Presto Pasta Nights #98 - a little early

Over the last 98 Presto Pasta Nights, we've had a couple of glitches...with roundups being later than expected. This week, however, we have a first.

Erin, The Skinny Gourmet, our spunky host this week brought a little excitement to the roundup. Erin is expecting a baby -her first and thought she had six more weeks to go before the happy event.

Somehow, her angel couldn't wait to join the family and so...today she found herself in the hospital waiting for labor to kick in and she's on bed rest. Lucky for us, she's been compiling the entries for PPN as they came in this week.

I can't believe what a trooper she is....she actually has her laptop with her in the hospital, got connectivity and posted the roundup (as much as she already has)!!! How awesome is she!

Presto Pasta Night #98

For those of you who have yet to send your entries in, please email them to me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com and since I'm the lucky host for next week - PPN#99 I'll start the roundup earlier than usual.

In the meantime, enjoy all this week's absolutely amazing pastas. Thanks to everyone who contributed and let's all wish Erin and her husband a giant congratulations and hopes for an easy birth.

Senior Moment and Eggplant Success

I don't think I'm alone here. I'm pretty sure all you foodies can relate to this. And if you can't, please don't tell me. Let me live in my illusionary world where everyone does.

A couple of weeks ago I saw a recipe for baked eggplant chips. Yesterday, I finally found some Japanese eggplants (although regular ones will do just fine) and went to get the recipe. If you're like me, you'll bookmark recipes to try. For me, that's actually not as simple as it sounds, since I have a ton of cookbooks and probably as many magazines - all with awesome looking recipes to try. I was pretty sure that it was in either Small Bites (I'll be writing about it once I actually get some artichoke bottoms) or Ainsley Harriott's new book Ainsley Harriott's Fresh and Fabulous Meals in Minutes (I've written up my version of his Spaghetti with Sicilian Style Cauliflower Sauce, but have a couple more up my sleeve before writing about the book).

I can actually SEE the great photo with these chips wrapped in newsprint, so that eliminated books without color photos. "No" also to Bon Appetit (last three issues) and then - there it was...Donna Hay Magazine Issue 39. Why I didn't start with her, is beyond me, because I not only adore every one of her recipes, her photos stay with me forever. They always tell such great stories.

To reward myself, (after doing the Happy Dance), I whipped up a batch even though it wasn't even 11 AM!

Baked Eggplant Chips with Sumac & Yoghurt

So bookmark this while you can still remember to...if you're an eggplant fan, you'll really love them. These chips be great as a side with grilled fish, chicken or meat. They'd be great as finger food when friends come over. That is, if you can keep from eating them all by yourself.

No Time to Waste - Delicious Moroccan Stew

Last week I discovered this fantastic new store - well it's been open for a year, and I've driven by it umpteen times without realizing it. But someone recently told me about it - fantastic selection of imported Indian, Asian, Indonesian, Thai and Middle Eastern delights. I still have to go back with my camera and give you all a really detailed description of my find.

I was planning on going back this week, but between sickly daughter (Joanna wants to come with me) and poor weather, it looks more like next week, so stay tuned for a photographic tour that will have you drooling.

That said, when I was there I bought these wonderful sun-dried olives (they look like plums here, but they're actually quite small and pack a powerful yet mellow flavor) .

Since then I've been dreaming about doing some kind of lamb stew with my preserved lemons and these olives. Inspired by Gourmet Cash & Carry (that's the name of the store) and a recipe on Moroccan Food, I came up with....

Moroccan Stew with Preserved Lemons & Sun dried Olives

I served it over a bed of mashed sweet potatoes to catch all the lovely sauce. All I can say is...I wish I had made a double batch...we were licking our plates clean!

And dessert was more of yesterday's Dessert Couscous - also inspired by the store - bottles of rosewater and bags of shelled pistachios.

Too bad we're expecting a storm tomorrow, I really need some of their frozen artichoke bottoms. Sigh....I guess that meal will have to wait. (Sicilian artichoke bottoms - stay tuned.)

An Inspired Dessert Couscous with Rose Water & Pistachios

I love Presto Pasta Nights...soon to be 100 and I never get tired of it!

This week's guest host is the fantastic Erin - The Skinny Gourmet (I'm even jealous of the name of her blog). Don't forget to send your fabulous entries to her directly skinnygourmet (at) gmail (dot) com (and cc me too while you're at it ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com). I've already checked out some of the dishes and they're all wonderful, but there was one in particular that inspired my entry. That plus a trip to an amazing shop called Gourmet Cash & Carry, which started out as a wholesaler to Middle Eastern & Indian restaurants and food purveyors. I'll be posting all about it - with photos, later in the week. It's an awesome find here in Halifax.

Dessert Couscous with Rose Water & Pistachios

So here's how my dish came to be....

• Pam of Sidewalk Shoes made a delightful savory couscous dish. I always love those.
• At Gourmet Cash & Carry, the manager and I had a discussion about rosewater...did you know that besides flavoring in Baklava and other desserts, it's a remedy for stomach ailments?
• It's freezing in my place and I was dreaming about a snack of rice pudding.
• I was catching up on some of the CC's I get for the weekly Presto Pasta Night entries, and lo and behold...Pam showed up!

What sparks your inspirations?

Soups & Stews

There's a brilliant sun shining outside my window. And as long as I stay indoors, I can pretend the temperature matches the view. It's -16C, but apparently feels like -25.

And what could be more perfect to warm up my Honey when he gets home than lentil soup...especially when I have 5 varieties of lentils in various jars and packets in my kitchen, which means I don't have to go out foraging for food.

If you check through my Soups & Stews, you'll see that there are umpteen varieties to choose from. Many of them have Middle Eastern or Indian seasonings and I love them all. Don't even get me started on the ones I've found in my gazillion cookbooks and magazines.

This time I wanted something more mellow, something with just some thyme perhaps. I knew I had seen such a recipe...but where? Not here on my blog, not in the cookbooks, lining my shelves and piled on the floor. And then, looking for something else entirely, I found it. It's in my very own cookbook Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories .

It all makes sense actually, since the reason it's special to me is that it's the one my mother served us in the dead of Montreal winters. It's the soup that felt most like a warm blanket to get rid of the chill.

My Own Mellow Lentil Soup

(or at least my mother's)

I'm always interested in the flavors of childhood. My ancestry is Russian/Polish (depending on the day, my father used to say) and there was always lots of onions, thyme, carrots and celery to flavor dishes, but very little spice other than pepper. So when I need real comfort, that's what I crave. What about you?

Perfect Start to the Day

For a brief time every year, Starbucks brings out my very favorite coffee - Casi Cielo from Guatemala. It's rich and full bodied without being bitter and it's here now!!!! I'm as excited as a kid at Christmas, opening that first gift.

I know today will be excellent because in addition to drinking some Casi Cielo, I was listening to CBC radio and there was a call in show. People requesting songs and birthday wishes. A little girl, very articulate, called requesting a song for her mummy's birthday by Joel Plaskett, who I had never heard of. The song was Nowhere With You and had me bopping in my seat....favorite line "turn that frown upside down". Please check it out and add a smile to your day. Oh....and if you can get your hands on some Casi Cielo...even better.

Have an excellent day.

Best Kept Secret - See the Positive

It's very easy these days to get into a funk...economy tanking, Global Warming, wars, poverty... but here's a lesson for all of us.

I spent this morning watching The Secret (I highly recommend it) and it reminded me of an incident with my older daughter, Joanna, when she was 10. Saying she was unhappy is the grossest understatement in the world. Out of sheer frustration and tired of listening, day after day about how horrible her life was...well, here's the scene....

Me (at the top of the stairs to our flat)

Joanna (at the front door which is at the bottom of the stairs)

Doorbell rings and I answer it...with a big smile because I'm happy my angels are home.

Me: "Hi Princess (very upbeat - can you see the smile, feel the approaching hugs?)

J: "I hate M (car pool lady of the day - 4 of us rotated driving kids to and from school), she's so mean! And Mrs X (one of her teachers...I forget which one) wouldn't let me...(I sort of forget that too)"

Me: (gone the smile, shoulders tensing, eyes rolling back in my head - this diatribe has been going on for days!) "STOP right there! You can't come upstairs until you tell me 10 good things and then I'll listen to the rest!

