Our Family's Chicken Pastina Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup diced chicken breast (rotisserie is convenient) 

4 large carrots, sliced

1/2 box Pastina Pasta

64 ounces of  prepared Chicken broth (or one large can)

2 tsp minced onions   (optional)

1 TBS Parmesan cheese

2 tsp Parsley

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions: 

In a pot saute the onions (if you are using them) in a tbs of olive oil for a few mins until translucent. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the carrots and cook until slightly soft.  

Pour in the Pastina and continue to boil about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, parsley, cheese and salt and pepper to taste, turn the temp down to low to slightly simmer. Put the lid on, wait a few minutes and then, soups on!

**Some ideas**

 When I make soups with any pasta lately I have been cooking the pasta separately and then adding it to each serving. The pasta tends to swell up and make all the leftover soup starchy and also absorbs all of the broth. If this happens, you can just add more water to thin it out and test for flavor with salt and pepper. Even adding a bullion cube if necessary. It's easier to keep the pasta separate unless you don't intend on having leftovers :-)

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad:

Recipe and pictures courtesy of Carol Riggs Walz 

Ingredients: 

12-ounce pack Spiral pasta (I used Wacky Pack Veggie Spiral Pack)

3 chicken breast, chopped

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 chopped tomato, or a handful of cherry tomatoes chopped in half

12 pieces bacon, cooked hard and crumbled

1 zucchini shredded

1 scallion finely chopped for garnish

COPYCAT RANCH DRESSING INGREDIENTS:

I doubled this and used at least 2 3/4 cups

1 pack Ranch Dressing (the original recipe called for 1 teaspoon dry Ranch dressing Buttermilk Recipe)

1 cup Mayonnaise

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Here’s what you do:

COPYCAT OUTBACK RANCH DRESSING:

Mix together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Ranch dressing pack, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.

Refrigerate

CHICKEN BACON RANCH PASTA:

Season chicken with salt and pepper and bake for 30 minutes in the oven 350 degrees.

Cut the chicken breast up into bite sizes,

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

In a large bowl, combine the chopped chicken, cooked and drained pasta, ranch dressing, shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, zucchini, and 8 pieces of bacon cooked hard and crumbled, reserve the last 4 to crumble on top

Mix well and serve or refrigerate.

Valerie's Tarragon Beef Pasta with Mushrooms

Recipe and picture courtesy of Valerie Alava Ross 

This is similar to Beef Stroganoff....but not. More of a French or Italian feel. Tarragon always reminds me of French cooking. Of course, in this particular case I made fresh 

fettuccine...most definitely Italian. Perhaps its intercontinental. Maybe fusion? It was good and the sauce would go with any type of pasta...you could even switch out the 

pasta for rice or potatoes. It would work.

1 lb ground beef

1 large onion chopped

3 cloves garlic

1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

bunch of fresh chopped Tarragon (1/2 cup?)

tsp + Kitchen Bouquet (sauce/gravy enhancer)

2 tsp (?) cornstarch and a bit of water for a paste

tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tsp Better than Bouillon and 1 1/2 cup water (or 10 ounces of beef stock/broth)

2 - 3 tbs (?) sour cream

Cooked Pasta

Cook the onion in a bit of olive oil for a couple minutes till translucent. Add ground beef and cook till browned thru. Add garlic and cook for a couple minutes more. Drain 

excess fat. Add broth of Beef Better Than Bouillon and water. Add a couple tsps cornstarch (?) to a cup and add a bit of water. Add to mixture on stove top. Stir well. Add 

Worcestershire sauce and Kitchen Bouquet. Cook on med heat a few minutes more. Sauce will start to thicken. Add more water if need be. Add sour cream, salt and pepper to 

taste. Add chopped Tarragon. Toss sauce in fresh cooked pasta. Top with more fresh Tarragon.

ASIAGO SUN-DRIED TOMATO PASTA

"This recipe is sooo good and definitely not low fat. The creamy sun-dried tomato Asiago sauce is delicious!"

