FETTUCCINE WITH CREAMY ZUCCHINI SAUCE

A simple but delicious pasta dish ready in about 20 minutes.

12 oz fettuccine
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 lbs zucchini and/or yellow squash
1 large garlic clove
8 oz ricotta cheese
salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

Cook the fettuccine according to the package directions. When draining the pasta, save 1/2 cup of the liquid. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise then cut into half moon slices about 1/4-inch thick. Mince the garlic. Add half the zucchini to the skillet, flat side down, flat in the skillet. Cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes, then turn and cook the other side a minute or two. Remove to a plate. Add more oil to skillet if needed and repeat the zucchini cooking process with the other half of the squash; add the garlic. Transfer these zucchini and garlic to the plate, also. Turn off the heat then add the 1/2 cup of the pasta water and the ricotta cheese to the skillet. Stir to dislodge and browned bits of zucchini from the skillet. Season with salt and pepper to suit your taste. (It is okay if the ricotta looks a little curdled.) Pour the drained fettuccine, vegetables and any juice that has accumulated on the plate, back into the skillet. Stir gently to combine all the ingredients together. Sprinkle pasta with the Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Enjoy!

Serves: 8

Yields: 8 servings

Prep Time: 12 min

Cook Time: 40 min

Oven Temp: 400

Ingredients

2 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound(s) plum tomatoes, diced
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 clove(s) garlic, minced
4 cup(s) marinara sauce
1/2 teaspoon(s) crushed red pepper flakes
3 cup(s) shredded cooked turkey
1 pound(s) cavatappi or orecchiette pasta
1 cup(s) fresh basil leaves, torn
3/4 cup(s) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 pound(s) fresh mozzarella cheese, diced

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat; add plum tomatoes, onion, and garlic and cook 5 minutes, until tomatoes soften. Stir in marinara sauce and red pepper flakes; continue to simmer 5 minutes. Remove sauce from heat; stir in turkey.

Add pasta to boiling water and cook until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the recommended time on the package. Drain pasta; transfer to a large bowl and toss with 2 cups of the sauce.

Grease a 3-quart baking dish with extra-virgin olive oil. Layer some of the pasta in dish, then some of the remaining sauce, basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mozzarella. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ending with mozzarella on top. Bake 25 minutes, until top is golden and pasta is crisp on edges.

Ingredients

Basic Vanilla Cake:

1.5 cup(s) sifted cake flour
1.5 teaspoon(s) baking powder
.25 teaspoon(s) salt
.5 cup(s) (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup(s) sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
.5 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
.5 cup(s) whole milk

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Beat in the butter one heaping 1/4 teaspoonful at a time, using an electric mixer set on low speed, until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
Beat in the sugar a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture resembles fine damp sand. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and milk, beat on medium-high, just until blended. Do not over beat.
Divide the batter among two lined 24-cup mini-muffin pans. Bake about 10 minutes. Cool and ice with our Fluffy Butter Frosting.

Ingredients

2 cup(s) buttermilk
2 tablespoon(s) hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon(s) salt
2   chickens, each c ut into 8 pieces
2 cup(s) flour
1.5 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 teaspoon(s) black pepper
1 teaspoon(s) paprika
5 cup(s) vegetable oil , or shortening for frying

Directions

In extra-large (2- to 2 1/2-gallon) zip-top plastic bag, combine buttermilk, hot pepper sauce and 1 tsp. salt. Add chicken pieces, turning to coat. Seal bag, pressing out excess air. Place bag in bowl; refrigerate chicken for 2 to 24 hours to marinate, turning bag over once.
In pie plate or bowl, stir flour, baking powder, pepper, paprika and remaining 2 tsp. salt until well mixed. Remove a few pieces of chicken from buttermilk mixture, shaking off excess liquid. Add chicken to flour mixture, turning to coat well. Place chicken on wire rack set over waxed paper, without letting pieces touch. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces, using a second rack if necessary; let stand 15 minutes to set coating. Discard buttermilk mixture.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 250ºF. Line two large cookie sheets with paper towels. Divide oil between two 12-inch skillets, preferably electric (there should be about 1/2 inch of oil in each skillet) and heat over medium heat until temperature reaches 360ºF on a deep-fry thermometer.
To each skillet, add 4 pieces of chicken, skin side down, being careful not to crowd pieces. Cover skillets and cook until chicken is light golden brown on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn pieces over and cook, covered (reducing heat to medium-low, if necessary, to a temperature of 300ºF), 8 to 10 minutes longer for white meat, and 13 to 15 minutes longer for dark meat, turning pieces every 4 or 5 minutes. Chicken is done when well browned on all sides and juices run clear when thickest part is pierced with the tip of a knife. Transfer chicken to lined cookie sheets to drain. Keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Ingredients