J: (Shocked into silence!, and looking like a deer caught in the headlights) "but...but...but...there IS nothing good (crying through this last statement of despair).

M: "let me help you....
1. you don't have to drive with M for another 5 days - 7 if you count the weekend
2. you won't have Mrs X for another 4 days
3. most of the week is over
4. Y is not in school this week (nemesis classmate)
5-10 turned each negative into a positive (even if just to say it's gone for now).

For the next couple of months Joanna had to find 10 good things before I would even listen to one rotten one. To this day, she loves telling the story and attributes that one thing I did as a "mom" to be the best one. Apparently, she would start building her list as she started her day...favorite breakfast today, no gym (she was always a scholar, not a jock), sitting in the front seat (days before laws against kids in front - days before air bags, come to think of it) on the way to school... At first this was just to be able to reel them off so she could talk about the REAL stuff. After a while (not too long actually), the list BECAME the real stuff.

I'd forgotten that lately....so lesson one from The Secret for me: make a list of things I'm truly thankful and grateful for. My list is already long and I promise to make it grow every day. Tops for me:

my Honey,

my girls,

my grandchildren Boaz and Dov

and the fact that I can be close and share in the joy of watching them grow.

food - especially when I can get to play in the kitchen with both of my girls.

No more whining about the weather, the price of gas...whatever! That goes for you too. What are you waiting for....start that list going! I'd love for you to share some of your "good stuff" in the comments.

Presto Pasta Night #97

Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything did a wonderful job hosting this week's Presto Pasta Night Roundup . I have to find a new dictionary with only synonyms for superlatives! But fantastic is definitely the word for this week. All the entries are to exceptional and I can't wait to start trying them all out. So a very big thank you to all of you for feeding my pasta needs.

Don't forget that next week's host is Erin The Skinny Gourmet (I don't know how she accomplishes that with such great treats on her site!). Send your entries to skinnygourmet (AT) gmail (DOT) com and a cc to me, ruth (AT) 4everykitchen (DOT) com

Thanks again everyone for playing Presto Pasta Night with me.

An Interesting Twist to Pasta

The title probably has you all excited thinking that I've created something very unusual...pasta ice cream perhaps? Sorry to disappoint, but it's not a twist in that sense. Usually my pasta dishes have oil & garlic based, or tomato based sauces. This time around I'm trying an interesting recipe from Ainsley Harriott. I'll be writing about his new book Ainsley Harriott's Fresh and Fabulous Meals in Minutes on Cookbooks4EveryKitchen tomorrow.

I had to share this particular recipe with you because...well tomorrow is Presto Pasta Night Roundup #97 hosted this week by incomparable Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything . You still have time to email your entries to her hellohaalo (at) gmail (dot) com .

And what's the twist for this dish?....who would think that saffron, pine nuts & raisins would marry well with anchovies!

Ainsley's Spaghetti with Sicilian Cauliflower Sauce

And don't worry, this dish is very The South Beach Diet friendly when you use multigrain pasta, at least in Phase Two. We're doing a mostly phase one, but adding some good carbs a couple of times a week.

What's your favorite "surprise!" ingredient...the ones that you either hide from those who turn their noses up at or the ones that just don't sound like they'd work well together?

Soup, Soup and More Soup

Many of you south of the Equator must be tired of us Northerners complaining about the cold and you probably aren't that interested in our hearty, body and soul warming dishes these days, and frankly, I for one, am jealous of your hot and sunny days and salads.

That said, this is definitely a time for rib sticking dishes that start to work way before we ever put the first spoon to our lips. A pot of slow cooking goodness fills the room with warmth of both the physical - "heat-up-the-room" kind and emotionally as well. Nothing warms me up more than inhaling all those herbs and spices that do their magic to the ordinary. I mean, no matter how much you love root vegetables in November, by now ....well...as my niece used to say when she was four "I got enough!" Plus, there's nothing like holding a hot bowl of steaming goodness to warm your hands and your heart.

The other day I "threw together" a tasty Bean, Sausage & Mushroom Soup by just opening my fridge and checking my pantry. Last week's star soup was Roasted Butternut Squash & Garlic that was amazing.

