Penne with Roasted Vegetables & Parmesan

This recipe is pretty good. In fact, I'm eating the leftovers as I type this. =)

This recipe uses pesto, and the very smell of it takes me back to my Dave's Pizza days. There was this regular couple who always sat in the same booth and drank a half carafe of blush with their pizza each week. One night, they brought in some of their home-made pesto and asked if we would put it on the dough before making their pizza. They brought a lot and said we could use the rest. The guys played around with it and ended up making the most delicious pesto pizza I've ever had -- and, consequently, never had again since leaving Dave's. It was a pizza with pesto instead of red sauce, topped with mushrooms, spinach, a bit of garlic, and a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese. Sometimes I wish I could turn back the clock to my DP days... lots of good eats.

Anyway... this recipe was also a first for me in that I had never purchased, prepared, or eaten these particular root vegetables. My verdict... they're amazing! I could easily eat just the pasta tossed with pesto, but the roasted vegetables bring a subtle sweetness to the dish, which the Parmesan complements with its saltiness. Let me know what you think...

Penne with Roasted Vegetables & Parmesan

8 oz. parsnips, peeled and cut into 1" pieces

8 oz. rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1" pieces

8 oz. turnips, peeled and cut into 1" pieces

2 t. olive oil

1 t. Italian seasoning (I used Herbs de Provance)

1/2 t. salt

8 oz. whole grain penne (or fusilli) pasta

2 T. pesto sauce

1/2 c. finely chopped roasted red bell pepper

2 T. grated Parmesan cheese

2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place parsnips, rutabaga, and turnips on a 15x10" baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Toss well and distribute the pieces evenly over the pan. Roast vegetables for 30 minutes, or until tender and evenly browned, stirring or shaking every 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and toss with pesto. Add roasted bell pepper and vegetables to pasta. Divide among bowls and top with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: 4 [2 c.] (4P+)

Notes: I roasted the red bell pepper with the vegetables half way through. I also grated my own Parmesan because I had some to use up. I didn't bother with the fresh parsley; I figured there were enough herbs going on in there already. When I make it again, I might leave the rutabaga out and only use turnips and parsnips. That sucker was hard to peel and cube, plus now I have leftovers I don't know what to do with. =)

Greek-Style Pasta with Sausage

This is another recipe from that "Biggest Loser" magazine I've been cooking from lately. Some of these ingredients didn't appeal to me or are things I've never tried before (like feta), but the picture looks amazingly delish, so I thought I'd try it. I wasn't nuts about the dish originally, but it got better the longer it sat in the fridge (kind of like a good chili). It also doesn't have any protein in it, and I'm a carnivore. Adding the sausage to the pasta rounds out the meal for me, and the flavors are incredible together. I did modify the recipe to my taste and what I had on hand. I'll note any changes.

Greek-Style Pasta

6 oz. whole grain penne or fusilli

2 t. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 T. chopped garlic

1 red bell pepper, chopped

3 c. (28 oz.) fire-roasted tomatoes

1 pkg. (8 oz.) frozen artichoke hearts, thawed & cut lengthwise

1/4 c. crumbled low-fat feta cheese

8 kalamata (or other black) olives, sliced

1 T. fresh lemon zest

Fresh Italian parsley or oregano

Bistro Sensations Chicken Sausage -- Smoked Mozzarella, Artichoke, & Garlic (3P+ each)

Prepare pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, or until soft and just starting to brown. Add garlic and simmer 1 minute longer (do not brown garlic). Add bell pepper and cook just until softened. Add tomatoes and simmer 5 minutes. Add artichokes and cook 1 minute longer, or until just heated. Pour sauce into large mixing bowl and add pasta. Toss lightly and top with cheese, olives, and lemon zest. Divide among serving bowls. Garnish with herbs and serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: 8 servings [1 c.] (4P+)

Notes: I used Hunt's canned fire roasted tomatoes. I omitted the artichoke hearts. I used garlic stuffed green olives instead of black/kalamata because that's what I had on hand. I also left the lemon zest and herbs out because I didn't have those ingredients. When I added the chicken sausage, I just sliced one link and added it to one serving of leftover pasta. Next time, I might slice the whole 4-pack and add it right into the pasta from the beginning. You can get the Bistro Sensations Chicken Sausages at Walmart or Sam's Club.

White Chili

White Chili

1 rotisserie chicken, deboned and diced

1 (26 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

2 t. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 c. celery, chopped (about 2 large stalks)

3 1/2 c. chicken broth

2 (4 oz.) cans sliced mushrooms, mostly drained

3 (4 oz.) cans diced green chiles*

2 (16 oz.) cans Northern beans, drained but not rinsed

4 t. Olde Westport Border Bandito's Salsa Spice Blend**

Saute onion and celery in oil until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until well blended. Cook on low for 20-25 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. Serve with shredded Monterey Jack cheese and tortilla chips.

Yield: 10 servings [about 1 1/2 c. each] (5P+ for soup only)

*I honestly just realized that I misread the recipe! I only used ONE 4 oz. can of diced green chiles, not three, and it tasted excellent. Perhaps it should read "diced green chiles, to taste."

**http://www.oldewestportspice.com/borderbanditossalsaspiceblend.aspx