1 pound package of penne rigate, uncooked
1 pound bulk Italian sausage or lean ground beef, cooked and drained
2 26-ounce jars Classico di Sicilia (Ripe Olives & Mushrooms) or di Napoli (Tomato & Basil) sauce
4 cups (1 pound) Sorrento mozzarella cheese (shredded)
Parsley

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare penne rigate as package directs. In large bowl combine penne rigate, sausage, sauce and 2 cups cheese. Mix well. Turn into greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish; cover. Bake 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Uncover; top with remaining cheese and parsley. Bake 10 minutes longer. Refrigerate any leftovers.

3 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved (1-1/4 pounds)
Peanut marinade (recipe follows)
12 green onions, roots trimmed off

Cut each chicken breast half into 8 pieces. Reserve 3/4 cup peanut marinade for dipping sauce. Place remaining marinade in medium-size bowl. Add chicken; mix to coat. Marinate 2-3 hours, refrigerated, stirring several times. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling. Preheat grill. Soak 12 wooden skewers in water for 15-20 minutes. Thread 4-5 pieces of chicken on each skewer. Trim 3 inches of green tops off green onions. Cut onions in half crosswise, cutting through white part so green ends stay intact. Spear halves of green onions on ends of each skewer. Grill, uncovered, over medium-high fire for 8-10 minutes to grill all sides evenly. Pass reserved marinade for dipping.

Peanut marinade
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup tamari (or regular soy sauce)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (2 lemons)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 cilantro sprigs, finely chopped
1 whole dried red chili pepper, finely chopped, or 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger root

Combine all ingredients in container of blender or food processor. Cover; blend until very smooth. Add a few drops of water if too thick.

1-1/2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cored and cut into medium dice
1/4 cup minced fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, cilantro, oregano, or tarragon
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound paste (see note)

Combine tomatoes, herbs, garlic, oil and salt and pepper to taste in medium bowl. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot or soup kettle. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta. Cook until pasta is al dente (refer to package directions). Drain pasta and transfer back to cooking pot. Mix in sauce and toss well to combine. Serve immediately.

Note: Use only the ripest, most flavorful tomatoes in this recipe. It makes a chunky sauce that works best with penne or fusilli. To vary or enhance the flavors of this dish, add any one of the following to the sauce: 1/4 cup finely chopped onions or scallions; 1/2 cup cured black olives; 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese; 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. From the website, Americastestkitchen.com

6-8 large cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
salt to taste
1 red onion, sliced thin
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into long, thin slices
2 green onions, sliced on diagonal
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 pound uncooked riggatoni, penne, ziti or other short tubular pasta
2 bunches escarole or broccoli rabe, trimmed, cut into 1-inch ribbons
12 ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Optional: 1-2 cups roast chicken, cut into strips
Fresh basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground pepper

In a small baking pan in a 375 F oven, roast the garlic with 1 teaspoon olive oil until tender, about 12-15 minutes. Cool, peel and halve the cloves lengthwise. Bring a large pot of water to boil; add the salt. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pepper, pepper flakes, green onions and a sprinkle of salt. Cook, tossing, until the onion is crisp-tender. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Boil the pasta until partly cooked, 6-8 minutes. Add the escarole and cook about 5 minutes longer, or until the pasta and greens are just tender. Scoop out and set aside about 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Thoroughly drain the pasta and escarole. Return the pasta and escarole to the pot over low heat. Add the saut?ed vegetables, tomatoes, nutmeg and optional basil. Add the optional chicken. Heat through, tossing and adding enough of the reserved liquid to moisten, as well as a sprinkling of grated cheese and pepper. Serve immediately. Serves 6. From USA Weekend, November 12-14, 1993.