And last night's winner...from Rouxbe.com was an amazing version of Mushroom & Barley Soup...a real "stick to your ribs" meal all by itself. In fact, I actually made some Cod Provencal (also from Rouxbe.com) that will have to wait until tonight....the soup was perfect all by itself.

Now that I've used up all my chicken broth (my own and boxed variety), it's time to replenish the fridge, freezer and pantry.

It's 2009 Time to Eat Better

I actually started to write this days ago, but some how life snuck in...still a great find though. I was reading the NY Times the other day and they referred to an older article that seemed worth the read.

Many people resolve to eat better for their new year's resolution, some to lose weight, some to improve health or at least reduce risks to heart disease, cancer, etc., If you're interested in discovering which foods are actually good for you, then read this article - 11 Best foods You Aren't Eating . And I was impressed with myself since I've actually eaten all of them, although not as often as I should. And I did learn some interesting facts.

Beets (first on many a person's hate list)
Did you know that the antioxidant qualities of beets decreases with heating? So rather than roasting (my favorite way to cook them)- although I seem to be alone here when it comes to beets in any form), try grating some into a salad, or tossing into some pasta at the last moment. I bet if I made a spicy Marinara Sauce, my Honey wouldn't even notice. And for the rest of us, imagine the "pretty" factor of tossing some fun pasta shape with olive oil, garlic & herbs and sprinkling some grated beets over it all.

Cabbage
Did you know that cabbage is very high in cancer fighting enzymes? I definitely have to do more than just make my Confetti Coleslaw, delicious as it is, although add some grated beets into it and I'm doubly protected. Grated savoy cabbage in my very flavorful Vietnamese Soup would be tasty.

Swiss Chard
Did you know it protects aging eyes? Actually, ever since my favorite Saturday market stand exposed me to a wide variety of this, I've been hooked. I love it in soups, pasta , baked like these squares or just plain sauteed with olive oil, onions and garlic.

Cinnamon
Did you know it's helpful in controlling cholesterol? If you sprinkle some on your coffee, you can be your own barista. Or sprinkle it over your favorite cereal. Obviously, I don't have to mention all the tasty baked good you can create.

Pomegranate Juice
Did you know it lowers blood pressure and is an antioxidant? You can just drink it or add some to a vinaigrette. or marinade.

If you want to know about the other 6 healthiest foods we DON'T eat - or at least not often enough...read the article, or get Dr Bowden's book The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why

Will you be paying more attention to what you eat this year?

Two Great Wintery Soups

And what do you do when it's cold and snowy outside? Do you bundle up and head out to play or are you more like me...hunker down for the duration. Which ever you choose, at the end of the day, you'll be loving some soup to keep you warm.

Today's pot was full of whatever I had handy...no trips to the grocery store for me. Some chipotle smoked turkey sausages from Butterball (healthy choice if you're going for meat), some Jacob Cattle beans, I had soaked earlier in the week, the heel of some Manchego cheese, a couple of sprigs of thyme that naturally dried on my counter, the last of the cremini mushrooms plus a handful of dried porcini, a can of Muir Glen organic diced fire roasted tomatoes. They have some awesome looking recipes on their site that I must try soon...but I digress.

Anyway, it smells delicious and my taste testing tells me that we'll be very happy supper time with my Easy To Do Hearty Bean, Sausage & Mushroom Soup.

Earlier in the week I made some Roasted Butternut & Garlic Squash Soup from a la di stasiowhich was so good, but everyone finished before I got a chance to take any photos. Oh well, next time, and believe me....there will definitely be a next time, I'll take a photo. Recently I wrote about her book and some other great dishes I've already tried.

What's your favorite soup for a cold wintry day?

Not on Anyone's Diet, but...

No wonder I have to keep putting off making pasta. The scale won't budge, but this time I know why...I couldn't resist a bargain at the grocery store....ribs, one of my favorite food groups. And even though I have a gazillion cookbooks, I couldn't find a recipe that called to me. So I did what any normal food blogger would do...a google search. And I found one I really liked on Recipezaar. With all that honey, and hoisin sauce....well....need I say more? The original recipe needed a little more clarification, so here's my variation of Hoisin Ribs that I served with roasted cauliflower and baby bok choy (the more healthful part of the meal). Who was I kidding. The ribs were like candy...way too much candy, but soooooooooo good.

