TexMex Pasta Salad

Try this southwestern twist on a summer favorite at you next cookout.

Ingredients

• ½ (16 ounce) package rotini pasta

• ⅓ cup vegetable oil

• ¼ cup fresh lime juice

• 2 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 ½ cups whole kernel corn

• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

• ½ cup diced green bell pepper

• ½ cup diced red bell pepper

• ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves

• 1 cup chopped roma (plum) tomatoes

Directions

• Step 1

  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.

• Step 2

  In a large bowl combine oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and garlic. Stir in pasta and set aside to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

• Step 3

  Stir in corn, beans, green pepper, red pepper and 1/2 of the cilantro leaves. Spoon onto a platter and garnish with tomatoes and remaining cilantro. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Rustic Sausage Pasta

This rustic pasta recipe is quick and easy to adjust for taste.

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package rotini pasta

• 1 pound bulk Italian sausage

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 red bell peppers, chopped

• 1 small zucchini, chopped

• 1 small yellow squash, chopped

• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 (14.4 ounce) can diced tomatoes

• 1 cup tomato sauce

• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

• ¼ teaspoon dried basil

• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Step 1

  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain.

• Step 2

  Brown the sausage, stirring to crumble, in a skillet over medium heat. Remove sausage using a slotted spoon, leaving drippings in the pan. Cook and stir the onion and garlic in the sausage drippings until the onions are softened. Return the sausage to the pan. Stir in the red bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, thyme, basil, and oregano; cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

• Step 3

  Combine the drained pasta with the sausage mixture in a large bowl. Top with Parmesan cheese to serve.

Creamy Garlic Pasta

As far as creamy pasta recipes, this is the best I have ever had. Add shrimp or scallops to make an amazing seafood Alfredo.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 3 cups chicken broth, or more as needed

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ½ pound spaghetti

• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• ¾ cup heavy cream

• 1 ½ tablespoons dried parsley

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add butter and stir constantly until melted. Pour in 3 cups chicken broth; add pepper and salt. Bring to a boil.

2. Add spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Add more chicken broth if pasta starts to stick to the pan.

3. Add Parmesan cheese, cream, and parsley and mix until thoroughly combined. Serve immediately.

Primavera Casserole

This Primavera Casserole with spring vegetables is a delightful blend of freshness and flavor that captures the essence of the season. Packed with a colorful medley of vibrant spring vegetables like crisp asparagus, tender peas, and yellow squash, this casserole is a celebration of nature's bounty.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces shaped pasta such as gemelli, fusilli, or rotelle

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice

• 1 large yellow squash, quartered lengthwise, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 4 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed, halved

• 6 asparagus spears, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 2 tablespoons flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups milk

• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

• ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil

• ¼ cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook bell pepper, squash, and garlic, stirring occasionally, until pepper is crisp-tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Add snap peas and asparagus and cook, stirring, until asparagus is crisp-tender, 2 minutes more.

4. Put flour and salt in a bowl and whisk in milk until smooth. Add flour mixture to skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sauce is lightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.

5. Pour mixture over pasta and stir in tomatoes, 3/4 cup parmesan, and basil. Transfer to prepared baking dish and sprinkle with panko and remaining 1/4 cup parmesan. Bake until top is lightly golden and sauce is bubbling, about 15 minutes.

Fully Loaded Carbonara

Chicken carbonara is a classic Italian dish that never fails to satisfy the palate. This indulgent pasta dish combines tender pieces of chicken with rich and creamy carbonara sauce.

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, chopped

• 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

• salt and ground black pepper to taste

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

• ½ cup white wine

• 1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese

• 3 large eggs

• 1 gallon water

• 1 pound spaghetti

• 2 cups frozen peas

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon from skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Drain fat from skillet, reserving 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in the skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken breast halves in the bacon drippings until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 5 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Transfer to cutting board and tent with foil. Rest chicken for 5 minutes before slicing; set aside.

3. Heat remaining tablespoon bacon drippings in skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook and stir garlic and ground black pepper in skillet until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour wine into skillet; cook at a simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Whisk Parmesan cheese and eggs together in a bowl. Slowly stream wine mixture into the Parmesan mixture while whisking continually.

5. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Remove 1/2 cup of the water from the pot for later use.

6. Put the peas in a large colander. Drain the pasta in the colander with the peas. Return drained pasta and peas to the pot. Stir bacon, chicken, and wine mixture into the spaghetti. Thin sauce with reserved pasta water as desired.

One-Pan Tomato and Spinach Chicken

One-pan meals are awesome! Savory Chicken Broth, red wine, and tomatoes create a flavorful sauce for the chicken and pasta ensuring a restaurant-quality dish you will definitely enjoy!

Ingredients

• 10 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• ¼ cup red wine

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained

• 1 cup Chicken Broth

• 4 ounces uncooked penne pasta

• ¾ cup water

• 4 cups baby spinach

Directions

1. Season the chicken as desired. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until well browned, stirring often. Remove the chicken from the skillet.

2. Add the onion to the skillet and cook until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and heat to a boil, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.

3. Stir in the tomatoes, Chicken Broth, penne, and water; heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes or until the penne is tender, stirring occasionally. Return the chicken to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the spinach and cook for 1 minute or until the spinach is wilted.