Pasta dishes are healthy and easy to throw together. You can use
fresh produce either from your own garden or a local farmer's
market to prepare these quick pasta meals.
You can also serve pasta with many different main dishes, such as
fish, pork chops, or grilled chicken. Fresh fruit and some garlic
bread would make great additions to these easy meals. Any
leftovers can be saved for the next day to make a quick lunch.
Lemon and Garlic Pasta
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. thin spaghetti
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Cooking Instructions:
Cook pasta in boiling, salted water until done; drain and return
to the hot sauce pan. Mince the garlic. In a small pan, heat the
olive oil and butter. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute.
Toss the garlic, oil, parsley, lemon zest and juice, salt and
pepper with the pasta.
Spaghetti Salad
Ingredients:
1 small pkg. thin spaghetti, cooked, and rinsed under cool water
1 red onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 (8 oz.) bottle Italian dressing
1 pkg. Italian dressing
Parmesan cheese, grated
Cooking Instructions:
Prepare spaghetti and add remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top until covered.
Florentine Penne
Ingredients:
1 (12 oz.) box whole-wheat penne pasta
2 (16 oz.) bags frozen spinach
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 (8 oz.) package fresh sliced mushrooms
2 (3.8 oz.) cans sliced black olives
6 cloves pressed or minced garlic
Cooking Instructions:
Cook pasta as directed, then drain. While pasta is cooking, place
spinach in a colander and run it under cold water until thawed.
Press out water and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large skillet
and saute mushrooms, olives, garlic for 10 to 15 minutes, until
mushrooms are cooked. Add the spinach to the sauteed mixture.
Combine cooked pasta with sauteed vegetables and cook for an
additional 5 minutes.
Spaghetti With Green Sauce
Ingredients:
1 pkg. (16 oz.) thin spaghetti or vermicelli
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. minced basil leaves
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. minced parsley
1/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 medium clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 c. olive oil
2/3 c. boiling water
Cooking Instructions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Mix remaining
ingredients together. Toss pasta and sauce together. Place on
platter or in large bowl. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired.
Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of five. For more
recipes, gardening, organizing tips, home decorating, holiday
hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at
http://www.creativehomemaking.com.
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