Yes, I Still Cook!

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It’s a good thing I’m a runner, because I have a very personal relationship with carbs – and I’m not necessarily talking about the complex carbs we all know we need.  I eat those, too, but nothing says “comfort” to me like a bowl of pasta.

Pictured here is one of several variations on the baked penne I have been making for years.  The original recipe, Penne with Tomatoes, Olives, and Two Cheeses, is from a 1995 Bon Apetit.  I still have the tattered and stained page from the magazine in my recipe binder.   It’s delicious as written, and when I do variations I always use the tomato sauce from the recipe.  I don’t always have Havarti cheese on hand, but I do always have mozzarella and parmesan.  My kids are not big fans of olives, either.  So sometimes I make this with Italian sausage (two or three links, removed from the casings, browned, and drained before mixing in with the pasta and sauce).  Other times – as pictured above – I throw in some Costco meatballs.  Which are delicious.  (I also have my own original meatball recipe but I’ll save that for another post.)

This recipe (and its variations) is great for a crowd – you can make it ahead, in quantity, and heat it when you’re ready.  It’s good for taking to people who are mourning or who have just had a baby.  It freezes pretty well, much like lasagna.  Kids love it – although they’ll generally pick out the olives, which I tend to think are the best part if you make the dish without meat.

Try it – you’ll like it!

 

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Tags: cooking, pasta