Cooker’s Pot

You’ll Need:

14 sheets precooked lasagne
butter, for greasing
3 3/4 cups Bechamel sauce
3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese fresh basil (optional), to garnish

Meat sauce:
1/8 cup olive oil
4 cups ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups beef stock
5/8 cup red wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram
1 teaspoon choppedfresh basil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
salt and pepper

Procedure:

To make the meat sauce, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring frequently, until browned all over. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the stock and red wine, season well with salt and pepper, and add the parsley, marjoram, and basil. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 35 minutes. Add the tomato paste and simmer for 10 minutes longer. Lightly grease an ovenproof dish with a little butter. Arrange sheets of lasagne over the base of the dish, spoon a layer of meat sauce over the noodles, then bechamel sauce. Place another layer of lasagne on top and repeat the whole process twice, finishing with a layer of bechamel sauce. Lightly sprinkle with the grated mozzarella cheese. Bake the lasagne in a preheated oven at 375 F for 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and bubbling. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired, and serve immediately.

You’ll Need:

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise
16 ounce spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 (7 ounce) package spaghetti, cooked and drained
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart casserole dish and set aside. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef with the chopped pepper and onions. Drain off any excess fat. Add the mayonnaise, spaghetti sauce, and parmesan cheese to the skillet, and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes over a low heat setting to warm the mixture through. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti, and drain it well. Place half of the cooked spaghetti in the bottom of the prepare casserole dish. Pour half of the meat and sauce mixture over the pasta and sprinkle with half of the grated cheddar cheese. Repeat the process to complete the second, top layer. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm with a side salad and garlic or cheesy herb bread.

Serves 8 to 10.

You’ll Need:

4 cups extra-broad, no-yolks egg noodles
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (15 ounce) can seasoned tomato sauce for lasagna
1/2 cup pasta-cooking water (see note)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano, crushed
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons egg substitute or 1 egg
2/3 cup grated mixed Italian cheese

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray (or lightly oil) and set aside. Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain the pasta. Heat the olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion; saut� 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. Then add the beef, breaking up with a spatula. Cook until no longer pink. Drain off the excess liquid. Pour the tomato sauce into the pan. Pour the reserved pasta-cooking water into the can, swirl a bit, and pour into the pan. Simmer 5 minutes. Season with black pepper. Taste and add a little salt if necessary. While the sauce is cooking, combine the cottage cheese, basil, oregano, Parmesan and egg substitute. Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan followed by all of the noodles. Spoon the cottage-cheese mixture over the noodles. Pour the sauce on top and sprinkle with the mixed Italian cheese. Bake on center oven rack 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Yields 6 servings.

You’ll Need:

8 ounces pasta shells
3 tbsp margarine melted
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups cooked chicken cubed
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Procedure:

Cook pasta shells according to package directions; drain and return to saucepan. Combine melted butter, lemon juice, basil, garlic salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add to cooked pasta. Add the cubed chicken and toss gently. Top each serving with Parmesan cheese.

You’ll Need:

3/4 pound linguine
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Procedure:

Cook pasta al dente and drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Bring cream and butter to simmer in large skillet over medium/high heat. Mix in lemon juice and peel. Add pasta and toss to coat, adding reserved liquid as needed to thin sauce to desired consistency. Add cheese and toss to blend. Season with salt and pepper.

You’ll Need:

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound diced cooked chicken
12 ounces lemon-pepper linguine or regular linguine
2 cups snow peas, cut into matchstick-size strips
3/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup fresh parsley
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Procedure:

Cook pasta until tender. Drain well; transfer to large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil; toss to coat. Add chicken, snow peas, pine nuts and parsley; toss to combine all ingredients. Whisk lemon juice and mustard in small bowl. Add remaining 2/3 cup olive oil in thin stream, whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss pasta with dressing.

You’ll Need:

1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
1 tablespoon basil
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Procedure:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until done; drain. Combine remaining ingredients. Mix well and toss with the pasta. Serve hot or cold.

You’ll Need:

1/2 box ( 8 oz / 227g ) Notta Pasta
1 & 1/4 lbs sea scallops
Lemon & Pepper Seasoning Salt, to taste
2 Tbsp butter
1 bunch scallions, chopped, greens separated from whites
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp Madras curry powder
1 & 1/2 cups plain, whole milk yogurt
1 lemon (1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice & 4 wedges)
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Procedure:

1. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for pasta.
2. Pat scallops dry and sprinkle with lemon & pepper seasoning salt.
3. In a large skillet, melt butter over a medium-high heat, until foamy. Pan-sear scallops until lightly browned on both sides. Transfer to plate and cover to keep warm.
4. In same skillet saute the white parts of scallions and garlic until soft. Add curry powder and stir until incorporated and fragrant. Add yogurt and lemon juice. Cook until combined and heated through.
5. Cook Notta Pasta in boiling water according to box directions, stirring frequently. Drain and briefly rinse.
6. Add Notta Pasta and green parts of scallions to skillet. Toss until combined. Pour Pasta onto platter or divide between four plates. Top with scallops and any accumulated broth. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.

You’ll Need:

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced
1/2 cup frozen baby peas
1/3 cup carrot, coarsely shredded
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons nonfat cream cheese
2 cups farfalle pasta, cooked (bow tie pasta)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepp

Procedure:

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; add oil. Place over medium-high heat until hot. Add garlic; saute 15 seconds. Add chicken; saute 1 minute. Add peas and carrot; saute 1 minute. Remove from skillet; set aside. Add broth and cream cheese to skillet; cook over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Stir in chicken mixture, farfalle, and next 4 ingredients; cook 1 minute.

You’ll Need:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery with leaves, chopped
4 cups chicken or beef stock
Juice and pulp of 1 lemon
1/2 cup lentils
1 cup sweet corn kernels
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp coriander seed
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Procedure:

In a large stockpot, warm oil over medium heat and add onion, carrot, and celery and saute, stirring , until vegetables have wilted and are fragrant, about 7 minutes. Add stock, lemon juice and pulp, lentils, and cornand bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. In a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle, combine garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric and hot pepper sauce, then grind into a paste. When stew is ready, add paste and stir well to combine. Simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Serve hot. This mixture is good with warm pitas or topped with plain low-fat yogurt.