oil into pasta; sprinkle with salt and red pepper and cook 2-3 minutes or until hot, tossing to coat, sprinkle pasta with cheese and basil.

Penne with Mushrooms and Herbs

1 ib uncooked penne pasta
1 pkg mushrooms
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic
1 24 oz jar creamy tomato pasta sauce
2 Tbsp fresh thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Chop mushrooms.  Heat oil in pot over medium high heat, sauté onion and garlic 3-4 minutes.  Stir in pasta, mushrooms, pasta sauce, thyme, salt, pepper and 1 cup cheese.  Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring to combine.  Transfer pasta mixture into a 9X13 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.  Bake 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.

Ravioli Nicoise

2 9 oz packages refrigerated fresh cheese ravioli
2 cups 1 inch cut fresh green beans
1 cup pitted Nicoise or other small black olives
1 pint grape tomatoes halved
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/2 cup fresh torn basil

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain.  Cook green beans in boiling salted water 4 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain.  Stir together pasta, beans, olives, and tomatoes; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Whisk together oil, vinegar, and garlic; toss with pasta mixture.  Sprinkle with basil