Light Southwestern Tomato Pasta Food

LIGHT SOUTHWESTERN TOMATO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, cilantro, basil, sugar and oregano; mix well, then add olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
• Combine sauce with pasta and toss to coat. Top with cheese and serve.

SOUTHWESTERN SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Remove beef and set aside. In the same skillet, combine the water, tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and salt; bring to a boil. Stir in spaghetti; return to a boil. , Boil for 6 minutes., Add the zucchini. Cook 4-5 minutes longer or until spaghetti and zucchini are tender, stirring several times. Stir in beef and heat through. Sprinkle with cheese.

SOUTHWESTERN PASTA GRATIN

Steps:

• Cook macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water, stirring occasionally, until it is al dente, about 8 minutes.
• When pasta is cooked, drain and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350°; lightly oil a 2 1/2-quart baking dish.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over med-low heat, add in the garlic and jalapeno; cook until softened, about 1 minute.
• Add in the beans, chili powder, and oregano.
• Stir in the picante sauce and tomatoes; mix well.
• Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• In a big bowl, combine the macaroni with the bean-tomato mixture and transfer to the prepared dish.
• Top with the cheese.
• Cover and bake for 25 minutes.
• Uncover and continue baking 5-10 minutes longer or until the top is lightly browned.

SOUTHWESTERN VEGETARIAN PASTA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Saute onion, green pepper, garlic, chili powder and cumin. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas and corn. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened and heated through.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Combine pasta and sauce. Sprinkle each serving with Monterey Jack cheese.

LIGHT SOUTHWESTERN TOMATO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, cilantro, basil, sugar and oregano; mix well, then add olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
• Combine sauce with pasta and toss to coat. Top with cheese and serve.

SOUTHWEST FUSILLI WITH TOMATOES, GARLIC AND CHILIES

Steps:

• Prepare tomatoes:
• Bring medium pot of water to boil. Fill medium bowl with cold water and place on work surface close to pot. Cut shallow X through skin at bottom of tomatoes. Working in batches, add tomatoes to boiling water and cook 30 seconds to blanch. Using slotted spoon, transfer each batch of tomatoes to cold water to cool quickly
• Using small sharp knife as aid and starting at X on bottom, pull skin off tomatoes. Using same knife, make neat sone-shaped incision around core at stem end of each tomato; remove cores. Cut tomatoes in half crosswise; squeeze out seeds. Cut tomatoes into small dice and place in large bowl. Season with salt.
• Make fresh tomato sauce:
• Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over high heat. Add garlic and sauté just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour garlic oil over tomatoes and toss to blend. Mix in cilantro, onion, lime juice, chilies, tomato paste and chili powder. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Make pasta:
• Cook fusilli in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain fusilli well. Add fusilli and half of cheese to tomato sauce; toss to blend. Season pasta to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer past to large shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.

SOUTHWESTERN VEGETARIAN PASTA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Saute onion, green pepper, garlic, chili powder and cumin.
• Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas and corn. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened and heated through.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Combine pasta and sauce.
• Sprinkle each serving with Monterey Jack cheese.

SPICY SOUTHWESTERN PASTA

Steps:

• Brown onions and garlic in large skillet over medium heat, using a little water or a small amount of oil.
• Add crushed tomatoes, cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder, oregano and pepper flakes.
• Mix well and bring to a simmer.
• Reduce heat to low and cook, covered for about 15 minutes.
• Add green chiles, red peppers, beans and corn. Mix well and cook for 5 more minutes.
• Remove 1/2 cup of the mixture from the pan, mix it with the sour cream and then add this mixture back into the pan and mix well.
• To serve, place 1 cup of cooked pasta on each plate and top each serving with about 1 cup of the sauce.
• Top with 3 tablespoons of the grated cheese.
• I often combine the last steps and mix 2 or 3 cups of cooked pasta and the cheese right in with the sauce and serve the whole meal right out of the skillet.

PASTA IN SOUTHWESTERN SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the sherry and oil in a heavy skillet over med-high until it boils.
• Saute the garlic and shallots for 3 minutes, stirring.
• Add the both types of tomatoes and the jalapenos.
• Reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• While sauce simmers, prepare the pasta (fresh pasta should only need to boil for 5 minutes or less). Stir the fresh pasta occasionally, as it can get pretty sticky.
• Drain the pasta, rinse briefly with hot water, and drain again.
• Add the pasta to the skillet with the sauce, then sprinkle in the fresh herbs.
• Toss pasta and sauce together, then serve immediately.

SOUTHWEST PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in milk. Stir in spinach and oregano; set aside. , In a nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in the picante sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste, chili powder and cumin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Drain pasta; stir into meat mixture., In a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray, layer half of the meat mixture and all of the spinach mixture. Top with remaining meat mixture. , Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with olives and onions. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

LIGHT SOUTHWESTERN TOMATO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, cilantro, basil, sugar and oregano; mix well, then add olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
• Combine sauce with pasta and toss to coat. Top with cheese and serve.