Summer is made for recipes as short, simple, speedy and satisfying as this. 
Clocking in with just seven ingredients, this delicious take on pasta carbonara will have you in and out of the kitchen in under 20 minutes. It varies from traditional carbonara by not incorporating the egg into the cheese “sauce” with which the pasta is tossed. 
Instead, the egg is fried separately then served over pasta that has been tossed with crisped pancetta. When broken over the pasta, the runny yolks create an amazing sauce for the pasta, blending perfectly with the flavors of the Parmesan and pancetta. 
Feel a need to add greens to your meal? Serve the whole thing over a bed of arugula, which will wilt slightly from the heat of the other ingredients, as well as soak up any of the egg that drips to the bottom 
——— 
WHOLE EGG PASTA
CARBONARA 
Start to finish: 20 minutes 
Servings: 4 
12-ounce package fresh linguine 
8 ounces finely chopped pancetta 
2 tablespoons butter 
4 eggs 
Salt and ground black pepper 
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided 
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta. 
Leave the pasta in the colander to drain. Return the saucepan to the heat. Add the pancetta and cook until just crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the pasta, then toss well. Cover and set aside. 
In a large skillet over low heat, melt the butter. Keeping them separate, crack the eggs into the skillet and cook sunny-side up until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Season the eggs with salt and pepper. 
Add 1 cup of the cheese to the pasta and toss to melt. While tossing, drizzle in just enough of the reserved cooking water to help the cheese coat the pasta. Arrange the pasta on 4 serving plates, then top each mound with an egg. Sprinkle each serving with a bit more cheese. If desired, use a fork to break each yolk just before serving. 
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 790 calories; 420 calories from fat (53 percent of total calories); 46 g fat (23 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 355 mg cholesterol; 50 g carbohydrate; 42 g protein; 3 g fiber; 1,580 mg sodium. 
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Food Editor J.M. Hirsch is author of the cookbook “High Flavor, Low Labor: Reinventing Weeknight Cooking.” Follow him to great eats on Twitter at http://twitter.com/JM—Hirsch or e-mail him at jhirsch@ap.org.

Description
Save any leftovers, then send to school heated and stored in a thermos for a warm lunchtime treat.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 jar (1 lb. 10 oz.) Ragú(r) Old World Style(r) Traditional Pasta Sauce
• 3 cups water
• 12 oz. uncooked rotini pasta
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz.)

Preparation

1. Brown ground beef in 12-inch skillet; drain.
2. Stir in Pasta Sauce and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in uncooked rotini and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook covered, stirring occasionally, 14 minutes or until rotini is tender. Remove from heat, then sprinkle with cheese. Cover and let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serves
6 servings

Preparation Time:
5 minutes

Cook Time:
25 minutes

Standing Time:
5 minutes

SOURCE:
Ragú

“People think the words ‘delicious’ and ‘healthy’ can’t be used in the same sentence, and I can hardly blame them since so many foods billed as ‘good-for-you’ are so disappointing in flavor and taste,” says registered dietician Ellie Krieger, a New York Times best-selling author and Food Network host. “Food is such a joyful part of life. In my world, there is no fear or guilt about it, only pleasure and balance.”

Children and adults alike crave foods like creamy macaroni and cheese, French fries and juicy hamburgers. Traditionally prepared, these tasty dishes are very high in calories and fat. The average side of fries contains approximately 430 calories and 22 grams of fat, while a portion of boxed mac and cheese can have more than 300 calories and 12 grams of fat.

Krieger’s philosophy allows us to enjoy foods that we love, while focusing on moderation and simple adjustments that make them both nutritious and delicious. There are adjustments that can take high-fat foods and turn them into healthy, guilt-free indulgences.

One of Krieger’s healthy cooking tools is T-fal’s Actifry, a convenient, non-stick appliance that automatically cooks meals using no more than 1 tablespoon of heart-healthy oil to create a range of foods from golden French fries to decadent desserts. The Actifry creates healthier versions of staple meals, including mac and cheese, stir-fry, pasta and risotto by cutting out the fat and eliminating or reducing the use of oil.

Just 1 tablespoon of oil makes four servings of crispy French fries with the Actifry. To preserve the fiber and nutrients in the fries, Krieger suggests leaving the skin on and adding low-or-no calorie flavorings such as paprika, pepper or sea salt.

“It is about finding that sweet spot where healthy and delicious meet. With the right tools you can get both and the Actifry can help bring it all to your table with ease.”

“We desire foods that are familiar and satisfy our immediate craving,” Krieger explains. “Learning how to keep fat in check and promote healthy alternatives without giving up taste is important to improving our overall quality of life.”

While the cold of winter may cause us to retreat and fall victim to some of our food cravings, Krieger believes healthy variations are easily achievable and easy to do.

“You can have it all – food that is bursting with flavor that delights your taste buds and benefits the rest of your body.”

Ellie Krieger shares her lower-fat and delicious recipe for Macaroni and Cheese. For more information and recipes, visit T-falUSA.com.

Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:
8 ounces (2 cups) uncooked elbow macaroni
3/4 cup milk, divided
2/3 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
1/2 cup pureed winter squash, thawed if frozen
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Directions:
Cook the macaroni “pasta al dente” according to the package directions. Drain.