12 ounces fettuccini
1/2 pound fresh asparagus
6 ounces sliced Canadian bacon
1/4 pound fresh mushrooms
1 loaf Italian bread
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pint heavy cream
Pepper to taste

Cook fettuccini following label directions. Saut? onion and asparagus in butter in medium size skillet until onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Add bacon. Lower heat; cook, covered, 5 minutes or until asparagus is tender. Bring cream to rolling boil in medium size saucepan. Boil gently 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Add cream mixture to asparagus-bacon mixture in skillet. Add pepper to taste. Simmer 2 minutes, stirring once or twice. Drain fettuccini. Toss with sauce. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese if you wish. From Family Circle magazine.

1 12-ounce package Pasta LaBella Roasted Bell Pepper & Roasted Garlic Rotelle Pasta
1 cup lite Italian dressing
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup roma tomatoes, sliced
4 ounces pepperoni, sliced
6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
3/4 cup fresh spinach sliced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. toss remaining ingredients (except Parmesan) with pasta. Serve hot or chill and serve as pasta salad. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving. Makes 4 servings.

2 pounds chuck or round steak
1 tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet
1/4 cup cream of rice
4 carrots
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon marjoram, crushed
1/8 teaspoon thyme, crushed
1 cup Burgundy or dry red wine
1 can (6 ounces) B & B mushroom crowns, including broth

Trim excess fat from meat. Cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes. Place in a 2-1/2 quart casserole and toss gently with Kitchen Bouquet coating meat on all sides. Mix in cream of rice. Cut carrots into quarters lengthwise and in half crosswise. Add in carrots and remaining ingredients. Mix gently. Cover and bake in a preheated 325 oven until meat and vegetables are tender, about 2-1/2 hours. Stir meat every 30 minutes. Serve with potatoes, rice or noodles. Makes 6-8 servings.

6 pork chops
3 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, cut into 6 slices
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup uncooked regular rice
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1-1/4 cups water
2 teaspoons salt

Brown chops well on both sides in oil in skillet; remove. Brown onion slices on both sides in same pan; remove. Stir in chili powder and cook 2 minutes; add green pepper, rice, tomato sauce, water and salt; heat to boiling. Pour into a shallow 8-cup baking dish. Arrange browned chops over rice and place an onion slice on each chop. Cover dish. Bake in 375 oven for 1 hour or until liquid is absorbed. From Family Circle magazine.

8 ounces noodles, cooked and drained
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 can (3-4 ounces) sliced mushrooms
1 can (1 pound) green beans, drained
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Place cooked noodles in a lightly greased 8 cup baking dish. Brown beef in a large skillet; remove meat to a bowl; drain all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Saut? onion until tender. Return beef to skillet. Blend in flour, seasoned salt and lemon pepper. Stir in sliced mushrooms and liquid, green beans and tomato sauce. Spoon mixture over noodles, spreading evenly; sprinkle with cheese. Bake in moderate oven (350) for 30 minutes or until bubbly hot. From Family Circle magazine.

3 medium eggplants, sliced in thin rounds
Vegetable oil as needed
2 medium onions, chopped
3-1/2 pounds ground beef
16 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
2-1/2 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons margarine
2 cups milk
2 large eggs, beaten until frothy
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1-1/2 cups cottage cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Place eggplant rounds on lightly greased cookie sheets and paint with vegetable oil. Bake for about 5 minutes in a 400 oven or until slightly soft. Set aside on paper towels. Heat about half-inch of vegetable oil in a skillet and brown the onions. Put meat in a large mixing bowl. Add tomato sauce, wine, parsley, cinnamon, salt and pepper to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Make a white sauce by melting the margarine and blending the flour in, stirring with a wire whisk. Meanwhile, bring the milk to a boil and gradually add it to the margarine and flour mixture stirring constantly. When the mixture is thickened and smooth, remove from heat. Cool slightly and stir in the beaten eggs, nutmeg and cottage cheese. Arrange alternate layers of meat and eggplant in a 12 x 7 inch greased rectangular casserole, sprinkling each layer with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake one hour in a 375 oven. Take out and pour the cottage cheese mixture over the top and bake until the eggplant is done and the top is golden, about 3 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm. Note: Moussaka can be made a day ahead; the flavor of this dish improves with standing. From The Washington Post Magazine, October 22, 1983.