6/10/21 Cook’s Corner
Betty Kaiser
I am at
that stage of life when cooking dinner for two is not only boring but usually
means too many “leftovers.” And I do get tired of the same old meat concoctions.
Most meat servings meals are not a problem. I know how to cook pork chops or hamburgers for two. A small roast beef eventually becomes enough soup or stew for a family of five. And a whole roasted chicken is good for at least 4 meals ending with chicken salad sandwiches for a couple of days!
Pasta casseroles, however, are a little more challenging. In my opinion, they don’t taste very good nor freeze very well the third time around! And if you're on a low calorie diet, a lot of my casseroles really break the bank with forbidden ingredients like cream cheese, sour cream, etc.
So, I’ve been looking for some side dish pasta recipes that are sort of healthy. The following two pasta recipes I found in “Taste of Home Family Favorites.”
Both recipes are mostly vegetarian but not Vegan. The Linguini recipe can easily serve as the meal’s main dish with a crisp green salad. It will really come in handy this summer when I’m wondering what to do with all the zucchini from Chuck’s Garden.
The second recipe with Ziti is simplicity itself and will be great as a side dish. This meatless recipe calls for mixing uncooked pasta with the other ingredients and then cooking them altogether in the oven. Coward that I am, I am going to parboil the Ziti for just a few minutes and then cut down on the baking time.
VEGETARIAN LINGUINI
6 ounces uncooked linguine
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 large tomato, chopped
2-4 green onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup Provolone Cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan Cheese, shredded
2 teaspoons minced fresh basil
Cook linguine according to package directions.
In a large skillet, heat butter and oil over medium heat.
Add zucchini and mushrooms; sauté 3-5 minutes (longer if desired).
Add tomato, onions, garlic and seasonings.
Reduce heat; simmer covered about 3 minutes.
Drain linguine; add to vegetable mixture, sprinkle with cheeses and basil.
Toss to coat and serve hot.
Serves 4
PROVOLONE ZITI BAKE
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (28 ounces each) Italian crushed tomatoes
1 ½ cups water
½ cup dry red wine or reduced sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 package (16 ounces) Ziti or small tube pasta
8 slices Provolone Cheese
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Coat a 13 X 9” baking dish with cooking spray.
In a 6-quart saucepot, heat oil over medium-high heat.
Add onion; cook and stir until tender.
Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
Stir in tomatoes, water, wine, sugar and bail.
Bring to a boil; remove from heat. Stir in uncooked Ziti.
Transfer to baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour (or less).
Top with cheese and return to oven.
Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until Ziti is tender and cheese is melted.
Serves 8
Keep it simple and keep it seasonal with Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner
