Hello Friends,

Today we have a wonderful rustic Italian pasta dish! It can be dressed up or down with accompaniments to this tasty pasta.

Roasted Veggie Pasta

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound fresh asparagus
• 4 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 20 cloves roasted garlic, chopped
• 1 tomato, quartered
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 pound dry fettuccini noodles
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup tapenade

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare asparagus by trimming woody base and cutting diagonally into 4 inch pieces.
2. In a roasting pan, combine asparagus, bell pepper, mushrooms, roasted garlic and tomato. Sprinkle with rosemary and oregano, then drizzle with olive oil. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Toss with Parmesan cheese, tapenade and roasted vegetables. Serves 6.

Have A Safe & Happy Easter,

Phil

Hello Friends,

This is a wonderful chicken recipe that kids and adults love. To make ahead of time, leave off the cheese and refrigerate. Then bake for 20 minutes to heat, add the cheese and bake for 10 more minutes.

Baked Spaghetti with Chicken

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
• 8 fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 pound uncooked spaghetti
• 5 ounces shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

Directions

1. In shallow non-aluminum dish or resealable plastic bag, combine olive oil, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, and pepper. Poke holes in chicken breasts and add to olive oil mixture. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Remove chicken from refrigerator and cut into half-inch pieces. Cook in large skillet, with marinade, until chicken is light brown and sauce is bubbly. Remove bay leaves. Stir pepper, onion, broccoli, and mushrooms into skillet and allow to simmer until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. While vegetables are cooking, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Return pasta to pot and add chicken mixture and spaghetti sauce. Stir. Pour mixture into 9x13 inch pan. Top with shredded cheese.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve. Serves 6-8.

Fresh tomatoes combine with cucumber, fresh basil, and feta for this simple and refreshing salad full of flavor.

Tomato, Basil, and Feta Salad

Ingredients

• 9 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
• 1-1/2 small cucumber - peeled, quartered lengthwise, and chopped
• 4-1/2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
• 1/4 cup and 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup and 1 teaspoon crumbled feta cheese
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

In a large bowl, toss together the tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and feta cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 6.

Have A Wonderful Weekend,

Phil

Hi Pat,

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the great comments. Seems like there's fewer and fewer of us "regulars" left these days.

Need a time saver? Make these breadcrumbs ahead and store them in a sealed container. Also, you can just snap rather than cut the asparagus into 2-inch pieces. Serve this delicious dish along with a simple Classic Caesar Salad.

Penne with Asparagus, Olives & Parmigiano Breadcrumbs

Kosher salt
5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more for drizzling
1 cup coarse fresh white breadcrumbs (from about 4 slices of bread, crusts removed)
1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 lb. penne rigate
1 lb. medium asparagus, woody ends snapped off, cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives (about 20)
Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon (about 1-1/2 Tbs. loosely packed)
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.

In a 12-inch skillet, heat 3 Tbs. of the oil over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until they’re crispy and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the Parmigiano and a pinch of salt. Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel.

Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente. Reserve a few tablespoons of the cooking water and drain the pasta.

Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil over medium-high heat in the skillet. Add the asparagus and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Lower the heat to medium low and push the asparagus to the side. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and the garlic and cook, gently mashing with the tip of a wooden spoon or spatula until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Toss the garlic with the asparagus. Remove from the heat.

Stir in the olives and lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the pasta to the skillet, stirring to blend. Add enough reserved cooking water to slightly moisten, as needed, and drizzle with olive oil to enrich. Serve garnished with the breadcrumbs. Serves 4.

Phil