Pasta recipes

Low-fat spaghetti Napoli loaded with bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and basil. A colorful vegetarian pasta dinner that's on the table in just 20 minutes.

Mee Krob: Thai crisp-fried rice noodles tossed in a sweet-sour-salty sauce with pork, chicken, or shrimp, topped with lacy fried egg nets. Crunchy, tangy, showstopping.

Nothing is more fascinating and delicious than eating at the open- air street hawker centers in Asia, particularly in Singapore. Each stall serves a specialty, typically an honest, unpretentious, home-style dish for $1 to $3 a plate. This rice noodle dish is hawker food at its best. If done right, its fragrance will tell you how good it's going to be as soon as it arrives at your table.

Asian-inspired sesame dressing with toasted sesame seeds, peanut butter, roasted garlic, dry mustard, and a sweet-tangy vinaigrette base. Ready in 5 minutes.

My family's go to pasta sauce. It is great on spaghetti or folded into mostaccoli.

Crawfish au gratin baked in a rich double-cheddar sauce with sauteed bell pepper, celery, and onion. A bubbly, cheesy Cajun casserole that's pure Louisiana comfort food.

Hearty lentil tomato sauce with dried lentils, fresh tomatoes, and Italian herbs simmered into a thick, protein-rich vegetarian pasta sauce. Meaty texture without the meat.

Salsa pesto blends fresh basil, garlic, and onion with butter, olive oil, Parmesan, and toasted pine nuts for a richer, creamier spin on classic Genovese pesto. Toss with pasta, spread on grilled bread, or spoon over roast chicken.

Neapolitan spaghetti sauce slow-simmered for 3 hours with ground beef, three forms of tomato, whole chili peppers, and sliced stuffed green olives. Rich, thick, and full of heat.

Northern-style lasagna with bacon, ground beef, ricotta, and a cream of mushroom layer alongside the meat sauce. Creamy, meaty, and bubbling hot.

Chicken Ya-Hah simmers chicken breast with jalapenos, water chestnuts, Szechwan chili sauce, curry, cumin, and red wine in tomato sauce. A spicy fusion stew over cornbread or rice.

Make your pasta dishes hearty with this tantalizing meat sauce that will make everyone want more.

Slow cooker spaghetti meat sauce with blended vegetables hidden in the base. Ground beef, canned tomatoes, carrots, and onions simmer 8-10 hours for a deep, rich, thick sauce.

Rabbit with sweet Italian sausage braised in a tomato-and-wine sauce with peppers, garlic, and a bright lift of orange. Lean rabbit browns in the sausage fat for deep, rustic Italian flavor over pasta or rice.

Mom's German meatballs: hearty egg-sized meatballs seasoned with celery seed, mustard seed, and garlic water, rolled in flour and pan-browned. Old-world German-American home cooking.

A hearty vegetarian version of my favorite soup. It's easy to make it vegetarian by using roasted vegetable stock instead of beef stock. By adding a leftover parmesan rind (I save them in the freezer for this soup) it adds extra flavor. (optional)