Confetti Spaghetti

1-1/2 pounds ground chuck

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

Salt & Pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 can (14.5-oz) diced or stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 can (8-oz) tomato sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 pkg (16-oz) spaghetti, cooked and drained

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350^F and lightly grease a 9x13" casserole dish.

In a large skillet, cook the ground chuck, chopped peppers, onions over medium-high heat until the meat is browned and crumbly.  Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne.  Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and brown sugar.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Add the spaghetti to the meat sauce and stir to combine.  Transfer the mixture to the greased casserole.  Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes.  Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and bake another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted.  

Excellent, easy and great for potluck dinners!  I prefer the stewed tomatoes, which I whirl in the food processor before adding to the meat.  I also use a half package of frozen peppers and onions instead of chopping fresh....cause I'm a lazy cook!  

John prefers it without cheese, so I usually only put cheese on half the dish.  In my opinion, the cheese makes this even better!

Fettuccine with Lemon Cream

Fettuccine with Lemon Cream

1 lb fettuccine
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
2 tsp grated lemon peel
Dash of Salt
2 Tbsp butter, softened
4 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the fettuccini in boiling, salted water as directed on the package until al dente.  Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, place the cream in a wide skillet over medium heat and cook until it begins to bubble. Add the parsley lemon peel and salt.  Cook about 30 seconds.  Add the hot noodles.  Reduce heat to low and toss gently.  Add the butter and Parmesan cheese.  Toss until noodles are evenly coated.

Delicious!  One of my favorite pasta dishes!

I don't remember where I got this recipe....I've had it for years.  The sauce is good on just about any pasta you want to use!

Marshall Field's Cheese and Pasta

Marshall Field's Cheese and Pasta

1 pound spiral pasta (or shells or macaroni)

3 cups whipping cream

1 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, grated (divided)

1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Cook pasta in salted boiling water until tender. Drain, rinse and cool. Set aside.

Pour cream in heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium heat and warm slowly, stirring. Do not boil. When cream is hot, gradually whisk in 12 ounces of the cheese. Whisk in mustard, Worcestershire, pepper, cayenne and salt. Remove from heat.  (I cheated...I used the microwave to heat the cream in a large bowl for 3 minutes 33 seconds then I added the remaining ingredients and stirred for a couple minutes until the cheese was mostly melted.)

Set pasta in large bowl. Pour cheese sauce over pasta and toss well to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  (I cheated here too....I buttered the baking dish and put the hot pasta in there and then stirred in the cheese sauce.  No point in messing up extra dishes!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter bottom of high-sided baking dish. There should be at least 1 inch of space at top of dish after pasta mix is added. Pour cheese and pasta mixture into dish. Top with remaining 4 ounces of cheese.

Cover and bake in preheated oven 40 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown.  

I've had this recipe for years but I can't remember where I found it....I clipped it out of a newspaper.  

This was very good!

Chicken in Sun-Dried Tomato and Parmesan Cream Sauce with Ziti

Chicken in Sun-Dried Tomato and Parmesan Cream Sauce with Ziti

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

4 (6-oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup sherry (or dry white wine or chicken broth)

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

1 tsp dried basil

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 - 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1-lb ziti, cooked al dente and drained

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter melts.  Season the chicken 

with garlic salt and pepper and cook in the skillet until golden brown on both sides (about 10 minutes).

Remove the chicken to a plate and keep warm.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring for 1 

minute.  

De-glaze the pan with the sherry, stirring to scrape up the browned bits.  Add the sun-dried 

tomatoes, basil, chicken broth, cream and grated Parmesan.  Bring to a boil.  Return the chicken to the sauce,

reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.  

Serve sauce and chicken over the cooked ziti.

Yum!  

Adapted from a recipe found on Pinterest.

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Tuna Shell Salad

Tuna Shell Salad

1 package (7 ounces) small pasta shells

1 can (6 ounces) light water-packed tuna, drained and flaked

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 large carrot, shredded

3/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

1/4 cup fat-free milk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

1 teaspoon dill weed

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold

water. In a salad bowl, combine the pasta, tuna, onion and carrot.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over salad

and toss to coat. Cover and chill until serving. Yield: 5 servings.

