Make-Ahead Meal | Rustic Penne Shrimp Pasta in a Parmesan & Red Pepper Cream Sauce

After spending the last year and a half in New England on our little 'life vacation,' and a couple of weeks bouncing between our parents' homes, then living out of boxes in our new house (before photo tour!) for the last couple of weeks, I finally feel a little settled.  A little.  Furthermore,  Emma is at her Mother's Day Out program today (she goes twice a week) and all I have on my list today is to make dinner for Mike and me tonight.  That's right, Mr. Darcy and I have the house to ourselves for the day, it is (for the most part) unpacked and organized and we get to cook, set the table, take photos and blog without juggling my Miss Emma.

I don't feel guilty one bit for being excited about it.  Well, ok, I feel a little guilty.  But, for a Mom who hasn't had a baby sitter for 9 months and has never spent any substantial time away from her little girl, I have to admit it does feel good to be back in my grove again.  Even if it is only a few of hours a couple of days a week - she goes to "school" from 8:30 - 2:30 - I highly recommend it.  And when it is time to pick her up, I get so excited I almost run inside to get her, like I can't get there fast enough.  Ahhh, the power of a little break from Mommyhood.
 
While I used to be the type to go to the store around 5 o'clock everyday to get ingredients for dinner, with our new schedule I plan to cook dinner while Emma's at school and then reheat  it or finish the cooking when Mike gets home and we've put Emma to bed.  So, I'm beginning to build my repertoire of make-ahead meals and modifying my recipes to work with our new schedule. Of course, planning menus that can be made completely ahead of time is one of my entertaining rules. So, I'm starting to think about planning our weekday dinners as I do a dinner party. I'm going to make everything ahead of time then do the finishing just before we're ready to eat.

For these nights, Mike and I have been having our own dinners after Emma's gone to bed.  I try to make these dinners a little more special - a little like date night.  I try to have something pretty on the table, but not fussy.  This pewter bowl of apples and a pitcher of honeysuckle (from our backyard!) is my idea of a great centerpiece for a casual dinner.

If you do some research online for make-ahead meals you'll find a lot of casseroles.  Casseroles are great, but they don't always feel like the most sophisticated thing to make.  I have a dirty little trick. Instead of making the casserole in one baking dish, I divide it up into individual bowls.  For some reason, just putting it into a beautiful single serving bowl and baking it turns it into something special - even entertaining-worthy (think : Lobster Mac 'N Cheese).
 
This recipe, Rustic Penne & Shrimp Pasta in a Parmesan & Red Pepper Cream Sauce, is one of my new favorites.  It is a great pasta dish for fall. It is hearty and decadent, but couldn't be easier to make.  You can make it completely ahead of time, then reheat just before serving.  It is perfect for a special weeknight dinner or would be great for a dinner party.

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Rustic Penne & Shrimp Pasta in a Parmesan & Red Pepper Cream Sauce

an entertaining worthy make-ahead meal

New! Printable Recipes, here.



1 pound of penne pasta
2 tablespoons of sea salt
1/4 pound of pancetta, thickly sliced & diced into cubes
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 pound of shrimp, peeled
6 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of rosemary
1/4 cup of roasted red peppers, sliced
1/4 cup of white wine
2 cups of cream
1 cup of parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon of cracked pepper
parmesan cheese
fresh thyme or rosemary

Add sea salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil.
 


Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, brown the pancetta.
Cook for 4-5 minutes on medium high until brown, then add olive oil and shrimp.  Cook for 1 minute, then add garlic.  Turn down heat to a low simmer.



Deglaze the pan by pouring in the white wine and stirring to bring off the browning on the pan.  This will add great flavor to the sauce.



Add cream, red peppers and rosemary.  Simmer on medium low until the cream thickens slightly, about 5-6 minutes.  At this point, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just al dente - undercooking just slightly it so when it continues to cook in the sauce and then bakes it will not be too done.  After sauce has simmered, remove it from the heat and add parmesan cheese.



When pasta is done, strain it from the water and add it to the pan without rinsing.  Toss together with the sauce and season with pepper.  Cook on a low simmer in the sauce for 2-3 minutes to help the pasta thicken the cream and absorb the flavor.



Ladle into individual oven-safe bowls.  Top with parmesan cheese.  Cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, if making ahead of time.
 
If you're ready to serve it immediately, place the bowls on a baking sheet and place them in the oven under the broiler on high for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has melted.   Garnish with fresh rosemary or thyme.

If you've made it ahead of time, remove plastic wrap, place the bowls on a baking sheet and place them in the oven and bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes until bubbling.  To brown the top, turn on the broiler on high for 1-2 minutes until the cheese has browned.   Garnish with fresh rosemary or thyme.

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Baked Rigatoni with Beef Ragu, Ricotta & Fresh Mozzarella

When we're having people over for dinner, I like to have everything done in advance.  I often adapt one of our favorite recipes so it can be made completely ahead of time and served straight from the oven, like baked pasta.  I've written before about how great baked pastas are for entertaining - they are easy and everyone loves pasta.

Here, I've adapted our favorite Beef, Tomato & Wine Ragu (normally served with homemade Pappardelle pasta) to a baked pasta with store-bought Rigatoni topped with Ricotta & Mozzarella cheese.  I especially like how rustic and casual this is - everyone will feel right at home when they see this comforting looking dish on the table.

It is a very low maintenance recipe - the sauce slow cooks in the oven all day, then add the cooked pasta and top withe cheeses.  From there you can put it into the refrigerator to reheat later, or put it straight into the oven and hold it there until you're ready to serve it. 

