Mac N Cheese--Sue Phister and Julie Andersen

Kosher Salt
Vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 quart milk
8 tablespoons (1stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
8 ounces extra sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)  (we used White extra sharp Cheddar)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crust removed)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Drizzle oil into large pot of boiling, salted water.  Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the
package or 6 to 8 minutes.  Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it.  Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4 quart) pot and add the flour.  Cook over low heat
for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk.  While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth.  Take off the heat add
the Gruyere, Cheddar and 1 tablespoon Kosher salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Add the cooked macaroni and stir well.  Pour into a 3 quart baking dish sprayed
with a little Pam. 

Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. (Can be roasted first). Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubble and the macaroni is browned on top.

Fettuccine Pasta

Submitted by Sister Barney

1/4 c. butter
8 oz. Cream cheese
1/4 c. flour
pinch of salt
2 c. milk

1. Cream butter and cream cheese together with hand mixer. Add flour and salt to mixture. Mix in milk.
2. Heat and stir until thick. 
3. Serve over cooked fettuccine noodles. Add chicken breast or shrimp if you want!

Spaghetti with Mushrooms, Garlic, and Parsley

(Spaghetti ai Funghi) Submitted by Sister Twelves


Serves 6


1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 1/2 pounds assorted mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1/4″ thick (about 6 cups)
8 fresh sage leaves, chopped (If you don't have sage, or you want a change, tarragon is a wonderful substitute)
1 pound spaghetti
1 cup vegetable stock or water
1/4 cup chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley
1 cup grated Parmeasan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot over high heat.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring frequently, until golden, about 2 minutes.
3. Add as many of the mushrooms as will fit comfortably into the skillet. Season lightly with salt and pepper and toss in the sage. Add the remaining mushrooms as the mushrooms in the skillet wilt and make room.
4. Cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until the mushrooms are sizzling and brown, about 10 minutes. (If the mushrooms have given off a lot of water during cooking, you’ll have to wait for that liquid to boil off before the mushrooms begin to brown).
5. In the meantime, stir the spaghetti into the boiling water. Cook until done, about 8 minutes.
6. Add the stock to the browned mushrooms, bring to a boil, and lower the heat so the sauce is at a simmer. Cook until the liquid is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes.
7. If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the boiling water and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet. If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and pour in the sauce.
8. Toss in the parsley. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in the cheese, and serve immediately.

Italian Baked Chicken and Pasta

Submitted by Sister Gniewosz

1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.
3. Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. 
4. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. 
5. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking dish. 
6. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter.
7. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.