PREP TIME

25 Min

COOK TIME

35 Min

READY IN

1 Hr

SERVES: 6

　

INGREDIENTS

2 cups heavy cream

1 cube chicken bouillon

1 tablespoon Asiago Cheese

1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with equal parts water

1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta

3/4 cup bacon

1/4 cup butter

1 cup diced red onions

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup chopped green onion

1 pound grilled skinless, boneless chicken breast, diced

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

 

　

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook 2 cups cream until just bubbling. Watch carefully, to ensure that it doesn't boil over. Stir in bouillon and Asiago cheese. Stir with a whisk until dissolved. Add cornstarch mixture, and simmer until sauce is thickened, stirring constantly. Mix in the sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside, or cover and refrigerate for later use.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute red onion until soft and translucent. Stir in garlic and cooked bacon, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in green onions, chicken and 1 cup cream. Cook, stirring, until cream is heated through. Add Asiago cream sauce, and heat through. Toss with cooked pasta until evenly coated, and sprinkle with chopped parsley

Peter's Pesto Lasagna

Recipe and Pic coutesy of Peter Francis Battaglia
“A dish I still have to try making from an Italian Cruise ship we were on last Summer in Northern Europe...LASAGNE AL PESTO...homemade sheets of lasagne layered with bechamel, fontina, pesto and parmigiano...melted in your mouth”

Olive oil, then layers of fresh lasagne (Barilla no boil)..then a thin layer of fresh pesto (you must make that yourself), topped with fontina...then lasagne, then béchamel, bound with parmigiano, then 2 more layers, top with fontina, a little pesto, béchamel and grated parmigiano and bake..

Baked Ziti with Eggplant and Sausage

I saw two variations of this recipe on 2 Italian cooking shows within one week. It’s a combination of Eggplant Parmesan and baked Ziti with the sausage added in for good measure. It all looked so good, I just had to make it for the family. Here is my version:

Ingredients:

1 large Eggplant
1 box ziti (or any other pasta of choice)
1 lb sweet or hot Italian sausage
16 oz shredded Mozzarella
2-3 cups of prepared marinara tomato sauce
1 cup Italian style bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten with 2 TBS water
1 Tablespoon fresh or dried parsley, salt, pepper, oregano

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Boil whole sausage links until just cooked and firm, drain and set aside to cool. When cooled, slice them up into thin slices.

Boil Ziti in a large pot of salted water until just al dente. Drain well. Pour into a large bake dish brushed with olive oil.

Peel and cut eggplant into large cubes. Put the breadcrumbs into a pie dish. Toss the eggplant in small batches into the egg mixture drain, then roll them around in the bread crumbs. Shake off the excess. Place on a cookie sheet brushed with olive oil and drizzle a little more over them. Baked at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, turn and cook another 5-10 minutes until they’re browned.

Lower the oven temp to 375 degrees.

Pour the marinara over the Ziti. Add in the eggplant, sausage, Oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, make sure to add enough sauce to cover all. Top with mozzarella and fresh parsley. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese just starts to get brown and bubbly.

Scallop and Shrimp Lasagna

Ingredients

2 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles (or ready to bake lasagna noodles)
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
1 lb bay scallops (or large sea scallops cut into quarters)
1 lb large shrimp (cut in pieces)
*or you can use 2 lbs of any seafood (crab, lobster etc…)*
2 (16 ounce) jars Alfredo-style pasta sauce
2 tbs sautéed chopped garlic (optional)
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 pints ricotta cheese
1 Tbs chopped parsley
Paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. F (175 degrees C). Cook lasagna noodles as directed, drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine scallops, shrimp and one jar of Alfredo sauce, stir together. In a separate bowl, combine ricotta, garlic, drained, cooked spinach, and stir.

In a 9 x 13 baking dish, spoon a thin layer of sauce down, place one layer of lasagna noodles, edges overlapping. Spread a layer of the ricotta and spinach mixture over noodles, pour seafood and sauce mixture over the top. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella over mixture. Repeat that layering trying to end up with the seafood mixture on top. Spread evenly. Sprinkle another cup of mozzarella over sauce. Sprinkle paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the Parsley all over the top. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until top is brown and bubbly.

Karen's Linguini in home made red sauce

Recipe courtesy of: Karen Dirgins-Graves


Two heads of garlic
Two cans of crushed plum tomatoes
One can of tomato paste
1/4 cup of olive oil
and a whole lotta fresh basil

Pasta Salad with Tuna and Zucchini (Insalata di pasta con tonno e zucchine)

Recipe courtesy of: “Italianfoodnet.com”
http://www.italianfoodnet.com/eng/ricette/pasta-salad-with-tuna-and-zucchini-insalata-di-pasta-con-tonno-e-zucchine

Serves 4
Ingredients:

350 gr (12.34 oz) Bow Tie Pasta
250 gr (8.81oz) Tuna flakes in Oil
1 Sliced Zucchini
1 Chopped Red Onion
Red Pepper flakes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt

