Pasta recipes

Shrimp and vegetable linguine tossed in a no-cook sauce of olive oil, lemon juice, fresh dill, Roma tomatoes, and chili oil. Loaded with broccoli, peas, and peppers.

Here is a kind of throw together recipe I came up with: If you are entertaining you can garnish with fresh parsley and serve with a caesar salad, garlic bread and a nice chablis. The vegetables can vary. I've used mushrooms, spinach, cauliflower etc. Grouper works well with this because it has a lot of flavor. I've used fresh tuna and halibut but prefer grouper.

Italian market pasta salad tosses bow-tie pasta with fresh greens, cherry tomatoes, tangy gorgonzola and toasted pine nuts in a balsamic dressing. A light, no-mayo summer salad.

Latin-inspired pasta salad with a blended feta-cilantro-lime dressing, diced ham, colorful bell peppers, jicama, and olives. Bright, crunchy, and totally make-ahead friendly.

Chicken breasts poached in herbed broth with leeks, carrots, red pepper, and elbow macaroni, finished with fresh thyme and Parmesan. A nourishing, light soup.

Linguine with asparagus, jumbo shrimp, and bacon in a white wine cream sauce. Shell-on shrimp are seared, then simmered in wine to build a rich, layered sauce from scratch.

Diced beef chuck slow-simmered with chili powder, cumin, and cayenne, thickened with cornmeal and ladled over hot pasta. A Tex-Mex spin on meat sauce that's hearty enough for hungry crowds.

Crockpot beef stroganoff casserole with ground beef, mushrooms, and sour cream over elbow macaroni. A slow cooker comfort meal with a red wine gravy base.

Pasta primavera salad with tri-color rotini, broccoli, carrots, cherry tomatoes, and red onion tossed in peppercorn ranch dressing. A colorful, make-ahead cold pasta salad for potlucks.

Light pasta primavera with sea scallops, broccoli, mushrooms, and carrots in a broth-based sauce. No cream, no butter, just clean flavors and tender scallops.

Southwestern pasta sauce with sherry-sauteed garlic and shallots, sun-dried and fresh tomatoes, jalapenos, and fresh herbs. No oil, no cream, just bright pantry flavors over your favorite noodles.

Vegetarian mostaccioli tossed in a slow-simmered crushed tomato sauce with Burgundy wine, walnuts, shallots, and fresh basil, then broiled under a blanket of bubbly mozzarella.

Pasta with vodka sauce: a buttery cream sauce reduced with vodka, mushrooms, and fresh tomatoes. A restaurant-style Italian classic that uses the alcohol to unlock tomato flavor.

Stuffed pasta shells packed with sausage, chicken, and mushrooms, smothered in Mornay sauce. Made in the microwave for a quick Italian-style dinner in individual gratin dishes.

Mexicali pasta pie with a spaghetti crust, cottage cheese layer, and spiced ground pork with green chiles and tomatoes, topped with cheddar and crushed corn chips. All microwave.

Herbed tricolor pasta salad with a creamy yogurt-mayo dressing, fresh parsley, basil, dill, red onion, and white wine vinegar. A make-ahead side for potlucks.