Recipes of the Week - September 22nd

Penne with Spinach Sauce
from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/penne-with-spinach-sauce-recipe/index.html

• 1 pound whole wheat or multi grain penne
  3 garlic cloves
  2 ounces goat cheese
  1 ounce reduced fat cream cheese
  3/4 teaspoon salt
  1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  6 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
  2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the penne and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes.
Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add the goat cheese, cream cheese, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and half of the spinach leaves. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set the cheese and spinach mixture aside.
Meanwhile, place the remaining spinach leaves in a large bowl.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Spoon the pasta atop the spinach leaves in the bowl. Scrape the cheese and spinach mixture over the pasta mixture and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the Parmesan over and serve.

Baked Shells With Fresh Spinach and Pancetta from: http://www.recipezaar.com/272706

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  2 cups heavy cream
  1/2 cup tomato puree
  1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated (2 ounces)
  salt & freshly ground black pepper
  1/3 lb pancetta or prosciutto, finely diced
  1 lb fresh spinach, rinsed and stemmed, leaves torn
  1 lb medium pasta shell

In a heavy medium nonreactive saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add the heavy cream and tomato puree and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer until reduced to 2 1/4 cups, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, cook the pancetta in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over moderately high heat until slightly crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the spinach in batches and cook, tossing, until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the pasta shells in a large pot of rapidly boiling salted water until barely al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.
Toss the pasta with the creamy tomato sauce and the spinach. Spoon it into a 3-quart shallow buttered baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese on top and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until piping hot.

Cilantro Noodle Bowl With Cilantro Pesto from: http://www.recipezaar.com/324722

• 8 ounces dried soba noodles
  2-3 cups broccoli florets, chopped
  1 lemon, zest of
  2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
  2 large garlic cloves
  1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
  1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  14 ounces extra firm tofu

Cook the soba in a big pot of rapidly boiling salted water just until tender - but about 20 seconds before the pasta is done cooking add the broccoli to the pot. Cook it until barely done. Now drain and rinse under cold running water. Sprinkle with lemon zest and set aside.
Make the dressing by combining the cilantro, garlic, cayenne, salt, and olive oil. Blend in a food processor or chop by hand. Taste, adjust for more salt if needed and set aside.
Drain the tofu, pat it dry, and cut it into rectangles roughly the size of your thumb (1/2 inch thick and 1 inch long). Cook the tofu in a dry nonstick (or well-seasoned) skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until the pieces are browned on one side. Toss gently once or twice, then continue cooking for another minute or so, until the tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy. Remove from skillet, let cool a bit and if desired cut into matchsticks (as seen in the photo), sometimes I don't bother and use larger pieces instead.
4In a large mixing bowl, combine the soba, broccoli, and a couple big splashes of the cilantro dressing. Toss until well combined. Add the tofu and gently toss again, add more dressing and a couple pinches of salt if needed. Turn out onto platter and crown with a couple pinches of cayenne and a squeeze of lemon juice.