Directions:

First of all plunge the pasta into boiling salted water
Heat a frying pan then add the olive oil, once hot, add the chopped onion and fry until translucent then add zucchini, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes
Once zucchini has cooked, turn off the heat then add tuna flakes and wait for the pasta's cooking time
When your pasta is ready drain and rinse under cool water
Without turning on the heat, put the pasta into the pan with sauce and saute to amalgamate
Transfer the pasta to a serving dish, drizzle with a little olive oil and serve

Peter's Shrimp Piccola Marina

Recipe courtesy of: Peter Francis Battaglia

Shrimp, dusted in flour and sauteed in olive oil...then added to a pan of grape tomatoes, organic baby spinach, onions, garlic, black pepper, sea salt..white wine...then a bit of unsalted butter, fresh basil and oregano, and Spaghetti Rigati (spaghetti with ridges) tossed and served.

Penne Alla Norma

Legend has it that this recipe was created as a tribute to the opera "Norma"; composed by Vincenzo Bellini, who was from Sicily, where this dish originated.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Yield Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 pound penne
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 large eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup torn fresh basil, plus more for garnish
3/4 cup ricotta cheese

Directions

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain pasta; return to pot.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add eggplant to skillet; season generously with salt and pepper. Cover, and cook until eggplant begins to release juices, about 5 minutes. Uncover; cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes (if bottom of pan browns too much, add a few tablespoons water, and scrape with spoon).

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and 1/4 cup water to skillet; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Toss sauce and basil with pasta; gently reheat if necessary. Top each serving with a spoonful of ricotta, and garnish with more basil.

Chicken, Broccoli and Penne with a Lemon Garlic Sauce

Ingredients:

1 pound Penne Pasta
1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
4-5 stalks of fresh broccoli, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
5 TBS chopped Garlic
2 cups Chicken Broth
3 TBS Butter
Salt, pepper and parsley

Directions:

Cook pasta until it just has a little bite to it. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water, drain and set aside.

Steam, boil or roast the broccoli until dark green and still crunchy. Set aside.

In a large sauté pan, add butter and garlic. Cook until just browned. Add in Chicken broth, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cook for about 10-15 minutes to reduce. Add in a little of the reserved pasta water, Lemon juice and Parsley. Salt and pepper to taste. In a large pot or bowl, combine the pasta, chicken, broccoli and the sauce together well. Sprinkle with a little more lemon zest and parsley before serving

Turkey Sausage Lasagna by Barefoot Contessa

Barefoot Contessa’s Turkey Sausage Lasagna

From: Barefoot Contessa’s “Family Style”

Many lasagna recipes can be made without pre-cooking the noodles. The moisture and heat from the other ingredients will cook the noodles as the dish bakes. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, then remove the cover for another 20 minutes to let the sauce thicken.

Use a non-reactive glass or ceramic dish for baking to avoid a reaction with the acidic tomato sauce. You can assemble your lasagna ahead of time and store uncooked in the fridge overnight, or you can freeze it to cook later.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound lasagna noodles

15 ounces ricotta cheese

3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled

1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

Caponata Gemelli

Recipe courtesy of: Peter Francis Battagglia

Room temp. homemade caponata tossed w/ hot Gemelli pasta, topped with caciocavallo, fresh parsley and fennel fronds, hot red pepper flakes..the caponata is made w/ eggplants, squash, onions, tomato paste, honey, raisins, orange zest, pignoli, peppers, extra virgin olive oil, capers, and red wine vinegar.
.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Prep time: 20 mins
Ready in 1 hour
Serves 8


Ingredients:
Meatballs:

2 pounds ground beef
2 eggs
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 onion, finely diced

Sauce:

3/4 cup brown sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups water
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
5 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs and onion. Mix thoroughly and shape into balls.

Spray a large sheet pan with sides with non-stick spray and put all the meatballs on it with a little space in between each. Brown the meatballs for approximately 20-30 minutes. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and put on paper towels to absorb the excess oil from the meat and set aside.

In a large saucepan, over medium-high heat combine the brown sugar, flour, water, white vinegar and soy sauce. Whisk thoroughly and bring to a slow simmer . Add meatballs.. Reduce heat and continue to simmer, stirring often, for approximately 30 minutes.

Serve over hot Egg Noodles.

