Pasta/6 recipes

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.

Poached chicken and spinach spaghetti baked together in a casserole until hot and bubbly. A simple, crowd-friendly Tex-Mex pasta bake that comes together with minimal effort.

Colorful rotini pasta salad tossed with tri-color bell peppers, scallions, black olives, and a bright lemon-olive oil dressing. Ready in 20 minutes, no cooking beyond boiling pasta.

Reduced-fat macaroni and cheese made creamy with blended cottage cheese and skim milk, topped with sharp cheddar and broiled Parmesan. All the comfort with less fat, ready in 45 minutes.

Meaty ziti casserole with a lean blend of ground chuck and ground turkey, mushrooms, bell pepper, and a from-scratch tomato sauce baked under bubbling parmesan. A weeknight crowd-pleaser that lightens the classic without losing the meat-sauce flavor.

Straw and Hay pasta combines regular and green fettuccine with mushrooms, peas, ham, and a light Parmesan cream sauce. A classic Italian dish named for its two-toned pasta, made lighter with skim milk.

Bow tie pasta and tender broccoli bake in creamy Alfredo sauce with roasted red peppers and basil. Parmesan browns on top for a bubbly, golden crust.

Fettuccine with fresh artichokes, prosciutto, and pesto cream sauce finished with toasted pine nuts and Parmesan. A rich Italian pasta made from scratch.

Sautéed turkey breast strips tossed with pasta in a silky garlic, basil, and Parmesan cream sauce. Just 5 ingredients and 20 minutes stand between you and a restaurant-worthy dinner at home.

My Italian husband uses this filling to make tortellini at home, and it's by far the most delicious filling. He does change the meat around, and we love them all! It's freezer friendly, so we usually make a bunch.

Penne pasta with chicken sausage, zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, and sage in a light chicken broth sauce topped with Parmesan. A quick one-pan weeknight dinner.

Linguine tossed with artichoke hearts, capers, Parmesan, and prosciutto in a buttery lemon-garlic sauce. A 35-minute Italian pasta that feels special.

Lighter baked mac and cheese made with pureed cottage cheese, skim milk, and sharp cheddar for creamy comfort with less fat.

Penne alla malefemmina, a no-cook Southern Italian pasta sauce of raw tomatoes, kalamata olives, capers, and garlic marinated in olive oil. Tossed with hot pasta or served cold as pasta salad.