Place 1/2 cup of milk, cheddar cheese, squash, Parmesan cheese, salt and the dry mustard into the Actifry pan and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Cook for five minutes, until the mixture is hot and the cheese is melted. Add the cooked macaroni and cook two minutes more. Add the remainder of the milk (1/4 of a cup) and cook for another two minutes.

Serves four
300 calories, 7 grams total fat per serving

Courtesy of ARAcontent

When you see the Fair Trade certified mark on food and other goods, you can be assured that the producers in developing countries have received a fair price for their products, allowing them to make investments into improving their local community and infrastructure.

With Fair Trade certified ingredients ranging from pasta and spices to cocoa and tea, you have many options for making a positive contribution to the lives of producers, sustaining the earth and the global ecomomy. And now you can even use Fair Trade certified spices to enhance your dishes.

You can prepare entire Fair Trade meals for any time of day. As you plan a meal, simply check through your list of ingredients to see which ones may be offered in a Fair Trade version. Here are some suggestions for easy ways to integrate Fair Trade ingredients into your cooking.

For main dishes, you might go with Fair Trade pastas, vegetables and spices. Here’s a particularly delicious example:

Creamy pasta with sauerkraut and veggie sausage

Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 1/2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed
1 1/2 cups vegan mayonnaise
2 cups plain, unsweetened soy yogurt
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1/2 cup nutritional yeast (not brewer’s)
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 package veggie sausage or veggie dogs, thinly sliced at an angle
3/4 cup water
1 pound whole wheat pasta (gobetti, fusilli, penne, etc.) cooked al dente and drained
2  large ripe tomatoes, diced

Directions:
In a large saucepot, saute onion in olive oil until golden brown. Add drained sauerkraut, mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, nutritional yeast, cumin, garlic powder, and sliced sausage (or veggie dogs). Add 3/4 cup water. Stir ingredients until mixed well. If mixture is too thick, add another 1/4 cup of water. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Add cooked pasta, and toss well. Cover and cook 12 to 15 minutes, until well heated and mixture begins to bubble. Garnish with diced tomato. Serve.

Enhance your meal with home-baked breads, cookies and desserts using Fair Trade fruits. Did you know you can get Fair Trade bananas at almost any food store these days? They were one of the original fruits to become widely certified; now the products available are much broader. This treat allows for your own creative fruit combinations.

Fall fruit crumble
Forgo the pie crust and offer up a generous portion of fruit crumble. Serve warm with ice cream, frozen yogurt, or freshly whipped cream with a hint of vanilla extract.

Ingredients:

Filling
5 cups fruit (sliced pears, sliced apples, and whole cranberries or raspberries make a great combination)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped almonds or walnuts
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
2 tablespoons rum or  water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup walnuts chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, combine all of the filling ingredients. Pour into a baking dish (do not drain).

Combine the topping ingredients (cut in butter until mixture is coarse and crumbly) and sprinkle over the fruit.

Bake about 30 to 40 minutes, or until fruit is soft and topping is lightly browned.

Your support of Fair Trade doesn’t have to end with food items. More and more Fair Trade kitchen and table items are becoming available: place mats, tableware, napkins, serving dishes, etc. Now is the time to explore the possibilities, so check with your local natural and organic retailer.

Visit www.frontiercoop.com/fairtrade for more information on Fair Trade and a selection of Fair Trade Certified food products you can buy online.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Star-Herald Holiday Recipe Guide Archives

8-10 oz noodles, cook in larger kettle than actually needed

1 lb hamburger

15 oz can tomato sauce

½ C shredded cheddar cheese

½ C sour cream

8 oz pkg cream cheese

½ C chopped onion

Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook hamburger and onion, drain. Cook noodles, drain. Leave small amount of water in pan. Add all ingredients to noodles. Cook on low heat and stir occasionally. When cheeses and sour cream are melted it is ready to serve 

8-10 oz noodles, cook in larger kettle than actually needed

1 lb hamburger

15 oz can tomato sauce

½ C shredded cheddar cheese

½ C sour cream

8 oz pkg cream cheese

½ C chopped onion

Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook hamburger and onion, drain. Cook noodles, drain. Leave small amount of water in pan. Add all ingredients to noodles. Cook on low heat and stir occasionally. When cheeses and sour cream are melted it is ready to serve

Makes 4 servings for about $1.50 per serving

1 1/2    teaspoons dried thyme

1/2 -1   teaspoon cayenne

1 1/2    teaspoons crushed fennel seed

1          tablespoon garlic, minced

3/4         teaspoon kosher salt

3/4       teaspoon coarse black pepper

1 1/4    pounds pork tenderloin

In a small bowl, blend thyme, cayenne, fennel seeds, garlic, kosher salt and black pepper.

Rub pork tenderloin liberally with olive oil. Then, rub the spice mixture all over pork, pressing it in. 

Seal tenderloin in food saver bag or other freezer wrap and freeze.

To serve, defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

Put room temperature roast on a medium high grill for 20 minutes, until the internal temperature is 145°F (or cook in preheated 400°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes until it reaches temperature). Slice and serve.

Courtesy of Family Features