This was OK...but I'm really not a huge fan or tuna or pasta salads, so who am I to judge?  John liked it! 6/20/05

From Taste of Home's Quick Cooking Magazine, May/June 2005 issue

Lasagna Soup

Found this one on Pinterest.

Lasagna Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground round
1/2 lb sausage
Salt and pepper to taste
1 onion, diced
3 tsp minced garlic
32-oz carton chicken broth
28-oz can crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
8-oz lasagnette pasta, cooked al dente according to package directions
8 oz ricotta cheese
1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Brown and crumble the ground round, sausage, salt and pepper, onions and garlic until the meat is completely cooked and well browned.  Drain fat.  Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, rosemary, fennel, thyme, sugar and parsley.  Stir to combine, bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat and cover.  Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan and set aside.  Cook the pasta, drain and keep warm.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and dollop a large scoop of the cheese mixture on top.  Stir into the soup to melt the cheese while eating.  I did it this way, but if I ever make this again (doubtful!) I would run the soup bowl under the broiler for a minute or two.

This was just OK, as far as I'm concerned.  The cheese was gloppy and cold and didn't melt at all.  Not impressed.  John, on the other hand, loved it....but he didn't put any cheese in his!

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

I found this recipe at www.novicehousewife.com and the story and pictures inspired me to try it.  Love her blog!  This spaghetti sauce is absolutely delicious and I will definitely be making it again!  Here's my adaptation (based on what I had in my pantry when I decided to make this):

Shumaila's Dad's Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

3 Tbsp olive oil
3 tsp minced garlic
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 1/2 lbs ground round
Salt and pepper to taste
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
1 cup milk
28-oz can diced tomatoes
6-oz can tomato paste
1 cup V-8 juice
1/2 tsp crushed red chili peppers
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp sugar
1 lb spaghetti, cooked
1 cup pasta water (to thin down the sauce, if required)
Grated Parmesan

Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet.  Add the garlic, onion, celery and carrots and cook about 8 minutes or until tender.  Stir in the ground round with some salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring often until the meat is browned and crumbled really well.  Stir in the Worcestershire sauce while the meat is browning.

Add the milk, cover and cook over medium low heat for 20 minutes or until the milk has completely evaporated.

Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, V-8, chili peppers, basil, oregano, parsley and sugar and cook uncovered for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Add some of the hot pasta water if you like a thinner sauce.  I didn't...I like 'em thick!

Serve over the hot cooked spaghetti with a sprinkle of parmesan, if desired.

This is a really good sauce and the leftovers are even better the next day!

Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes, Basil, Black Olives and Mozzarella

Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes, Basil, Black Olives and Mozzarella

2 lbs ripe, vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
1 handful fresh basil leaves, washed and chopped
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 cup fresh salted mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch cubes, at room temperature
4 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb thin spaghetti

Start a big pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.

In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, olives and mozzarella.  Toss with vinegar, salt and pepper and set aside.

Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions until al dente.  In the meantime, heat the oil in a small skillet and saute the minced garlic for 1 minute.

When the pasta is done, drain it and toss with the olive oil and garlic and then add the tomato mixture and toss again.  

Serve hot or at room temperature.

I found this at cooking.com and it is quite tasty!  Next time, I'll saute some chopped onion before I cook the garlic...just 'cause I think it needs some!  Maybe a sprinkle of Parmesan?

Quick and Easy Mexican Stroganoff

Quick and Easy Mexican Stroganoff

1 lb ground chuck

1/2 lb Jimmy Dean sausage

1 tsp minced dehydrated onions

Garlic Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Splash of Worcestershire sauce

1 pkt taco seasoning mix

1.5 cups water

1 can mushroom soup

1/2 carton cream cheese with chives

1/2 jar medium salsa

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp oregano

Hot cooked Egg Noodles

Brown and crumble the ground chuck and sausage in a large skillet with the dehydrated onion flakes.  Season with garlic salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce.  Add the taco seasoning mix, water, and mushroom soup and stir to blend well.  Simmer a few minutes then stir in the cream cheese with chives, salsa, cumin and oregano.  Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes and then stir in the cooked noodles.  

