Cooked vs Uncooked Pasta

Uncooked pasta of similar sizes and shapes may be
interchanged in recipes if it is measured by weight, not volume. Just follow this guide:

Linguine, Spaghetti, or Vermicelli:
4 ounces dry = 2 to 3 cups cooked
8 ounces dry = 4 to 5 cups cooked
16 ounces dry = 8 to 9 cups cooked

Macaroni, Penne, or Rotini:
4 ounces dry = 2 1/2 cups cooked
8 ounces dry = 4 1/2 cups cooked

Fine or Medium Egg Noodles:
4 ounces dry = 2 to 3 cups cooked
8 ounces dry = 4 to 5 cups cooked

Crab Lasagne

From Sula Keeling in the Lewiston Morning Tribune, ca 1980
1/4 pound lasagna
salted water
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 T butter
1 tsp basil
1-1/2 T flour
1-1/2 cups milk
1 beaten egg
1/2 lb ricotta or small curd cottage cheese
1 cup grated swiss cheese
2 T chopped parsley
2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
6 oz crab meat
2 T grated parmesan cheese

Cook lasagna in salted boiling water for 20 minutes, drain.
Saute onion in butter with basil. Blend in flour, then add milk.
Cook, stirring constantly until thickened.
Remove from heat and set sauce aside.

Combine egg, ricotta, swiss cheese, parsley and 1/2 tsp salt.
In a 2 quart baking dish spread a thin layer of sauce; add a layer of lasagna, one of cheese mixture, a little sauce, more lasagna, sliced tomatoes and crab. Repeat layers ending with sauce, sliced tomatoes, parmesan and chopped parsley.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Allow to set 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 4 to 6

Spaghetti alle Vongole - Parade Magazine April 10, 2011

48 Manila (or littleneck) clams
9 oz. spaghetti
2 garlic cloves
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
pinch of crushed red peppers
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 tbsp fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

1. Wash clams carefully.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook about 8 minutes, until it's al dente. Drain but do not rinse.
3. In a large pan, saute garlic in 3 tbsp olive oil over medium high  heat until translucent. Add clams, season with salt and crushed red pepper.
4. Add white wine; cook over medium high heat about 5 minutes, or until clams steam open and liquid is reduced by half.
5. Add cherry tomatoes; cook until soft.
6. Gently toss with cooked pasta; add parsley and drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil.
Serve immediately.

Lemon Basil Chicken

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
8 oz. mushrooms
1 lb boneless chicken breasts (chunked)
1 tsp each, salt & pepper
1/2 cup white grape juice
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
8 roma tomatos (chunked)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (chopped)
1/4 cup Asiago cheese (grated)
1 lb penne pasta

In a large skillet brown garlic and mushrooms in oil until golden brown. Add chicken chunks, salt and pepper and cook until done, about 10 minutes. Add grape juice and simmer 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and tomatoes. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chpped fresh basil. Serve over pasta and top with grated Asiago cheese.

Taco-Pasta Salad

4 oz. uncooked rotini pasta
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp taco seasoning mix
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp salsa
2 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Prepare pasta according to its package directions
2. While the pasta is cooking, brown ground beef in a medium skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain and return to skillet.
3. Add water, taco seasoning and bell pepper, simmer until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
4. While the beef is simmering, combine salsa and sour cream in a small bowl.
5. Portion out the salsa, top with ground beef mixture, and sprinkle with the cheese and sour cream mixture.
(optionally, mix it all together and bake topped with cheese long enough to melt the cheese)