Ingredients:

• 1 pound regular or whole grain spaghetti (I like Barilla Plus)
• 1 1/2 pounds crimini mushrooms
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 leeks
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
• Grated Parmesan or Romano, for topping

Heat water to a boil for the pasta, salt water, drop in pasta and cook to al dente. Meanwhile, wipe mushrooms clean with damp paper towel. Thinly slice the mushrooms. Heat a large deep skillet with extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden and tender, 10 minutes.

While mushrooms cook, halve the leeks lengthwise. Trim off dark green tops and root end. Thinly slice the leek then wash well in a large bowl of cold water, separating all the layers to clean inside. Let leeks sit a few minutes then lift out of the water and dry on kitchen towel.

Add leeks to mushrooms along with garlic and season with salt, pepper and fresh thyme. Cook 3 to 4 minutes more then add wine, reduce half a minute then stir in cream and heat through. Toss pasta with mushrooms and adjust seasoning. Top with grated cheese and serve.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter substitute
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 pound portobello mushrooms, stems removed, caps halved and then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
3/4 pound ziti
3 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1. In a large frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderate heat. Add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are well browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from the pan.
2. In the same pan, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Add the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and brown, about 8 minutes. Add the reserved onions, the parsley, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper.
3. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the ziti until just done, about 13 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta water and drain. Toss the ziti and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water with the mushroom mixture, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the goat cheese, and the Parmesan. If the pasta seems dry, add more of the reserved pasta water. Serve with additional Parmesan.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes
4 28-oz cans whole tomatoes
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 pounds penne
4 5-oz packages baby spinach
8 cups mozzarella, grated
1 cup grated Parmesan

Divide the oil between 2 large saucepans and heat over medium heat. Divide the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes between the saucepans and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Divide the crushed tomatoes between the saucepans.

Break up the whole tomatoes  by crushing them in the can. Divide the tomatoes and vinegar between the saucepans; season each with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Simmer, stirring occassionally, until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring 2 large pots of water to a boil. Add 1 Tbsp salt to each. Divide the pasta between the pots; cook for half the recommended time on the package directions. Drain pasta and return to the the pots.

Divide spinach between the saucepans of sauce and cook, stirring, until spinach begins to wilt, about 1 minute. Pour a saucepan of tomato sauce into each of the pasta pots and toss to combine.

Divide one of the pots of pasta mixture among four 8″ square baking dishes. Sprinkle each with 1 cup of mozzarella. Dividing evenly among the dishes, top with remaining pot of pasta mixture. Sprinkle each with 1 cup of the remaining mozzarella and 1/4 cup of Parmesan.

Bake pasta on rimmed baking sheet at 400 degrees until bubbling and beginning to brown, 15-20 minutes.

Ingredients:

Ingredients:
1 lb penne pasta
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
fresh cracked salt and pepper
4 Tbsp soft goat cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a saute pan over medium-low heat. Saute onions until translucent and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, basil and crushed pepper.   Add cooked pasta and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl, crumble goat cheese over the top.  Mix again and serve.

Ingredients:
3/4 lb pasta
1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups packed baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup lightly packed basil leaves, finely chopped
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, then drain.
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the leek and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the cream and simmer over moderate heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss over moderately low heat until coated with the leek sauce, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the chopped basil and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the pasta into bowls and serve.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 shallots, minced

1 cup vodka

1 cup vegetarian chicken stock

1 32-oz can crushed tomatoes

coarse salt and pepper

16 oz penne pasta

½ cup heavy cream

20 leaves basil

grated Parmesan cheese

Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add oil, butter, garlic and shallots. Gently sauté shallots for 3-5 minutes. Add vodka and reduce by half, 2-3 minutes. Add stock and tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked al denté. Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove from heat. Drain pasta and toss with sauce and basil. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

(Yields 2 big pans, 20 servings)
Ingredients
Topping:
1/2  stick butter or butter substitute
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/4 lb (1 1/2 cups) coarsely grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Cheese Sauce:
1 stick butter or butter substitute
6 Tbsp flour
5 cups whole milk
1 lb (6 cups) coarsely grated Cheddar
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 lb elbow macaroni

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt 1/2 stick butter; stir in panko and cheeses until well combined. Set aside.

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook till al dente. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid. Meanwhile, melt rest of butter in medium saucepan. Stir in flour 1 tablespoon at a time until combined to make a roux. Cook roux stirring, 3 minutes, then whisk in milk slowly. Stir in cheeses, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper until smooth.  Stir macaroni, water and cheese sauce. Transfer to 2 2-quart baking dishes (or 2 9×13 pans). Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni and bake until golden bubbly, 20-25 minutes.