This was very tasty!  I saw a similar recipe somewhere but couldn't find it so I just threw this together one night and really liked it.  

American Macaroni Salad

2 cups dry elbow macaroni, cooked, rinsed, and drained

1/3 cup diced celery

1/4 cup minced red onion, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, drained

1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup diced vine-ripened tomato (optional)
1/2 cup prepared mayonnaise
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl combine the macaroni, celery, onion, parsley and tomato, if using. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, vinegar, sour cream and salt. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. Store covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

This tasted pretty good right after it was made, but don't make it ahead of time to serve later! It loses all it's flavor after it's refrigerated and becomes a bland, unappealing mess.  Blech!

From foodnetwork.com

Amazing Bolognese

4 strips bacon, diced
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 stalk celery, finely choppd
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, shredded
1 tsp minced roasted garlic
1.5 lbs ground chuck
1/2 lb Italian sausage
1 cup beef broth
1 cup dry white wine
28-oz can crushed tomatoes
4-oz can V-8
1 tsp honey
Salt & Pepper to taste
3/4 tsp rubbed sage
1 Tbsp oregano
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup milk
1 lb pasta of choice

In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon until crispy.  Remove and set aside.  Drain the bacon grease.

In the same pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until frothy.  Add the celery, onion and carrots and cook about 10 minutes (until onion is translucent).  Add garlic, ground chuck and sausage and cook, stirring often, until meat loses its red color and is crumbled finely. 

Stir in the reserved bacon, the beef broth and the wine and continue cooking until most of the liquid evaporates.  Stir in the crushed tomatoes, V-8, honey, salt and pepper, sage, oregano, pepper flakes and nutmeg. Simmer very slowly for 2-4 hours partially covered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. 

Stir in the parmesan cheese and milk 10-15 minutes before serving over cooked pasta.

This makes more than enough sauce for 1 lb of pasta!  The leftover sauce can be frozen for up to 2 months.  Very tasty sauce!

Adapted from recipe at www.justapinch.com.

Spicy Turkey Spaghetti

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
1 cup milk
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 heaping tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp chipotle chile powder
1 tsp roasted cumin
4 oz Velveeta, cut into small cubes
3 cups cubed cooked turkey breast
1 lb spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces, cooked and drained
8 oz shredded Sharp Cheddar
1 can French Fried Onions, crushed

Preheat oven to 350^F.  Spray a 9x13" baking dish.

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large saucepan and heat until the Velveeta melts.  Stir in the cooked turkey and the the cooked spaghetti until well combined.  Pour into the baking dish and top with the shredded Cheddar.  Bake 20 minutes.

Top with the crushed onions, return to the oven and bake another 10-15 minutes. 

Yum! 

Million Dollar Spaghetti

Million Dollar Spaghetti

1 lb ground beef
1/4 lb ground pork
Garlic Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp fennel seed
24 oz jar spaghetti sauce (I used Barilla Marinara)
Drizzle of honey
8 oz cream cheese (I used about 6 oz of the reduced fat variety)
1/4 cup sour cream (I used lite sour cream)
1/2 lb Cottage Cheese (I used about 6 oz Ricotta)
1 stick butter (I only used half a stick)
8 oz noodles, pre-cooked until al dente and drained (I used 16 oz Spaghetti)
Bag of shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350^ F.

Brown and crumble the meats in a large skillet with garlic salt, pepper, basil, oregano and fennel.  Drain and add the spaghetti sauce and honey.  Simmer about 15 minutes. 

Combine the cream cheese, sour cream and cottage (or Ricotta) cheese until well mixed.

Slice the butter into pats and place in a 9x13" pan or casserole dish.  Add half the spaghetti noodles and spread the cheese mixture evenly over that.  Top with remaining noodles (the original recipe say to add the rest of the butter at this point) and then the sauce.  Bake for 30 minutes. 