Asparagus, Sun Dried Tomato and Crispy Pancetta Lasagna

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Cook Time: 25 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

9 lasagna sheets, fresh or dried
1 teaspoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
2 (8.5-ounce) jars sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 packed cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus 3/4 cup
1/4 pound pancetta, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 bunches asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes for dried pasta or 2 to 3 minutes for fresh pasta. Drain pasta.
In a food processor combine the sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Pulse until the mixture is combined. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Set aside.
In a large skillet brown the pancetta until crisp. Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, onion, and garlic and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add asparagus and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the ricotta, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a 9 by 13-inch baking dish sprinkle some of the sun-dried tomato mixture on the bottom of the casserole dish. Place some lasagna sheets, then half asparagus mixture. Next sprinkle some mozzarella cheese and some of the remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan. Continue for 1 more layer. Top with lasagna sheets, some sun-dried tomato mixture, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Dot the top with butter. Bake until the ingredients are warm and the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.

Rotolini with Beef, Spaghetti Mushroom Sauce, Mozzarella, Parmesan and Italian seasoning

Recipe by: John J. Ashbaugh

Ingredients:

1 pound hamburger
1 pound box of macaroni
1 quart jar of Ragu sauce ( any style unless you want to make your own sauce)
2 cup packet of Mozzarella cheese
1 tsp of Italian seasoning
Parmesans cheese

Directions:

Brown the hamburger, drain the grease if you can
Cook the macaroni, (add about a tbls of butter or oil and ½ tsp of salt-the salt lowers the boiling point of the water) drain and wash
In a cake pan, Mix the macaroni and hamburger together, usually about ¾ lb of macaroni is enough
Stir in, then add the Ragu, stir in again, add mushrooms if you want
Put the mozzarella cheese over the entire pan
Sprinkle on the Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese
Cover and put in oven at 350 for 20-30 minutes

White Cheese Chicken Lasagna

Recipe From: AllRecipes.com
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/White-Cheese-Chicken-Lasagna/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=43083685&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2010-08-25&prop28=DailyRecipe&prop29=FullRecipe&me=1

"A chicken and spinach lasagna with a creamy white cheese sauce. Great for any kind of pot luck."

Prep Time:25 Min
Cook Time:50 Min
Ready In: 1 Hr 15 Min
Original Recipe Yield 12 servings

Ingredients:

9 lasagna noodles
1/2 cup butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse with cold water.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the flour and salt, and simmer until bubbly. Mix in the broth and milk, and boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Season with the basil, oregano, and ground black pepper. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Spread 1/3 of the sauce mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer with 1/3 of the noodles, the ricotta, and the chicken. Arrange 1/3 of the noodles over the chicken, and layer with 1/3 of the sauce mixture, spinach, and the remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Arrange remaining noodles over cheese, and spread remaining sauce evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven

Three Cheese Manicotti

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package manicotti pasta
2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 1/2 cups (or 32 oz jar) tomato sauce

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; rinse with cold water, sprinkle in some extra virgin olive oil and toss to prevent the noodles from sticking together.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, pecorino romano cheese, parsley, salt and pepper; using a pastry bag or a large zip lock bag with the corner snipped off, fill manicotti with cheese mixture.

In a 9x13 bake dish, spray with non-stick spray, then spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom and arrange manicotti in a single layer; spoon over remaining sauce. Top with remaining Mozzarella and Pecorino Romano cheese, parsley and bake for 45-60 minutes or just until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Pasta with Escarole, White Beans and Chicken Sausage

Recipe by Healthy Recipe with Ellie Krieger
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/pasta-with-escarole-white-beans-and-chicken-sausage-recipe/index.html
Cook Time:15 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings (serving size 2 cups)

Ingredients:

3/4 pound whole-wheat bowtie (or other shape) pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped, about 1 cup
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces lowfat Italian-style chicken sausage, casings removed, crumbled
1 medium head escarole, rinsed, drained and chopped, about 8 cups
1(14-ounce) can low-sodium cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce grated Parmesan

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.

Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large, deep saute pan or 8-quart stockpot. Saute the onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 1 minute. Stir in the sausage and cook until heated through and browned, about 4 minutes. Add the escarole and cook until wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the beans, 1 cup of chicken stock, sage and red pepper flakes and simmer until the mixture is heated through and liquid is slightly reduced. Add the sausage-bean mixture to pasta and toss well, loosening with the additional 1/2 cup chicken stock if necessary. Season with freshly ground pepper and salt, to taste.

Divide among 4 pasta bowls and top with parmesan cheese.