Recipe 39: Linguine Carbonara

Ingredients:
16 ounces Dreamfields Linguine (or Spaghetti)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 strips good quality bacon, diced
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Cook the linguine according to directions.
2. In a small skillet heat the olive oil and cook the bacon until crisp.
3. In a large metal bowl beat the eggs. Beat in the thyme and cheese.
4. When the pasta is done, drain and add immediately to the egg mixture.
5. Add the bacon-olive oil and toss well until the sauce thickens.
6. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
   Serve immediately in warm bowls.

Recipe 12: Fettuccine Alfredo

A delicious creamy dish that is simple and quick to make. For good results, however, it is essential to use freshly grated Parmesan, as store-bought grated parmesan is usually a poor substitute. RECIPE INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 2 1/4 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 lb. dried fettuccine Freshley grated parmesan cheese, to serve salt and pepper (to taste)

DIRECTIONS Place the cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk in the Parmesan. Add the parsley, salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir until well combined. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add a splash of oil to stop the pasta from sticking and cook the fettuccine according to the manufacturer's instructions. Drain well and toss with the cream sauce. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan on the side.

Recipe 11: Sweet Potato & Red Pepper Pasta

Here’s a way to use the “power vegetables” sweet potato and red bell pepper in a satisfying vegetarian pasta dish full of fresh herbs and creamy goat cheese. Any fresh herbs you have on hand, like basil, oregano, sorrel or chives, can be substituted for the tarragon. Serve with a garden salad. RECIPE INGREDIENTS 8 ounces whole-wheat angel hair pasta 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 4 cloves garlic, minced 3 cups shredded, peeled sweet potato (about 1 medium) 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 cup diced plum tomatoes 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar or lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

DIRECTIONS Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes or according to package directions. Meanwhile, place 1 tablespoon oil and garlic in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is sizzling and fragrant, 2 to 5 minutes. Add sweet potato, bell pepper, tomatoes and water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bell pepper is tender-crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and keep warm. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the vegetable mixture, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, parsley, tarragon, vinegar (or lemon juice), salt and cheese; toss to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 2 tablespoons at a time, to achieve the desired consistency.

Recipe 10: Mom's Hearty Spaghetti

RECIPE INGREDIENTS For the Meatballs: 1 egg 1/4 cup milk 1 cup soft bread crumbs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh parsley 1 pound ground beef For the Sauce: 1 pound Italian sausage links, cut into 2-inch pieces 1 large onion, chopped 1 medium green pepper, chopped 2 cans (28 ounces each) plum or whole tomatoes, drained and diced 2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) beef broth 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons each dried basil, oregano and parsley flakes 2 teaspoons sugar salt and pepper to taste Hot cooked spaghetti Grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Add beef and mix well. Shape into eight meatballs. Brown in a Dutch oven over medium heat; drain and set meatballs aside. In the same pan, cook sausage, onion and green pepper until vegetables are tender; drain. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, tomato paste, garlic and seasonings. Add meatballs; stir gently. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2-3 hours. Serve over spaghetti; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Recipe 9: Orzo with Chicken,Red Pepper and Shiitakes

With its rice-shaped orzo and creamy texture, this pasta may remind you of risotto—but it's easier to make, since you don't have to stir and stir and stir. RECIPE INGREDIENTS 5 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 in all) Salt Fresh-ground black pepper 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound orzo 1/4 pound mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet 1/3 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS In a large nonstick frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Put the chicken in the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Turn and cook until just done, about 5 minutes longer. Remove. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut the breasts crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in the same pan over moderately high heat. Put in the bell pepper, shiitakes, thyme, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds longer. Remove from the heat. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the orzo until just done, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water; drain the orzo. In the frying pan, combine the reserved pasta water with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the goat cheese, cream, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring almost to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the orzo, chicken, and 3 tablespoons of the parsley and stir to combine. Serve topped with the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.

Recipe 8: Spaghetti and Meatballs

If you prefer not to brown the meatballs in a skillet, you can bake them in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for about 20 minutes, or till no pink remains. To make soft bread crumbs, shred the bread with a fork or process briefly in a blender or food processor. RECIPE INGREDIENTS Classic Tomato Sauce (see recipe link above) 1 beaten egg 3/4 cup soft bread crumbs (1 slice) 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 2 tablespoons finely chopped green sweet pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed 1 pound ground beef or bulk pork sausage 1 tablespoon cooking oil 8 ounces dried spaghetti or linguine or 1 pound fresh linguine or other ribbon pasta Other necessary recipes: Classic Tomato Sauce

DIRECTIONS Prepare classic tomato sauce as directed; keep warm. In a large mixing bowl combine egg, bread crumbs, onion, green pepper, salt, and oregano. Add ground beef or sausage; mix well. Shape into thirty 1-inch meatballs. In a large skillet heat the oil and cook the meatballs, in 2 batches, for 8-10 minutes, or till no pink remains. Drain well. Add meatballs to the warm sauce. Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes to heat through and blend flavors, stirring occasionally. Keep warm. In a large saucepan or pasta pot bring 3 quarts water to boiling. Add pasta. Reduce heat slightly. Boil, uncovered, 8-12 minutes for dried pasta or 1 1/2-2 minutes for fresh, or till al dente, stirring occasionally. (Or, cook according to package directions.) Immediately drain. Serve sauce and meatballs over hot pasta.

Recipe 6 : Spaghetti with Creamy Spinach and Taragon

Cream cheese melts in the heat of the pasta to form a luscious sauce. The fresh spinach called for here provides a delicate flavor that frozen spinach just doesn't duplicate. For speed, we recommend the prewashed kind available in supermarkets. RECIPE INGREDIENTS 10 ounces prewashed spinach 2 tablespoons butter 3 scallions including green tops, chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons dried tarragon 3/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 pound spaghetti 5 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS Remove any tough stems from the spinach. In a large frying pan, melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add the scallions and tarragon and cook for 2 minutes. Add the spinach and salt and stir until wilted. Simmer until the liquid evaporates from the spinach, about 5 minutes. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghetti until just done, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain the spaghetti and toss with 3/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, the spinach mixture, the cream cheese, parsley, Parmesan, and pepper. If the sauce seems too thick, add more of the reserved pasta water. Spinach Options: You can buy fresh spinach in various forms, depending on how hard you want to work. Salad bar: Weigh out 10 ounces of spinach from your supermarket's salad bar, and you're ready to cook--no rinsing or stem removal required. Prewashed bags: Supermarkets carry 10-ounce bags of spinach. This has been cleaned of all visible sand, but we would still give it one final rinse before cooking. Bunches of fresh spinach: You will need 1 1/2 pounds to equal 10 ounces of packaged cleaned spinach. Remove the stems and then wash the leaves several times to get rid of the grit.