photo by naotakem

Pasta is budget-friendly. It’s best stored dry in your pantry and cooked within a year and eaten within three days once cooked and refrigerated. It’s great any season, too. There are thousands of pasta shapes you can experiment with. So set aside the jar sauce and incorporate new pasta dishes into your weekly meal rotation.

Blushing Penne

16 ounces penne pasta
1 cup onions
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups half-and-half, divided
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

Thinly slice 1 cup of onions. Cook the penne. While penne is cooking, cook onions in butter in large skillet over medium heat until lightly browned. Add thyme, basil and salt, and cook 1 minute longer. Add 1 cup cream, broth and tomato paste. Cook and stir until blended. Combine flour and remaining cream until smooth; gradually stir into onion mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Drain the penne; toss with sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. — Nichole M., Iowa

Broccoli-and-Bean Fusilli

1 bunch broccoli (1-1/4 pounds), cut into small pieces
1 pound fusilli (tight twist) pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 can cannellini beans (white kidney), drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 ounces shredded prosciutto or ham
1/2 cup (or less) grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta, and add broccoli in the last 2 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Place in serving bowl, and keep warm. In same pan in which the pasta was cooked (or separate pan while pasta is cooking), saute garlic in oil until softened. Add reserved liquid and remaining ingredients, except cheese. Heat through. Add to pasta, add cheese, and toss together. — Darlene B., New York

No-Cream Pasta Milano

1 pound spicy bulk sausage
1 stick butter
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 cup green onions, minced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, etc.)
1 pound pasta (penne, bow-ties or fettuccine)
Grated Parmesan cheese

In a skillet, cook sausage until browned. Remove sausage, and drain on paper towels. Pour off remaining grease from skillet. Add butter and oil to skillet. Heat until butter is melted. Add vegetables and herbs, and cook until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. Mix in cooked sausage. Cook pasta. Combine meat-and-vegetable mixture with pasta. Add Parmesan cheese on top. Optional: Add cooked and chopped chicken. — Amanda J., Indiana

Spinach-and-Feta Pasta

1 (8-ounce) package penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups tomatoes, chopped
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 cups spinach leaves, packed
2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
red-pepper flakes, to taste
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, then drain. Do not rinse. While cooking pasta, heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic, and saute. Mix in remaining vegetables and chicken. Add salt, pepper and pepper flakes to taste. Continue to cook until spinach is wilted and chicken is heated through. Reduce heat, add pasta and feta cheese to skillet, and cook until heated through. — Suzanne, e-mail

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