Pasta/7 recipes

Oxtail is one of the most economical and most flavorful cuts of meat, and one that takes well to marinating for days in a hearty mixture of red wine, herbs, and vegetables. The longer you marinate the mixture, the more flavorful it will be, but be sure it marinates at least 3 days. Oxtail is also a fatty cut -- give yourself plenty of time to allow the stew to cook and then cool, so all the fat can be skimmed off. Serve this with thick noodles in warmed soup bowls, accompanied by a tossed salad, and of course, a robust red wine.

Spinach fettuccine in a quick Romano cheese cream sauce with garlic and white wine. A simple Italian pasta dish ready in 20 minutes for two.

Elbow macaroni bakes with tomato sauce, sharp cheddar, and chicken broth in this Southern-style casserole. The standing time lets the broth soak into the pasta for creamy texture without a béchamel.

Salmon asparagus manicotti: pasta tubes stuffed with ricotta, poached salmon, and fresh asparagus, baked in cream of asparagus sauce. A comforting seafood pasta dinner.

Baked mozzarella penne with Roma tomatoes, fresh basil, and Parmesan in a quick tomato sauce. A 30-minute dinner for two with a golden, bubbly cheese top.

In my opinion, this is the most decadent, rich and scrumptious pasta dish and one of my all-time favorites (I originally got this recipe from a Bon Appetit magazine many, many years ago). Very easy to prepare and always a hit.

Grilled shrimp over penne pasta tossed with fresh tomatoes, basil, and a balsamic-Dijon vinaigrette. A summery main dish that comes together while the grill is hot.

Grilled portobello mushrooms over angel hair: meaty grilled portobello caps sliced over fresh angel hair pasta in a quick garlic cream sauce. A vegetarian main in about 45 minutes.

Chicken and zucchini soup built from scratch: a whole chicken simmered with parsnip, turnip, and lemon, then enriched with browned Italian sausage, pasta shells, and grated zucchini stirred in at the end.

OK Corral salad, a hearty cold pasta-and-tuna toss with pasta wheels, canned tuna, crisp radishes, and green bell pepper. Make-ahead potluck friendly.

Gorgonzola cream sauce for pasta with fresh thyme and nutmeg, reduced until thick and silky. Four ingredients, ready while the pasta boils.

Mac and cheese loaded with chopped ham, crushed pineapple, green bell pepper, and onion in a creamy American cheese sauce. Hawaiian pizza flavors in pasta form.

Rich fettuccine Alfredo with lump backfin crabmeat folded into a butter, cream, and Parmesan sauce. A luxurious Chesapeake-meets-Italian pasta in just five core ingredients.

Rigatoni al Gorgonzola with crumbled Gorgonzola melted into warm cream with nutmeg and Parmesan. A rich, velvety Italian blue cheese pasta sauce that comes together in the time it takes to boil the noodles.

Penne with green peas, diced tomatoes, fresh basil, and a touch of cream. A quick 30-minute pasta dinner with just enough richness from a splash of heavy cream.

Fettuccine Alfredo with butter, cream, and Parmesan tossed into a silky sauce in 20 minutes. A splash of Romano adds sharpness to the classic.