Penne with Asparagus, Smoked Mozzarella, and Prosciutto

From "Everyday Italian" by Giada De Laurentiis.

8 oz. dried penne or ziti
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
3 oz. smoked mozzarella, diced (about 1/2 cup)
3 oz. thinly slices prosciutto, cut crosswise into strips
3 Tbsp. fresh basil, thinly sliced

1.  Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Add pasta and cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes.   Add asparagus and cook until pasta is tender but firm to the bite.   Drain the pasta and asparagus, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
2.  In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the psata, asparagus, salt and pepper, and the 1 cup of cooking liquid, tossing to coat. 
3.  Remove from heat and add mozzarella, prosciutto, and basil.   Toss to combine.   Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Ancho-Black Bean Chili

2 dried ancho chilis, seeded and tops discarded
2 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 cup dark beer (Shiner Bock)
3  15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 pinches ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

1.  In a medium saucepan, bring the ancho chilis, vegetable broth, and 1 cup water to boil.  Simmer for 20 minutes.
2.  Meanwhile, in a soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook until the onion starts to brown.  Stir in tomato paste for 1 minute.  Add beer and ccok until reduced slightly, about 1 minute.  Stir in black beans, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon.  Season with salt and pepper.
3.  Using a food processor, puree the ancho-broth mixture.  Stir into the black bean chili and simmer over medium-low heat until thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes.   Serve with chips and guacamole.

Lemon Spaghetti

This is an easy pasta that is great as a light meal or a side dish.  We serve it with grilled salmon.
From Giada de Laurentiis Everday Itallian Cookbook

2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup freshly grated parmesean cheese (we use asiago)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 pound dried spaghetti (we use whole wheat)
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)

1. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, cheese, lemon juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to blend.  Set the lemon sauce aside. (The suace can be made up to 8 hours ahead.  Cover and refridgerate.  Bring to room temperature before using.)
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
4. Add the spaghetti to the lemon sauce, and toss with the basil and lemon zest.
5. Toss the pasta with enough reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, to moisten.
6. Season the pasta with more salt and pepper to taste.

Yields: 4 main-course servings or 6 side-dish servings

Three Bean Vegetarian Chili

In an effort to be kinder to our bodies and the environment we are making an effort to eat less meat.  The cumin and paprika add earthy flavor to this meatless chili.  We serve ours with a spinach salad topped with apples and nuts (almonds or walnuts) and whole grain bread or cornbread.
This recipe is by Julianna Grimes, Anissa Helou, and James Peterson from the Cooking Light Magazine

2 red bell peppers (we use orange or yellow)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
2 cups organic vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups (1/2 inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
1 (28 ounce) can no salt added tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

1.Broil/roast peppers in oven for about 15 minutes
2. Cut peppers in half, remove and discard seeds.  Peel and chop peppers.  *If no time to roast peppers just chop them and sautee them in a little olive oli until softened.
3. Heat a dutch oven over medium-low heat.  Add oil to the pan and swirl to coat.  Add onion; cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the cumin, red pepper, paprika, salt, and garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add bell peppers, broth, squash, and tomatoes; bring to a simmer.  Cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add beans; simmer 25 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle with green onions.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size about 1 1/2 cups)

Nutrition Info:  Calories 264; Fat 8.3g (sat. 1.2 g, mono5.2 g, poly 1.3 g);Protein 9.5 g;Carb 409 g; Fiber 10.7g Chol 0mg; Iron 4.4 mg; sodium 787 mg; Calc 145 mg

Pea Pesto Crostini

This dip is great on the crostini as an appetizer, or the next day as a snack with crackers/carrots.  It is also a great sandwich spread.
From Giada de Laurentiis

Pesto Ingredients:
1 10 ounce frozen package of peas, defrosted
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup grated parmesan (we use asiago)
1 teaspoon sea salt (or more as needed for seasoning)
1/4 teaspoon pepper (or more as needed for seasoning)
1/3 cup olive oil

Crostini Ingredients:
sliced whole grain baguette or ciabatta bread
1/3 cup olive oil
cherry, grape, or champagne tomatoes sliced in thirds

For the pea pesto: Pulse together peas, garlic, cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a food processor.  With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.  Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

For the crostini: Preheat grill pan or oven depending on how you want to toast the bread.  Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and either grill or taost in oven until golden.  Transfer the bread to a clean surface and spread each slice with desired amount of prepared pesto.  Top with 3 tomato slices and serve.