Friday Recipes: Pasta for National Noodle Month

March is National Noodle Month. I didn't know that until I looked it up. Did you? Oh well, no matter, it's a great reason for me to share some wonderful pasta recipes with you, both cold and hot!

I love pasta salad and just don't make it often enough. It makes a great lunch or even afternoon snack. You can pick at it from the fridge for days (if it lasts that long)!

Here are some wonderful cold and hot pasta recipes from Old Fashioned Living:

Pasta Salads

Cilantro Tomato Pasta Salad

1 cucumber
1 cup ripe red tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, fresh
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup dry small shell pasta, cooked and drained

Peel the cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to gently scrape away the seeds. Cut in half again lengthwise and dice the cucumber. Place cucumber, tomato, red onion, lime juice, cilantro, sugar, salt and pepper in a bowl with pasta Toss gently. Transfer to a serving bowl; chill at least 15 minutes before serving.


Italian Rotini Salad

1/2 of a one pound package of Rotini Pasta
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup diced pepperoni
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 large green onions, sliced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook Rotini according to directions, rinse and drain. Combine Rotini, mushrooms,pepperoni, cheese, and green onions. Blend oil, vinegar and spices. Toss dressing with salad. Serve immediately or chill. Makes 6-8 servings.


>> More like this Peppy Pasta Salads


Tuna Ranch Macaroni Salad

1 pound package of elbow macaroni
2 cans tuna in water, drained
3 stalks of celery chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 8 ounce package shredded cheddar cheese (lowfat is okay)
1 16 ounce bottle of light ranch dressing

Cook macaroni according to directions, rinse and cool. Mix in the tuna, celery, onion, and cheese. Add the dressing and stir gently to mix.

>>More Pasta Salad Recipes

Pasta Meals

Tomato Basil Lasagna

1 box (10 ounces) no-cook lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes, drained well
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the mozzarella, drained tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil and 2/3 cups of the grated Parmesan. Set aside. Cook several noodles at a time, cooking for 2 minutes. Drain well. Coat the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish with olive oil. Line the bottom of the pan with noodles and cover with a layer of the mozzarella mixture. Repeat layers until all noodles and filling are used, ending with a layer of pasta. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup of bread crumbs and a light drizzle of olive oil. Bake, uncovered for 20 minutes, until bubbly and top is golden. Allow to sit 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

>> More recipes using basil

Pizza Casserole

1 pound rotelle pasta
2 cans pizza Sauce
package stick pepperoni (unsliced)
2 12-oz. pkgs. Shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 small can Mushrooms

Cook rotelle according to package directions. Drain. Dice the sticks of pepperoni. Mix mushrooms and pepperoni into the pasta. In large casserole dish or 13x19 pan place a layer of pizza sauce, a layer of pasta mixture, and a layer of cheese. Repeat until all ingredients are used up.Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Serves 6


Spaghetti Casserole

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound hot Italian Sausage
1 medium diced onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 16-ounce can tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 teaspoon basil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
6 ounces spaghetti
¼ cup melted butter
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 beaten eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown meat and drain well. Add onion and garlic; sauté until tender. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste and seasonings. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Cook spaghetti; drain. Mix in butter, Parmesan cheese and eggs with the spaghetti. Line a greased 10-inch pie plate or cake pan with spaghetti to form a crust. Spoon cottage cheese over crust. Top with meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Serves 6-8.

>> Click here for other casseroles, with and without pasta


Bow Tie Pasta and Tomatoes

1 pound bow tie pasta, uncooked
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2 inch dice; 4 cups.
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic, crushed through press
1/2 tsp. salt
Grated Parmesan cheese

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until firm to the bite, about 10-12 minutes. In large serving bowl, combine tomatoes, olive oil, basil, garlic and salt; set aside. Drain cooked pasta in colander; shake well. Add immediately to tomato mixture. Toss gently. Sprinkle with cheese.


Sage and Bean Pasta

8 ounces penne pasta
3/4 cups diced carrots
1 1/2 cups canned green beans, or fresh that have been cooked
2 tablespoon oil
2 tsp. minced garlic
3-4 sage leaves, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta as directed, adding carrots the last 5 minutes. Drain, and place in serving bowl to keep warm. Saute drained beans, garlic and sage in the olive oil. Cook until garlic is lightly colored and beans are hot. Add to pasta; season with salt and pepper and toss to mix. Makes 5 1/2 cups.

If that wasn't enough, here are even more pasta resources!

Annie's Pasta Recipes
Alicia's Pasta Recipes
Fabulous Foods Pasta Recipes
MomsMenu Pasta Recipes