I am definitely copying and pasting many of these recipes and ideas! I love pasta and really get tired of eating meat all the time. I have a few, but am loving having more meatless pasta dishes to try! Broccoli Linguini 1 lb linguini 3 oz olive oil 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 lg bunch broccoli, finely chopped including 1-2" of stems 3/4 c chopped walnuts 1/2c pitted black olives, sliced 3 oz parmesan or romano cheese, grated Salt to taste Pepper, freshly ground Cook linguini according to package directions until "al dente", drain. Heat olive oil in large skillet and sauté garlic until golden. Add broccoli, walnuts and olives, cook and stir over medium heat until very hot. Season to taste with salt and pepper Pour over hot linguini, sprinkle parmesan over top and serve immediately (From Daytons Marketplace) This is something I came up with by trying to duplicate a pasta dish I used to love at TGI Fridays back in the 90's when their food was good! LOL [](http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=10&imgid=169963870) Mediterranean Pasta Marinara: 3T olive oil 1/4 c chopped onion 3 cloves fresh chopped garlic ½ tsp salt ½ tsp sugar ¼ tsp pepper 1 T dried basil 1 28\-oz can tomato puree 1/4 c dry red wine Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes. 1lb cavatappi, cooked 1 oz olive oil 8 oz sliced mushrooms 1 tomato cut in large dice ½ each red and green pepper cut in large dice 12 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, quartered ½ c sliced black olives 1 tsp dried basil Pinch salt & pepper 2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped fine 4 oz mozzarella, shredded 1/3 c grated parmesan Saute mushrooms in oil, add remaining ingredients (except cheeses) and bring to simmer. Place hot cooked pasta in large serving dish, sprinkle with mozzarella, pour hot sauce over all and sprinkle with parmesan. Serve. And this one is different, but quite good, too! Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Pecorino Cheese Courtesy Giada DeLaurentis 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 onions, thinly sliced 2 bunches Swiss chard, trimmed and chopped (about 14 cups) 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices 1/4 cup dry white wine 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes Salt and pepper 8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino cheese 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the chard and saute until it wilts, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, wine, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the tomatoes begin to break down and the chard is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season the chard mixture, to taste, with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the spaghetti. Add the spaghetti to the chard mixture and toss to combine. Transfer the pasta to serving bowls. Sprinkle the olives, cheese, and pine nuts and serve. Linda

I make 2 kinds of kid friendly "crummy chicken"...one is baked....and I don't soak in butter milk but I do dip them in evaporated milk and then roll them in my own home made toasted bread crumbs. The clue to success is toasted crumbs. I make crumbs out of some slightly stale good quality bread...French bread or whole wheat, most often a mix....then I put the crumbs in the oven at 300 to toast and when brown and dry, they will keep in a baggie for months. To about 1 cup of crumbs, I add 1 1/2 teaspoons of dry parsley flakes, about 1/4 tsp of garlic powder and about 2 T of grated parmesan cheese. I dip the chicken pieces in evaporated milk seasoned with salt and a little pepper and then in the crumbs and bake at 375 until just not pink inside....about 15 to 25 minutes depending on size. For the fried chicken tenders I cut smaller pieces and use cracker crumbs, seasoned the same way...or with some taco seasoning....and dip the chicken in flour, then in egg and then in the crumbs and let dry on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes before frying. Linda C

More good stuff. Thank you everyone. Blizlady, Not sure what the origins of this salad is but my beloved Mom made it for as far back as I can remember; I think my my Grandmother made it too. This is a very basic recipe that highlights the freshness of the ingredients. You may be disappointed to learn that it doesn't call for mayo, but I urge you to give it a try. The flavors are fresh and bright. It is not Christmas Eve without it and everyone looks forward to it. The measurements are only a guess, it really is done to taste. Mom's Shrimp Salad 3-4 lbs jumbo boiled shrimp*, cut into 4 pieces crosswise. 4-5 stalks celery, sliced about 1/4" thick (on a slight bias). Cut the wider part of the stalk into two pieces lengthwise before slicing. 2-3 garlic cloves, minced (I used a garlic press) Juice of 1 - 1 1/2 lemons Good quality extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt Toss shrimp, celery, garlic together. Add lemon juice and drizzle a few tablespoons olive oil. Lightly salt,toss. Serve chilled or room temp. *I buy the 4lb bags of shrimo at Costco, the ones that are by the fresh fish and sometimes sold at the kiosk. They are already deveined and cleaned; one only has to defrost (I defrost them in cool water) and remove the shells. To a pot of water I add lemon slices, pepper corns, bayleaf, and any other herb or spice I feel like including (coriander is good too). Once at a boil, I add some salt. Add shrimp and wait until pot returns to a boil. Check for doneness every so often. Once done, drain in colander and rinse with cold water. To trim shrimp, remove the 'beard' (its the overcooked flap of overcooked shrimp where the head was), and pull off the strips that looked ragged along each side of the slit. The cats are treated to these scraps. Sue

boil 5 qts water 2T salt cook penne al dente while water is heating and pasta is cooking heat 2 T evoo in large saute pan over med heat add onion, garlic,and anchovies cook til onion is soft add squash cubes and toss til squash is tender and browned at the edges, season w/salt & pepper removed from heat add drained penne,parsley, 2 T evoo, toss over hi heat 1 min top with toasted bread crumbs serve immediately