1. Slit the skins on the tomatoes & put them in boiling water for a minute to get the skins off.  Once skinned, put them in the blender to crush them.  Add tomato paste to thicken it.  Set aside.
2. In a food processor, pulse the onion, herbs, & pine nuts until neatly smooth.
3. In a nonstick pan, cook the mushrooms & onion/herb mixture with a bit of vegetable stock until translucent, then add the tomatoes.  Cook for about 1 hour on a very low simmer until reduced by about ¼.

Chef’s Note: When serving I add a chicken breast with all fat removed, thinly sliced & dry grilled, & some heart healthy bacon dry grilled.

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Carnivore Option

Vegetarian Option

1. Empty all cans to a medium saucepan on medium heat. Season to taste. Experiment, add you own ideas.
2. For the carnivorous option, brown the meat & add to the sauce.
3. For the vegetarian option, drain the spinach & stir into sauce. Squeeze the tofu to drain & crumble into the sauce.
4. Taste & adjust spices as tofu will dilute flavors a bit.
5. Boil noodles to desired finish & serve with sauce.

Season the chicken with salt & pepper to taste.  Heat oil and butter in a skillet; fry the chicken until browned all over.  Remove the chicken from the skillet.  Add the onion & garlic to the skillet & cook gently until just beginning to soften.  Add the bell peppers to the skillet with the mushrooms & continue to cook for a few minutes longer, stirring occasionally.  Add the Italian seasoning.  Add the tomatoes & plenty of seasoning to the skillet & then transfer the vegetable mixture to an oven safe casserole.

Place the chicken on the bed of vegetables.  Add the wine to the skillet & bring to a boil.  Pour the wine over the chicken & cover the casserole.  Cook in a preheated oven at 350°F. for 50 minutes.  When ready to serve, add cream & serve over pasta.

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 13″ x 9″ baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cool water. Let pasta dry on paper towels.
3. For filling, in medium bowl, stir together 3 c. mozzarella with the ricotta & fresh basil. Using a teaspoon, carefully stuff pasta shells with prepared cheese mixture.
4. Spoon 2 c. spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dish. Arrange stuffed pasta over sauce. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over top of pasta. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
5. Bake manicotti for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan; bake for 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

1. Cut chicken into chunks. Beat egg with ½ milk; dip chicken in egg & milk mixture, then into bread crumbs, coating well.
2. Brown in a little oil until golden. Place chunks in baking dish, add swiss cheese & ham. Mix cream of chicken soup with 1 c. of milk; mix well & pour over all.
3. Bake about 30 minutes at 350°F. or until bubbly.
4. Boil 2 c. of your choice pasta (penne works well). Drain & toss with the chicken mixture.

Cook pasta per directions until firm-tender. While pasta cooks, heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sausage & heat through. Remove with a slotted spoon & set aside. Add peppers, broccoli, & garlic & cook until crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes & add sausage back. Increase heat to high & cook uncovered until hot, stirring often. Drain pasta & return to pot. Add sausage mixture, then toss to mix. Spoon into serving dish & top with cheese.

1. On medium heat, in a large skillet, add olive oil & minced garlic. Cook until slightly browned , add Italian seasoning & toast for 2 minutes.
2. Add 4 cans of clams (with juice), add salt & pepper to taste.
3. Bring to a boil, add one full can of wine (or, if you don’t want to use wine, add the juice of 1 lemon), turn down heat to a simmer.
4. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until only about ¾ to 1 c. of liquid is left (about 30-40 minutes)
5. Cook pasta according to directions on the pkg. in salted water (the water should have at least 1 full tsp of salt – NO OIL).
6. When the pasta is al dente, add pasta to the pan with clam sauce to finish cooking.
7. Add pasta water as needed to make a creamy sauce (you’ll need anywhere from ½ to 1½ c.).
8. Add fresh herbs & cheese, fold together. Serve with hot crusty bread & more cheese.