Baked Rigatoni 
with Beef Ragu, Ricotta & Fresh Mozzarella

Prepared Beef Ragu Recipe (without the Pappardelle)
1 pound of Large Rigatoni
8 ounces of Ricotta Cheese
8 ounces of Fresh Mozzarella
Fresh Thyme or Basil

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until it is Al Dente - or still firm, as the pasta will continue cooking in the sauce.   I usually cook it 2-3 minutes short of the cooking time for the best result.  Strain the pasta and put it directly into the oven-safe crock with the ragu.  Stir in and combine it with the sauce.  With a large spoon, dollop the ricotta on top of the pasta, then follow with slices of mozzarella.  Garnish with fresh thyme or basil.  If serving immediately, put it back into a 250 degree oven, uncovered for 10-20 minutes until the cheese has melted.  If you are serving later, refrigerate it, then put it into a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes to completely reheat.

 

The Best Mac and Cheese Recipe | Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I remember being at my Grandma Steffens' house when I was about 6 or 7 and she asked what I wanted for lunch.  Macaroni and Cheese.  It was the only thing I would eat when I was younger.  It was an obsession.  A problem.  The only macaroni and cheese I would eat came from a blue box.  In fact, at least once a week you can bet that I'm still treating myself to a box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.

On that day at my Grandma's house I can remember her pulling a casserole dish out of the oven and putting it on the table.  The top had a layer of bubbling cheese.  I was terrified.  What was is?  Doesn't she know that Macaroni and Cheese is cooked in a saucepan, not a casserole dish?  Where was the powdered yellow-orange cheese?!

I'm not suggesting you should make this Baked Mac and Cheese recipe for your very picky 6-year-old, but I guarantee will be a big hit with anyone over the age 12.  Or 18, maybe.  If you really want to go for it... try my Lobster Mac and Cheese - great for Valentine's Day...  Would be great with a Pan-Seared Filet Mignon!

Baked Mac and Cheese
beyond the blue box

1 pound of macaroni
sea salt
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of flour
4 cups of milk
12 ounces of cheddar, shredded
8 ounces of havarti cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon of cracked pepper
4 slices of bread, for crumbs

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add a couple of tablespoons of sea salt. 

In a saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons of butter on medium low heat.  Stir in flour.  Cook butter and flour for 1 minute, while stirring.  Whisk in milk.  Cook over heat while whisking, until smooth.  Cook for 5 minutes on medium until thickened and bubbly.  The mixture should coat the back of a spoon.  Remove from heat.

Add shredded cheeses, stirring until melted and smooth.  Season with cracked pepper.  Set aside.

Cook pasta until almost done - making sure it is not completely cooked.  Strain the pasta.  Add pasta into the cheese sauce and stir to coat the pasta.  Pour into a baking dish.

To make breadcrumbs, pulse bread in a food processor until it is in fine crumbs.  In a small skillet, melt remaining two tablespoons of butter, add the bread crumbs and cook over medium heat until they have toasted.  Sprinkle breadcrumbs on the top of the macaroni.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until bubbly. 

Penne Pasta Pie | Chicken Tomato Cream Sauce Baked with Fresh Mozzarella

Penne Pasta Pie

Penne Pasta Pie

Pasta is always the solution to a quick and delicious dinner.  We all have so many recipes that can be made in 10 minutes - shrimp linguine, truffle pasta, simple tomato basil sauce with angel hair, shrimp arribiata, chicken with olives and angel hair, etc.  But while they might only take 10 minutes, it is still 10 minutes that you have to spend making a mess in your kitchen, and there is still a pasta pot, saute pan and cutting boards to clean.

When you're having friends over for dinner, I like to make everything ahead of time.  I learned this from my catering days - I would prepare as much as possible 'off-site' to minimize what could go wrong when I was in my Clients' kitchen.  Not only does it minimize potential disasters, it also makes the party more fun for me - I'm not running around the kitchen, there's no dirty pots and pans in the sink, and I can actually participate in the conversation and fun.

So many of us think that having a dinner party means serving something expensive or elaborate.  We've all stressed over steaks that are cook especially for each person... medium rare for some, medium for others, and well done for one of your guests... ugh.  Forget it.  We can all get a great steak at a restaurant.  I like to serve recipes that are simple to prepare, easy to keep hot (or cold), and can be served family style around a table of friends.

That's where baked pastas come in.  Do you ever wonder why you had so many lasagnas at family dinners?  Our Moms, Aunts and Grandmas know a little something about hosting a manageable party that can be survived by the hostess and enjoyed by her guests.  (Right, Aunt Nancy?!)

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Recipes | Winter Dinner Ideas | Baked Penne Pasta with Roasted Chicken in Tomato Cream Sauce

I love baked pasta - a combination of two favorites... pasta and melted cheese.  This recipe is made with oven roasted chicken, but it would be great with leftover meatballs, sauteed shrimp, or just by itself.

 Baked Penne Pasta with Roasted Chicken in Tomato Cream Sauce
serves 4-6

1 pound of penne pasta
1 pound of chicken, breast
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
1 - 16oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup of heavy cream
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of fresh basil
8 ounces of fresh mozzarella

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  On a baking sheet, coat chicken breast with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake chicken for 20 minutes, or until cooked through - it will vary depending on size and thickness.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted water for 3 minutes less than package instructions.
In a large saute pan, saute garlic on medium-low in olive oil for 1-2 minutes.  Be careful not to burn it!  Add in crushed tomatoes, sugar and salt.  Simmer for 10 minutes.
When chicken is cooked through, cut it into 1 inch chunks and add it to the sauce.  Add pasta and fresh basil.  Toss and coat.
Divide into individual oven-safe bowls and top with mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 400 for 5-8 minutes until the cheese has melted.