Pasta/4 recipes

Penne with pumpkin cream sauce, red bell pepper, and fresh nutmeg finished with Parmesan. A cozy fall pasta for two that uses canned pumpkin puree for a silky, savory sauce in under 35 minutes.

Layered chili mac and cheese with homemade cheddar sauce, seasoned ground beef, and a crunchy cornflake crumb topping. Baked until bubbly and golden, this casserole feeds a family of six.

A good combination, and very quick and easy to make!

Whipped ricotta blended with Parmesan, lemon zest, nutmeg, and fresh herbs creates a velvety no-cook cream sauce for vermicelli. Light, fast, and on the table in 20 minutes.

Vegetable spaghetti with sauteed bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, and onion in jarred marinara over thin pasta. A 30-minute weeknight pasta the whole family will eat.

Pasta with smoked mozzarella: bow-tie pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh asparagus, thyme, and melty smoked mozzarella. A light pasta dinner that works hot or as a next-day salad.

Baked mac and cheese with tomato sauce, sharp cheddar, and chicken broth soaked into the noodles before baking. A Southern-style casserole with no cream sauce needed.

Spinach pasta with red peppers tosses wide spinach noodles in a garlic-heavy sauce of sauteed capers, basil, rosemary, and sweet red peppers. Light, vibrant, and oil-free.

Try something different with this scrumptious pasta dish that will have you making it every week!

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.

Pasta with artichoke sauce tosses fettuccine in a quick sauté of artichoke hearts, garlic, oil-cured olives, white wine, and lemon zest topped with Parmesan. Light and Mediterranean.

Holiday pasta bake layers penne with eggplant tomato sauce, creamy ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. A make-ahead crowd-feeder that bakes into a bubbling, cheesy, eggplant-rich casserole. Serves eight from one dish.

Eggplant and pasta shells in a tomato-wine sauce with mushrooms, green pepper, red onion, and oregano. An oil-free vegetarian pasta sauteed in water and vinegar.

Microwave mac and cheese with broccoli and cauliflower: a 15-minute single-serve comfort dish built entirely in the microwave. Creamy cheddar sauce, tender pasta, and vegetables snuck right in.

Cubed turkey and elbow macaroni tossed with bell peppers, celery, and onions in a basil-spiked mayonnaise dressing, then baked warm. A quick 30-minute leftover turkey meal the whole family will love.

Char's pasta salad with shell pasta, cubed ham, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and a Dijon-garlic mayo dressing. A simple, hearty cold salad that comes together in 40 minutes.