Pasta/2 recipes

Spicy cold peanut noodles with soy sauce, hot bean sauce, garlic, and sesame oil tossed with chow mein noodles. Ready in 25 minutes for a quick Chinese-inspired weeknight dinner.

Ramen noodles upgraded with cubed chicken, broccoli florets, and cream of mushroom soup for a 30-minute pantry dinner. Cheap, filling, and way better than the packet alone.

Italian garden lasagna layers a rainbow of sauteed vegetables (peppers, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, spinach) with ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan in a no-boil lasagna. Vegetarian comfort that uses up the garden haul.

Fresh garden vegetable pasta tosses spaghetti with a chunky sauce of tomatoes, carrots, celery, and onion, simmered with basil and garlic. A naturally vegan, low-fat dinner that lets summer vegetables shine.

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.

One-pot vegetarian noodles with broccoli, yams, and mushrooms tossed in melted mozzarella, soy sauce, and thyme. Everything cooks in the same pot of water.

Cincinnati 5-way chili: cinnamon and allspice-spiced beef chili ladled over vermicelli, then crowned with beans, onions, and cheddar. Greek-influenced Midwestern original.

A warm beef and bacon stew is served over pasta. It's delicious and fills you up. A great fall or winter dish.

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.

Mexican style lasagne with enchilada sauce, black beans, cottage cheese, and cheddar, layered with uncooked noodles that bake right in the sauce. Vegetarian, feeds 6 to 8, one pan cleanup.

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.

Make your pasta dishes seem authentic with this spaghetti sauce made of Veggies, tomatoes and a variety of spices.

Green tomato puree simmered two hours with just water and sugar, then blended smooth. A tangy pasta sauce that turns unripe end-of-season tomatoes into something worth keeping. Freezes beautifully.

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.

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.