Remove from oven and top with the shredded Cheddar.  Bake for another 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let sit about 15 minutes before cutting.

This was absolutely delicious and I'll most assuredly make it again!

 Adapted from a recipe at http://ashleykaitlin.blogspot.com/2011/01/million-dollar-spaghetti.html

Macaroni Salad

1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked, drained and rinsed with cold water
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
4 oz ham steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2/3 to 1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3-4 Tbsp sweet pickle relish
4 oz jar chopped pimentos, drained
Salt & Pepper to taste

Place the drained elbows, peas, egg, ham, celery, shallots and lemon juice in a large bowl and mix well.  I another bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, pickle relish, and pimientos.  Pour over elbow mixture and toss to coat.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving. 

This is a really good pasta dish!  Adapted from a recipe found at http://blogchef.net/category/recipes/.

Double Meat White Ragu

2 Tbsp olive oil
1.5 lb ground pork
1/2 lb sausage
Garlic Salt & Pepper to taste
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
10-12 small sage leaves, thinly sliced
1 tsp minced roasted garlic
3 Tbsp instant chicken bouillon
3-4 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup white wine
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 lb hot spaghetti, cooked
Grated Pecorino-Romano to garnish

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the ground pork, sausage, Garlic Salt and Pepper and cook until finely crumbled and browned, adding the celery, onion, carrot, sage and garlic about half way through the process. Stir in the chicken bouillon, tomato paste. Add the wine and water until well combined. Simmer about 30 minutes. Stir in cream and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes.

Serve over hot cooked spaghetti, garnished with grated Pecorino-Romano, if desired.

Pretty good. Next time I'd leave out the garlic salt and use low sodium chicken broth instead of the chicken bouillon and water. It was a tad salty! Adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe.

Lemon-Swiss Pasta

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Black Pepper to taste
1 tsp basil
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 lemon, zested
1 lb hot, cooked linguine
4 slices cooked bacon, chopped

Saute the onion and garlic in the melted butter in a large skillet until translucent. Stir in pepper flakes, black pepper, and cream and cook over medium heat until the cream is very hot. Stir in the Swiss cheese and lemon zest and cook on low, stirring often until the cheese is melted and well incorporated with the cream. Toss with the linguine and bacon and serve hot.

This was very good with the Oven Roasted Chicken Tenders Saltimbocca!

Sunday Gravy and Macaroni (Spaghetti, Really)

1 pound spaghetti
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 thin cut pork loin chops, 1/2-inch thick
Salt and pepper
2 each sweet and hot Italian sausage links
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp dried basil
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup Marsala
1 pound meat loaf mix, ground beef, pork and veal combined
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for tossing pasta and to pass at table
1 loaf crusty Italian bread, heated just before serving to crisp crust

Heat a deep skillet or medium heavy bottomed sauce pot over medium high heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Remove skin and cut sausages into 1" chunks. Add 1 tablespoon, 1 turn of the pan, extra-virgin olive oil to pan or pot. Place chops in pan or pot and brown 2 minutes on each side, remove. Add another tablespoon oil, 1 turn of the pan, and sausages. Brown sausages 2 minutes on each side and transfer to plate with pork. Add pepper flakes, 3 cloves chopped garlic and onion to the pot and saute 1 minute. Add broth to the pan and scrape up drippings. Add tomatoes and herbs and bring sauce to a bubble. Add meats back to the pot and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer sauce over a very low heat for a couple of hours, gently stirring every once in a while.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Lightly mix the ground meat, mayo, garlic salt, 1/4 cup cheese and some black pepper. Gently roll into balls, 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. Place balls on nonstick cookie sheet. Roast meatballs 10 minutes, then slide into Sunday sauce.

In the meantime, heat water for pasta to a boil. Salt and cook pasta 7 to 8 minutes, to al dente.

