12 Pasta Recipe Pleasers

I know I’m not the only one with a weak spot for pasta . Creamy & cheesy dishes, chunky pastas with bites of sausage or lightly flavored noodles–they’re all delicious to me. Lots to choose from in this week’s Recipe Hit List, many are simple to prepare and fuss free. Here’s what I found on the net this week:

Recipe Hit List: 12 Pasta Pleasers
*Note: Descriptions below are quotes from the recipe sites

1. Pasta with Sausage, Basil and Mustard: In matching spicy sausage with a creamy mustard sauce and fragrant basil, British cookbook author Nigel Slater created a quick pasta supper with warm, mildly spicy flavors, perfect for a cool fall or winter evening. Recipe found at The Bitten Word.
2. Cheesy Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells: Ever have one of those weeks when you wished you could have something prepared in advance to be baked later? Well if your week is as busy as mine, then this recipe is a perfect option. The entire pan can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You may need to add a few additional minutes to the cooking time. This dish can also be easily stored in the freezer for up to a month. You will also need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Recipe found at Culinary Cory.
3. Recipe: Velvety Broccoli and Feta Pasta: this pasta sauce is velvety-rich and creamy, plus nubby with flecks of feta cheese. And yet it has very little fat and dairy, aside from the feta, and nearly all of its body comes from steamed and blended broccoli. And lest you think that this is a dieter’s compromise of a pasta sauce, we’ll tell you the broccoli is sautéed with onion, garlic, and Italian parsley, and spun with lemon juice for a fantastically tangy and aromatic pasta dish. We love it! Recipe found at The Kitchn.
4. Butternutty Mac and Cheese: My husband ate this dish happily. “Is there something in this that I don’t like?” he asked. “I don’t know”, I said “is there?” When he was done, I told him it had been butternut squash he just enjoyed. “Well, I like butternut squash, don’t I?” Now you do, baby. Now you do. Recipe found at My Husband Hates Veggies.
5. Creamy Sausage Pasta: This easy pasta dish is one of my go to week night dinners that has evolved over time. It is always a hit with the husband and the kids. Cream sauce and sausage may not be so healthy, but I think the addition of the spinach totally makes up for it. That is my story and I am sticking to it. Recipe found at From Mommy’s Kitchen.
6. Garlic Noodles: I can’t wait to make these again. I threw the whole thing together in about 10 minutes, which is perfect for an after school or work meal. These noodles really taste like something you’d get in a good Chinese restaurant. Recipe found at The Crepes of Wrath.
7. Super Quick Tomato Basil Cream Pasta: When it’s summer, I can’t get enough of recipes that use up fresh tomatoes and basil. But no matter what time of year, I’m always down with quick recipes. You can make this sauce in the time it takes to boil the pasta. My whole wheat pasta cooks in 9 minutes, so this simple sauce makes a 9 minute summer meal that’s hard to beat. Recipe found at VeganYumYum.
8. Grown Up Mac and Cheese: And what are the odds that Ina Garten would create a mac n’ cheese that wasn’t freaking fantabulous? I have been making the same baked macaroni and cheese recipe for the past year or so, and this version wasn’t too terribly different, but it introduced some “grown up” flavor in terms of the types of cheeses used and the addition of bacon. This really was a fabulous recipe, it certainly lived up to the hype! Recipe found at Brown Eyed Baker.
9. Garlic-Zucchini Pasta: Ingredients include zucchini, garlic, angel hair pasta & parmesan cheese. Recipe found at My Wooden Spoon.
10. Spinach Fettuccine With Sundried Tomatoes: Ingredients include spinach and chive fettuccine, sundried tomatoes, baby spinach, ricotta cheese. Recipe found at I Found Happy.
11. Lemon-Herb Zucchini Fettuccine: Get this: Garlic-infused olive oil coats warm pasta with flecks of lemon zest and fresh herbs. Grilled Zucchini and lemon-chicken top it off with savory Parmesan cheese running throughout. I’m trying to sound fancy like a menu. Is it working? Recipe found at Our Best Bites.
12. Chunky Pasta Sauce Recipe with Sausage, Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic, and Basil: This wonderful recipe for chunky pasta sauce is not one of those planned-in-advance recipes. This is something I came up with on Sunday afternoon when I realized gardening season was almost here and I still had quite a few slow roasted tomatoes and some frozen basil in the freezer, and gee I really should be making something with those tomatoes and basil before it was harvest time again. Recipe found at Kalyn’s Kitchen.

Bonus Recipe: 15-Minute Tomato Sauce. Really.

Also make sure to check out today’s earlier tip: 5 Simple Tips For Cooking Perfect Pasta.

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