Pasta/5 recipes

Steamed corn pones are simple masa dough logs wrapped in softened corn husks and steamed until tender. A rustic Mexican-Southern US sidekick to beans, chili, or stews.

Ratatouille spaghetti pie turns a pressed spaghetti crust into the base for a chunky eggplant, zucchini, and pepper ratatouille, topped with pepperoni and a Parmesan-breadcrumb crust. A veg-packed pasta bake.

Noodle and mushroom souffle layered with ground beef, leeks, tomatoes, and melted cheese, then set with an egg-cream custard. Hearty German-style nudelauflauf for a family dinner.

A tasty family meat sauce that is super flavorful.

Jumbo pasta shells stuffed with seasoned turkey, celery, and cheese, baked in creamy cheddar sauce. Freezer-friendly comfort food.

Les oreilles de cochon are Cajun pig's ear pastries, fried thin dough drizzled with cane syrup. A Louisiana French Acadian holiday tradition served warm. Crisp, sweet, irregular shape.

Classic Italian lasagna with homemade meat sauce from Italian sausage and ground beef, ricotta filling, mozzarella, and Parmesan. A from-scratch Sunday dinner.

Warm cheese tortellini salad with broccoli, Havarti cubes, roasted red peppers, and Dijon vinaigrette. A quick, cheesy Italian pasta salad ready in 30 minutes.

Vegan spinach lasagna with tofu ricotta, miso, and nutmeg in a mushroom tomato sauce. A dairy-free lasagna with fresh blanched spinach and nutritional yeast Parmesan topping.

This deep mahogany sauce with snow peas, mushrooms and carrots turns soba noodles, fettuccini or ravioli into a delicious Asian pasta primavera.

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.

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)

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.

Fragrant Asian pesto with peanuts, fresh basil, mint, cilantro, green chilies, and ginger. A bold, herbaceous sauce for noodles that's ready in 15 minutes. Vegetarian-friendly.

Low-carb lasagna swapping noodles for sliced zucchini, layered with a slow-simmered beef and red wine meat sauce, creamy ricotta, melted mozzarella, and Parmesan. All the comfort, none of the pasta.