What's your "Fall-Off-the-Diet" wagon dish?

Catching Up on Holiday Recipes

When I got back from our trip to Toronto (seems like a million years ago), I wrote about ...what else...everything we ate and promised to "bug" my cousin Arlene for the recipes for her fantastic dinner party. Someone obviously should have bugged me, because she sent the links off in an email within 15 minutes of my request (on January 1st, but who's counting). Finally, two weeks later....I've updated the original post to include the fantastic links.

Latest Presto Pasta Night Roundup #96

It's way past midnight in Greece and Ivy the fabulous of Kopiaste, one of my favorite blogs, just finished posting Presto Pasta Night Roundup #96. There were more than two dozen delicious pasta treats, so she certainly deserves some serious shut eye.

Thanks Ivy, for a job well done! And thanks to all of you who contributed and make Presto Pasta Nights such a popular event week after week. Hopefully by next week, I'll actually be making some of my own. I already have the dish picked out. It's from Ainsley Harriott's new book Ainsley Harriott's Fresh and Fabulous Meals in Minutes and very healthful, but you'll have to wait until Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything puts up next week's Roundup.

Haalo's blog is awesome and I know she'll do a splendid job hosting Presto Pasta Nights too. Send your entries to hellohaalo (at) gmail (dot) com and a cc to me ruth (at)4everykitchen (dot) com by Thursday so she can post on Friday.

Plus...Don't forget to check all the Presto Pasta Night Roundups dating back to March, 2007, see who's hosting for the next four weeks and check out guidelines and tips for entering and hosting.

If you have any ideas for a topic for Presto Pasta Night, let me know. Facebook members, please visit the Presto Pasta Gang on Facebook

Guest Chef - Boaz and Jello Jigglers

He's a Prodigy, what can I say...only two years old (and way too busy to sit still for a bio photo)and already very comfortable around the kitchen. I shouldn't be surprised, since he's been busy, giving his stamp of approval on the utensils ever since he was 9 months old.

I've previously shared his cookie making expertise and yesterday was Jello day. So I asked him to teach us his technique and he graciously agreed.

First get your sou-chef to find cute cookie cutters...I suggest these barnyard animals. You'll have to read Grandma's article for FoodTV to find out where to get them.

Next, preferably the day before, so you can just make these jigglers whenever the mood strikes you, get her to create the "dough" using your favorite Jello and fruit juice (here's the recipe).

Once the "dough" is arranged on the table (the recipe tells you how to do it) ...

...it's time to get creative. Punch out the shapes...

...and eat.

Then it's time for a nap...after all, it's hard work managing that sou-chef.

What's your favorite food activity for kids?

Purists Beware - But Dinner Was Tasty

Seriously, today has been one of those days. It started off with me writing three quarters of my article for Foodtv (it should be up later this week) when I, inadvertently, hit the wrong part of my mouse and lost the document...naturally before I had the opportunity to save it.

As if that wasn't enough to send me back to bed, it was raining outside and the weather/traffic reports kept saying it was really bad driving. Given that I was scheduled for my semi annual teeth cleaning (which, by the way I hate more than root canal!), I actually was pleased with the weather. I called the dental office, hoping that no one was there, but....sigh.... Now I know just how kids feel when they THINK they're getting a Snow Day, only to discover that every other school in the universe is closed but theirs.

All that to say, that by the time I came home from the dental hygienist, who really is a lovely girl, I was exhausted. Somehow the day flew by, the article finally got written and I looked at my watch. Holy Cow! 6 PM? Where did the day go and what's for dinner?

Which brings me to the "purists beware" line. First, let me state that I really enjoy making my own sauces and rarely buy ready made ones in a jar. But President's Choice Brand of Loblaws and Superstores, does come up with some lovely sauces and I obviously was hungry the day I bought the jar of Thai Green Curry Sauce. Anyway, it came out of the pantry today to go with some boneless chicken breasts I picked up on my way home. All I had to do was saute strips of chicken breast in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes and then adding some of the sauce. I covered the pan, turned the heat to low and started the cauliflower, which leads me to...