To serve, place pork, sausages and meatballs on serving dish. Pour 1/2 of the sauce into a serving dish to ladle over pasta and meats at the table. Toss cooked spaghetti with remaining sauce in sauce pot, adding a few handfuls of grated cheese to the pot as you toss it. Transfer pasta to a serving dish.

Adapted from the Rachael Ray recipe. This stuff is GOOD!

Baglio Della Luna Marinara

Baglio Della Luna Marinara

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb penne
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (evoo)(3 times around the pan)
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 pinches crushed red pepper
2 cans (6 ounces each) Italian tun in oil, drained or 2 cans (6 oz each) Albacore tuna, drained
1 cup dry red wine (a few good glugs)
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
16 to 20 oil-cured black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp capers, smashed with flat of knife
A handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Put a large pot of water over high heat for the pasta. When water boils, add salt and penne. Cook according to package directions, until al dente. Drain.

In a deep skillet, heat evoo, garlic, and crushed red pepper over medium heat until garlic sizzles. Add tuna and saute 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, bring to a boil, and reduce liquid by half. Add crushed tomatoes, olives, capers, parsley, and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring to a bubble, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Toss pasta in two-thirds of sauce and transfer to platter. Serve with remaining sauce for passing, along with salad and bread.

From Rachael Ray. As far as fishy meals go, this one wasn't half bad. John loved it and I can tolerate it!

Mexican Lasagna

Mexican Lasagna

1 lb ground chuck
1 packet taco seasoning mix
16-oz can seasoned pinto beans, drained
15-oz can black beans, drained
16 oz jar taco sauce
1 cup water
10-oz can Ro-Tel tomatoes (I used Original)
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 1/2 cups shredded Pepper-Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese
1 cup shredded medium Cheddar cheese
Sour cream and chopped cilantro, if desired

Preheat the oven to 350^ F.

In a large skillet, brown and crumble the ground chuck. When the meat is nearly cooked through add the taco seasoning mix and the pinto beans, stirring and mashing the beans until well mixed and meat is completely cooked. Stir in the black beans and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the taco sauce, water and Ro-Tel tomatoes. Set aside.

In a 9x13" pan, place 4 uncooked noodles in the bottom. Pour about 3/4 cup of the taco sauce mixture over the noodles and spread half the meat mixture over that. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheeses and repeat layers, ending with 4 noodles and the remaining cheese and taco sauce.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until the noodles are tender. Let set about 30 minutes before cutting.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro leaves.

Pretty good. Didn't take long to put it together either.

Adapted from allrecipes.com "Mexican Lasagna I"

Spaghetti all'Elsa (sort of)

Spaghetti all'Elsa (sort of)

Salt
1 pound Italian imported dried spaghetti (I used Muellers - my Publix doesn't sell imported dried spaghetti!)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
3 cloves garlic, crushed (I used minced roasted garlic out of a jar!)
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup chicken stock (wich I had some white wine)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (recommended: San Marzano), plus
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (I used a small jar of pizza sauce)
Several leaves basil, torn or chopped, a handful
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (I used half parmesan and half asiago)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add pasta. Cook to al dente, with a bite to it.

Heat a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and red pepper and let them cook 5 minutes. Add stock or wine and stir 30 seconds, add tomatoes and combine. Season the sauce with salt, to taste, then stir basil in and reduce heat to low.

I didn't noticed the 14 oz can of tomatoes tacked onto the end of the original recipe and didn't have any in the pantry, so I used a small jar of pizza sauce. Hey, it's Italian! :-)

When pasta is cooked, turn off the heat, drain the pasta then add it back to the still-hot, deep pot. Add butter to spaghetti and toss to melt and coat. Add half the red sauce and all of the cheese, work in a handful at a time as you toss to combine. To serve, use tongs or a meat fork to swirl the pasta into buttery, cheesy mounds to pile onto each plate. Top each portion with spoonfuls of remaining sauce.

I made Italian Cheese Stuffed Chicken to go with this and spooned a bit of this sauce over each chicken roll.

This was OK....definitely not the best Marinara type sauce I've ever had, but not bad. It needs spicing up in my opinion. Adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe.