Pasta recipes

A spiced oil made with carrots, sweet bell peppers and red pepper flakes that can really spice up pasta or steamed vegetables.

Light shrimp spaghetti in a white wine and tomato sauce with garlic, basil, and oregano. Low-fat weeknight pasta with bright, clean flavors.

Tortellini pasta salad with blanched broccoli, carrots, leeks, and bell peppers in a homemade balsamic-thyme mayonnaise with orange zest. A colorful, garden-fresh vegetarian salad.

Toasted French bread replaces noodles in this layered lasagna with seasoned ground beef, fresh tomato slices, a creamy Parmesan white sauce, and bubbly golden mozzarella on top.

Old-school Italian tomato sauce simmered with onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and basil, then strained smooth through a food mill. The Sunday-gravy base every cook should know.

Italian-American lasagne with layers of seasoned ground beef, ricotta-egg filling, mozzarella, and sliced hard-boiled eggs. A family recipe with a from-scratch tomato-basil meat sauce.

Butter-sauteed shrimp deglazed with white wine, served over thin pasta with a slow-simmered Provencal tomato sauce rich with basil and oregano. Worth every minute of the long, lazy simmer.

A lighter noodle casserole made with low-fat cottage cheese, skim milk, carrots, and mushrooms seasoned with basil and thyme. Diabetic-friendly and big enough to feed a crowd. Serves 12.

Shrimp spaghetti in a slow-simmered tomato sauce with garlic, basil, oregano, and a surprising kick of horseradish. A seafood pasta with depth you won't find in jarred sauce.

Chickpeas simmered in a thick Italian tomato sauce with basil, oregano, and a surprising dash of cinnamon. Serve over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes for a hearty vegan meal.

Chicken livers browned in bacon drippings, simmered in dry sherry and tomato sauce with mushrooms, onions, and herbs. Served over rice, polenta, or pasta with grated Parmesan. Ready in 20 minutes.

Chicken marinara made with a fast homemade tomato sauce of diced tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, and basil spooned over cooked chicken pieces. A 25-minute weeknight Italian dinner with pantry staples.

Vegetarian eggplant tomato pasta sauce with dry sherry, red bell pepper, nutmeg, and fresh basil. A chunky, low-calorie sauce that simmers in under 30 minutes.

Once upon a time I was reading a magazine article about good cooking. The journalist tried to convince me not to use some combinations of ingredients. One of the "banned" combinations mentioned was green and black olives. And so this soup was born to enjoy me.

This summer lasagna swaps pasta noodles for tender zucchini strips layered with ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, fresh tomatoes, and herb-seasoned tomato sauce. Low-carb, veggie-loaded, and ready in about an hour.

A light main or hearty side dish, pearls of couscous with grilled veggies and a Lemon-Balsamic dressing.