4 cup(s) cranberry-juice cocktail
1 container(s) (6 ounces) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 bottle(s) (1 liter) seltzer or club soda, chilled
1 small orange, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices, then each slice cut in half
Ice cubes, (optional)

Directions

In large pitcher, stir together cranberry-juice cocktail and undiluted lemonade concentrate until blended.
Then, stir in seltzer, and ice cubes if you like. Garnish with orange pieces. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

4 teaspoon(s) peeled, grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoon(s) freshly grated lemon peel
.75 teaspoon(s) salt
2 clove(s) garlic, crushed with garlic press
4 rack(s) (1 pound each) pork baby back ribs
2 cup(s) Secret-Recipe BBQ Sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In cup, mix ginger, lemon peel, salt, and garlic until combined. Rub ginger mixture all over ribs.
Place ribs in large roasting pan (15 1/2- by 11 1/2-inch), overlapping slightly. Pour 2 cups boiling water into roasting pan. Cover pan tightly with foil. Steam ribs 1 hour.
Carefully remove foil from roasting pan (escaping steam is very hot). Remove ribs from roasting pan, discard water. Ribs may be grilled immediately, or refrigerated up to 2 days before grilling.
Place ribs, meat side up, on grill over medium heat, cook 5 minutes, turning once. Turn ribs over, brush with some BBQ sauce and grill 5 minutes. Turn ribs over again, brush with more BBQ sauce, and grill 5 minutes longer. Cut racks into 2-rib portions, serve with remaining sauce.

Ingredients
Crust

1.5  cup(s) graham-cracker crumbs
7 tablespoon(s) (unsalted ) butter, melted
2 tablespoon(s) sugar

Filling

12 ounce(s) (light) cream cheese, try Neufchâtel, softened
.5 cup(s) sugar
2 large eggs
1.5 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
.75  cup(s) strawberry jam
1 pint(s) blueberried, picked over for stems

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Line pan with foil, extending it over the rim; grease foil.
In bowl, with fork, stir graham-cracker crumbs, butter and sugar until blended. Press mixture onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
In small bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth; gradually beat in sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla just until blended. Pour filling over crust; bake 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Chill until ready to serve.
Place jam in small saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring, until liquid. Strain; cool slightly. Pour into a plastic bag; seal.
When cheesecake is cold, lift foil with cake out of pan. Place on cutting board and peel away foil; cut cake into 12 pieces. To decorate, place berries in the top left corner of each bar. Snip a small hole in corner of plastic bag; pipe jam in stripes around berries to create flaglike decoration.

Ingredients

1 (14-ounce) can Alaskan salmon, drained and flaked
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
Handful parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 lemons, zested and juiced, divided
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs, 3 generous handfuls
Salt and pepper
4 anchovies, finely chopped, optional
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Couple handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano
2 hearts romaine lettuce, shredded
1 head radicchio, shredded

Directions

To flaked salmon, add egg whites, parsley, the zest and juice of 1 lemon, 2/3 of the total amount of chopped garlic, the bread crumbs and lots of black pepper and a little salt. Mix together and form 4 large patties or 8 mini patties.

To a salad bowl add the remaining zest and lemon juice, remaining garlic, chopped anchovies, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire. Whisk in about 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil and cheese. Add lots of black pepper, no salt. Add shredded lettuces to the bowl and toss to coat evenly. Now, season the slaw with salt to taste, if necessary.

Preheat 2 tablespoons, of extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, in a nonstick skillet over medium to medium high heat. Cook salmon patties 2 to 3 minutes on each side for mini patties, 4 minutes on each side for large patties.

Serve salmon patties atop Caesar Slaw.

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