Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Prep 15 minutes
Bake 14 minutes
Oven 425 degrees
Cook 40 minutes

12 oz. dried rigatoni
1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks (3.5 cups)
2 3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
8 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded (2 cups)
2 small sweet onions, cut into chunks
3 oz. sourdough bread
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
Fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly butter a 3-quart au gratin or baking dish; set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; transfer to a large bowl.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine the squash and 2 1/2 cups of the milk over medium-high heat. Bring to boiling; reduce heat to medium, and simmer until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork, 18 to 20 minutes. Stir together remaining 1/4 cup milk and flour; stir into squash mixture. Bring to boiling; cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the Gruyere until melted; keep warm.

3. In skillet, heat oil, add onion; cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and increase heat to high. Cook 4 to 6 minutes more, stirring, until onions are golden.

4. Add squash-cheese mixture and onions to pasta. Toss well to combine, then transfer to prepared baking dish.

5. Place bread in a food processor pulse with two or three on/off turns to form large coarse crumbs ( you should have about 2 cups). Transfer to a small bowl; mix with melted butter. Sprinkle remaining Gruyere and the bread crumbs over pasta mixture. Bake until top is browned, about 14 to 15 minutes. Cook 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Each serving: 686 cal, 29 g fat, 79 mg chop, 668 mg sodium, 77 g carb, 5 g fiber, 30 g pro.

Gnocchi all'Amatriciana

Makes 6 servings
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 27 minutes
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes

1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 can (28 oz crushed tomatoes)
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp grated or shredded Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 packages (17.5 oz each) potato gnocchi

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of slated water to boiling.

2. In a skillet, heat oil, stir onion and saute 4 minutes over medium heat until softened. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, 2 Tbsp of the cheese, and the thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, add gnocchi to salted water. Allow water to return to a boil and cook gnocchi for 1 minute. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Return gnocchi to pot. Stir in tomato sauce and reserved pasta water. Transfer to a 13 x 9 x 2 - inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese an dbake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until cheese has melted and sauce is bubbling.

Per Serving: 460 cal, 13 g fat, 15 g pro, 72 g carb, 8 g fiber, 1,081 mg sodium, 24 mg chol.

Vegetable Fried Rice

In a skillet; cook 4 beaten eggs in 1 Tbsp oil; slice cooked egg and reserve. Add 1 Tbsp oil, 2 ribs sliced celery and 1 each sliced onion, green pepper and carrot. Cook 6 minutes. Stir in 3 cups cooked rice, 1/2 cup vegetable broth, 3 Tbsp soy sauce and 2 Tbsp ketchup. Heat; stir in egg. Top with 2 chopped scallions. Serves 4.

Mushroom Agnolotti with Corn, Tomatoes, and Arugula Pan Sauce

Total Time: 30 minutes

2 ears sweet corn on the cob

18 oz. wild mushroom agnolotti or ravioli

2 Tbsp EVOO

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

2 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

5 oz. baby arugula (6 cups)

2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino cheese, finely shredded

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Shave corn off the eats with a knife and reserve. Add the cobs (to release corn starches and add richness) and agnolotti to water; set timer to 6 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, for pan sauce, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

3. Add corn kernels to skillet; cook over medium-high heat until bright and crisp-tender, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and toss until they begin to release some juices, about 2 minutes more. 

4. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid; discard cobs.  Add pasta back to the pot with the reserved cooking water, corn mixture, and butter. Gently toss ove rlow heat to melt butter. Stir in arugula and toss until just wilted. Divide among four bowls and top with finely grated cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Each Serving: 566 cal, 31 g fat, 102 mg chol, 1,075 mg sodium, 55 g carb, 6 g fiber, 23 g pro.

Orecchiette with Ricotta and Chard Pan Sauce

Total Time: 25 minutes

1 large bunch organic green or rainbow Swiss chard
3/4 lb dried orecchiette
2 Tbsp. EVOO
2 Tbsp. butter
Crushed Red Pepper
2 oz ricotta salata, asiago, or pecorino cheese, freshly grated
1/4 cup fresh, whole-milk ricotta cheese
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Freshly grated ricotta salata, asiago, or pecorino cheese

1. Bring large pot of generously salted water to boiling. Separate chard stems from leaves; cut both into bite-size pieces. Add orecchiette to boiling water. Set timer for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, for pan sauce, in large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chard stems, cook 3 to 5 minutes, until crisp-tender.

3. After 10 minutes, add chard leaves to cooked pasta; cook 2 minutes more. Drain, reserving about 1/4 cup of cooking liquid. Return pasta and chard to pot; place over lowest heat setting. Add chard stems and any residual oil to pasta, along with butter, crushed red pepper, and reserved cooking liquid. Grate in ricotta salata; toss. Season with pepper and nutmeg. Divide among bowls. Top each with about 1 Tbsp. ricotta. Add sea salt, pepper, and additional ricotta salata to taste. Makes 4 servings.

Each Serving: 530 cal, 21 g fat, 42 mg chol, 850 mg sodium, 70 g carb, 4 g fiber, 16 g pro.