Cashew Pasta Bake

2 1/2 cups dried penne or other pasta
dash of olive oil, plus 2 TB
2 TB butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 heaping TB tomato paste
3/4 cup roasted cashews
1/2 of a small zucchini or yellow squash sliced
salt and pepper
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Boil  pasta and dash of oil for 10 minutes. Drain. Return to pan and stir in butter. Keep Warm.
While pasta is cooking, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat remaining oil in large frying pan and saute' onion, garlic and oregano for 3 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and zucchini or squash and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add cashews and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to greased shallow oven proof dish. Spoon the buttered pasta on top and sprinkle with grated cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Cheese will turn crisp and golden.
Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Cheese and Spinach Manicotti

This is a combination of mom's recipe and one on the back of the American Beauty pasta.

1 box Manicotti (the box I bought had 14 pieces)
3/4 C low fat Cottage Cheese
3/4 C low fat Ricotta
2 C Grated Mozzarella (separated)
1/4 C shredded Parmesan
1 10 oz. box frozen Spinach
Tomato Sauce (I used a bottle of Ragu)

Boil the Manicotti noodles about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. Defrost the spinach and drain of any water. Mix together all the cheeses (leave 1 cup of the mozzarella out) and the spinach.
Fill the manicotti with the cheese mixture put in a 13x9 glass baking dish with a little sauce on the bottom. After you have all the pasta filled and in the pan, pour more tomato sauce on the top and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella on top. Bake 350 for 40-50 minutes until bubbly.


Can't remember where I heard this tip:
It takes a little bit of time to stuff the manicotti, if you are in a hurry just cut the pasta down the side and fill it then roll it back up and put it in the pan with the cut side down to keep it closed. It looks the same you just have to be a little more careful when you dish it up so you don't lose all your filling.


You can freeze this recipe before you bake it. It will keep for 2 months. When you want to cook it just take it out of the freezer put it in at 350 and double the cooking time.