Second "Purist beware" - don't kill me... let's just call this Dinner Fusion. I made some Indian Cauliflower (sookhi gobi) which I did make from scratch but it only took 15 minutes and half of that was steaming the cauliflower in the microwave.

So, if you've had one of THOSE days, and you aren't too fussy about using a sauce from a jar or mixing cultures....try it! What is your crazy, last minute, throw together supper after a hard day?

I Swear It's Really a Pasta Dish

I know what you're thinking...that's a steak...not pasta with the broccoli rabe. Which would be fine, except that this is my official entry for Presto Pasta Night this week, graciously hosted by by Ivy of Kopiaste, a really lovely blog.

Here's my sad story...I thought I would be done with South Beach Diet, Phase One with no carbs, but apparently, my scale (and my clothes) disagree. So it's at least one more week before real pasta touches my lips.

That said, the Sicilian-style broccoi Rabe you see above, really does make a fantastic pasta dish, especially with some multi grain pasta and an extra swirl of good extra virgin olive oil. The anchovies give it a saltiness and the red chili pepper flakes add some of that heat Sicilians are famous for.

And if you're like me...dieting, that is...it makes a great side for grilled meat or fish. I wonder what other pasta "sauces" I can co-opt?

Don't forget to send Ivy your pasta entries by Thursday. Email to ivyliac (at)gmail (dot) com

BloggerAid Cookbook Fundraiser

I love a good cause and what could be more worthy than feeding those without, so I invite you to join me in this. Here's a little background....

Three of my favorite food bloggers, Ivy of Kopiaste, Giz of Equal Opportunity Kitchen and Val of More Than Burnt Toast have gotten together along with Gloria Chadwick of Cookbook Cuisine to create an awesome fundraising project with 100% of profits going to World Food Programme, a UN Frontline Agency.

They're putting together a fundraising cookbook and you can help. There are many ways...click here to find out how, but one way is to send in your own original recipe, one that is not on your own blog (if you have one) and just post a photo to entice everyone...leave them drooling until the book is ready

I chose my Stuffed Chicken Breasts because...well, what's a fundraising dinner without chicken and this dish is easy to prepare and makes even a solitary dinner in front of the TV seem special.

This truly is a worthy project - and fun too! Head over to BloggerAid and find out all about it and how you can get involved.

A Great New Herb Book, Fantastic Peruvian Parsley Salsa and WHB

I just got a fantastic book and immediately thought I had to share this one with all those Weekend Herb Blogging fans out there. It's been a while since I've actually sent in an entry and a lot has changed....Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen and founder of this extraordinary weekly event, handed over the reins to another awesome blogger - Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything and it's still going strong. This week's host for WHB #166 (hard to believe, but true) is Rachel, The Crispy Cook and I just had to join in the fun.

I only wrote about the book today and made my first recipe yesterday.

The Seared Scallops with Peruvian Parsley Salsa served on a bed of Arugula was awesome and the salsa will make the even the most boring dishes dazzle. I can't wait to try some on scrambled eggs or perhaps even a pasta. I really liked the flavor, which didn't overpower the scallops (that would be bad, since scallops have such a delicate but fantastic flavor) but did liven things up.

Tonight I'm pan roasting some tilapia and serving it with Puerto Rican Ajilimojili - a very spicy dish with lots of garlic, lime juice and chili peppers. You'll have to stop by tomorrow to find out more about that one.

Bottom line, though...dieting has never been tastier, especially now that I have even more ways to dazzle a dish.

Presto Pasta NIght Roundup #95 - First for 2009!

The Happiest of New Years to everyone!

I've been suffering from withdrawal without new Presto Pasta Night Roundups for the last couple of weeks. Good thing I could go through previous roundups to try out some that I missed during the year. The holidays are over, and all our resolutions made (or not), and I do hope making and eating lots of pasta is high on your list of things to do in 2009.

Entries for 2009 actually started to arrive before the ink was dry (okay, no ink involved on the web, but...) from PPN 94 hosted by C of Foodie Tots and a giant thanks to her for putting it all together just before the holidays. It goes without saying, HUGE thanks to everyone for sending in great dishes to add to our holiday feasting.

But now it's time to look ahead to 2009 and see what's in store for Pasta, and if this week is any indication, we'll be having a spectacular year. But enough preamble, let's get down to business...I need a pasta fix!

