CHICKEN AND SWISS CHARD PASTA BAKE

CHICKEN AND SWISS CHARD PASTA BAKE

1/2 pound whole wheat penne
3 bunches Swiss chard
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t0 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 cup good-quality ricotta cheese
Splash dry white wine
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup panko crumbs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente, or according to package directions. Strain and set aside (toss with a bit of olive oil if you'd like).

Rinse the swiss chard well and pull the leaves off the thick stalks, discarding the stems. Tear leaves into large chunks and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large dutch oven or heavy stock pot over medium heat. Cook onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Add the swiss chard to the pot and season generously with salt and pepper. Stir a few times to wilt the greens. Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook until greens are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the cooked noodles, chicken, ricotta, and a generous splash of white wine to the greens, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a medium-sized baking dish. Combine Parmesan, panko, and remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle the Parm mixture over the top of the casserole and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the top is golden.

PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER,SAUSAGE AND BREADCRUMB

PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER,SAUSAGE AND BREADCRUMB

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot or small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 head cauliflower, cut into small, bite-sized florets
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 pound pasta (ours are lumaconi; rigatoni, ziti, penne, or farfalle would all work)
1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Heat the olive oil in a large (14-inch if you have it) skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minutes. Add the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks.

(At this point, bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.)

When the sausage is almost cooked through, add the cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower begins to brown slightly. If the pan is very dry, depending on how much fat is in your sausage, you can add another splash of oil.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and pour in the tomatoes. Scrape any brown bits off of the bottom of the pan, bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover, lower the heat, and simmer until the cauliflower is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

While the cauliflower mixture is cooking, boil the pasta. Also, spread the fresh breadcrumbs onto a cookie sheet and run under the broiler or brown in a skillet until toasted.

When the pasta is al dente, take a slotted spoon and transfer it to the pan with the cauliflower. Toss everything together, then add the cubes of mozzarella.

Top each serving with bread crumbs, reserving extra for leftovers.