Pasta recipes

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.

During the fall and winter I make homemade soup once a week. I’ve got dozens of delicious soup recipes, but the Pizza Soup was the favorite of our sons, Keith and Mark. It’s really easy to make. I apologize for the inexact quantities, but this is another recipe that I’ve never written down…and haven’t made it since last winter! I’ve given the basic recipe, but don’t be afraid to add other items you enjoy on your pizza…including a dash of red pepper sauce!

Chicken liver stroganoff: quickly seared livers, sauteed mushrooms, and sweet softened onions in a tangy soured cream and yogurt sauce. A rich, economical twist on stroganoff over rice or pasta.

A tasty family staple recipe that is easy to make and beats any jarred sauce.

Easy chicken cacciatore with strips of chicken breast, mushrooms, red and green bell peppers, and a kick of red pepper flakes. The classic Italian hunter's stew adapted for a 45-minute weeknight dinner.

Vegetable lasagna primavera layers spinach lasagna noodles with bell peppers, eggplant, mushrooms, ricotta, and three melty cheeses in a slow-simmered tomato sauce. The garden-loaded vegetarian main that feeds 12.

Spicy Thai cold pasta salad with red and green bell peppers, scallions, and toasted black sesame seeds in a hot sesame oil, brown rice vinegar, and mirin dressing. A fast vegetarian potluck salad served chilled.

Lentil lasagna layers red lentils, broccoli, mushrooms and corn with no-boil spinach noodles, finished with a vegan cheeze sauce of soy milk, nutritional yeast and turmeric. Dairy-free, hearty and weeknight-friendly.

Cold buckwheat noodles tossed in a creamy peanut sauce made with brewed Chinese tea, chili oil, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. A nutty, spicy appetizer or side dish ready in 40 minutes.

Spaghetti and crabmeat in a slow-simmered tomato sauce with sherry, garlic, and herbs, served over angel hair pasta with fresh Parmesan. A restaurant-style Italian-American seafood pasta.

Vegan eggplant lasagna with cornmeal-crusted oven-fried eggplant, tofu ricotta filling, and tomato sauce. No pasta, no dairy, all the layered comfort of classic lasagna.

Ricotta ravioli in a garlic cream sauce with broccoli florets, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes. A rich Italian pasta dish with heat and crunch in every bite.

Stale bread simmers with Roma tomatoes, garlic, white wine, and marjoram in this hearty Italian peasant stew. Tiny pastina added at the end gives it body. Ready in 45 minutes.

Sweet Jewish noodle pudding baked with eggs, raisins, and apple juice, topped with crunchy walnuts. A traditional kugel that's comforting as dessert or served alongside brisket.

Yeasted waffles with a lemon-scented buttery batter, cooked golden and crisp, then sandwiched with piped sweetened whipped cream. European-style brunch elegance.

Scandinavian-style meatball cakes made from ground veal and pork with cream and eggs, served alongside beer rice cooked in French onion soup. A hearty, pub-inspired dinner.