Pasta Picks

Chicken Piccata
A. Matteo

2 Chicken breasts butterflied to make them thin
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chicken broth
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 pkg of noodles (i use angel hair)optional- fresh parsley

Cook pasta. Make sure chicken breasts are flattened to 1/4inch thickness. Beat egg together with 1 Tbsp water. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in egg and then dredge in breadcrumbs. Cook chicken in olive oil for 2-3 minutes on each side (more if it is thicker). When done cooking put foil over chicken to keep warm. Add broth, lemon juice to skillet to loosen the particles from chicken. Then add butter and parsley. Put chicken on top of noodles and pour sauce over both. Variation: Instead of the lemon butter sauce mentioned above, you can heat up a can of well-drained Italian-flavored diced tomatoes. Pour it over the chicken and sprinkle with mozzarella or Parmesan cheese.

Turkey and Spinach Stuffed Shells
K. Alexander

olive oil
chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
ground turkey
frozen package of chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
8oz cream cheese
8oz mozz. cheese
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
pasta shells
tomato sauce

Cook onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Add turkey, and stir in spinach, cream cheese, mozzarella, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, salt and pepper. Spoon mixture in shells Pour half sauce into bottom of pan; put single layer of shells and top with rest of sauce Bake 45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and bake 15 minutes. (This will make two small pans. Freezes well.)

Sausage, Tomato, and Spinach Pasta
A. Matteo

2 cups pasta uncooked (i use bowties)
1/2 lb Italian or kielbasa sausage (i use healthy choice turkey kielbasa)
1 pkg fresh spinach leaves
1 can diced tomatoes with basil and garlic (undrained)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup zesty Italian salad dressing
optional 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta and drain. While pasta is cooking, brown sausage and drain any excess fat. Add spinach, dressing and tomatoes to sausage just until spinach starts to wilt (2 min). Pour meat mixture over pasta and top with cheese.