Broccoli Noodle Bake

Very good, and very easy to make!

1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped (I used a small yellow onion)
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 or 4 ribs celery, chopped
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
8 ounces spaghetti, uncooked
10-12 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups), divided (I just bought the shredded cheese in a bag, even though I have a grater, and it worked fine)
2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 soup can milk
1 can (4 ounces) whole or sliced mushrooms, drained (the smallest can I could find was about 6 ounces, and it was fine)

Melt margarine in a large saucepan; saute onion, green pepper and celery. Put broccoli on top; cover and simmer 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.

In a buttered 3-quart casserole dish, layer spaghetti, vegetable mixture and 3/4's of the cheese. In a small bowl, combine soup and milk; pour over mixture in dish. Spread mushrooms on top. Sprinkle remaining cheese on mushrooms. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 35-45 minutes, or until hot and bubbling.

Makes 10 servings (good for left-overs!)

Soups, Stews and Casseroles, various contributing editors, 1990

Pharaoh's Wheel

This is a wonderful dish - excellent for left-overs!

1 lb. spaghetti, cooked and drained
1 lb. ground meat (I used Morningstar Crumbles (vegetarian))
1 small onion, diced
1 tbsp oil
3 cups spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Cook the spaghetti and drain. Combine the meat and onion in a frying pan with the hot oil. Cook, stirring, until the meat no longer shows any pink (I'm assuming it doesn't take as long with the vegetarian crumbles).

Heat the spaghetti sauce and add the contents of the frying pan. Add the raisins and nuts. Pour over the spaghetti and toss.


Tastes and Tales: Jewish Cookery for Young People and Tales from Around the Word, Malvina W. Liebman, 1986

Capellini with Tomato and Peas

1 pound capellini or other thin spaghetti
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, carrot, salt, and pepper. Cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water. Stir to melt the tomato paste and create a sauce. Stir in the oregano, thyme, parsley, and peas. Gently fold in the pasta and the cheeses, adding more reserved pasta water if necessary. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.


Everyday Pasta, Giada DeLaurentiis, 2007