First in this week is Navita of Zaayeka. Actually, she is such a keener, that she submitted it even before the last roundup was posted! The Tagliatelle with Tuna Balls in Marinara Sauce is doubly great because who says "meatballs" have to have meat. This is a great way to start the year eating less meat and not even thinking about it.


Kitchenetta of Got No Milk is also starting 2009 with a healthful dish of Cashew Chicken Fusilli. Don't you love it?!!


Georgia of Oh Kitchen, What Won't You Do? is back after a long hiatus and I hope her New Year's resolution was to be a frequent PPNer. Just look at her Pappardelle with Cabbage, Prosciutto & Sage...awesome.


Rachel, The Crispy Cook and first time PPNer starts the year off with a fantastic dish...for those who can't eat wheat, and those who usually don't like anchovies. You have to try this out...Pasta With Anchovies (just don't tell the non-anchovy eaters).


Katie of One Little Corner of the World, came up with a first...first, not just for 2009, but for all the roundups...it's a sandwich! BBQ Spaghetti. Check it out!


Kevin, my favorite Closet Cook(ing) made us a healthful, flavor-packed Turkey Pho to start the year off well. And doesn't it look spectacular?


Petra, Food Freak (and aren't we all!) really set the bar high with this great vegetarian dish of Pasta with Chipotle & Red Pepper Sauce. For you carnivores out there...(like me & mine), you'll never miss the meat with that smoky, spicy sauce.


Mila of KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) made one of my favorite dishes...can't wait to finish this stage of South Beach Dieting...it will be first up. Lemon Tuscan Pasta with Herb Crusted Chicken. I love it.


Marija of Palachinka really outdid herself. She brought us two absolutely gorgeous dishes. Her Smoked Salmon Ravioli ...

had me drooling even before I got to her awesome Tortellini making Tutorial. Thanks for both of them.


Mary of One Perfect Bite served up this delicious Chicken Paprikash with leftovers from the holidays. A perfect start to the year...Resolution: use what you have!


It's always a treat (visually and in our tummies) when Tigerfish of Teczcape brings something to the PPN table. And this year she starts off with Creamy Mushroom Pasta that looks wonderful.


Ivy of Kopiaste, who will be our gracious host next week...thank you, thank you, thank you. She starts the year with a perfect photo that instantly brought a smile to my lips and has me hunting for giant shells of my own. Check out these lovely Stuffed Pasta Shells. (See the bottom of the post to see how to send Ivy your pastas for next week).


Gloria of Foods & Flavors Of San Antonio is a first time PPNer...welcome! And she brings a lovely comfort dish for the cold weather everywhere...well almost everywhere...Baked Mexican Pasta.


Rosa of Rosa's Yummy Yums is back with special treat for those who don't have their own pasta makers...she made this Home-made Tagliatelle without one, so now we can too!


Another new PPNer is Erin of Kitchen Disasters and trust me...this dish of Chicken Parmesan & Pasta is NOT a disaster in any kitchen. I can never have too many ways to make this dish!


Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything is a frequent PPNer and we're always happy to have her join in the fun (She's going to be hosting later this month and I'm excited about that). This week she brings her stunning photo and a new ingredient (at least to me) Barley Couscous with Chorizo & Vegetables.


The Food Hunter made her first Pastitsio. I love it when a dish doesn't just taste good, its looks are a conversation piece.


And finally my own... well, over the holidays, I did make some Pasta Pepe e Cacio ...doesn't it even sound fun?

and a Not Carbonara that was very tasty, but this week we're actually doing a South Beach Diet revisit and so...no carbs for another week.

Oh well, there's next week and how's this for a segue...

Next week's gracious host will be Ivy of the very wonderful Kopiaste in Greece...I think we should all show up at her doorstep - just kidding! You can email your entries to her directly ivyliac (at) gmail (dot) com and a cc to me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com .

Plus...Don't forget to check all the Presto Pasta Night Roundups dating back to March, 2007, see who's hosting for the next four weeks and check out guidelines and tips for entering and hosting.

If you have any ideas for a topic for Presto Pasta Night, let me know. Facebook members, please visit the Presto Pasta Gang on Facebook

But for now...bon appetit!