Italian Minnesota "Hot Dish"

2 sm.-med. zucchini 

¼ lg. purple shallot - chopped

½t fresh ground black pepper

½c roasted-salted pumpkin seed kernels

½t garlic sea salt

1-2 T butter

2 lg. garlic cloves - chopped

¾ lg. purple shallot - chunked

1 14.5oz. can diced tomatoes

1½c dry pasta

Saute' the first group of ingredients over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, to brown the zucchini a bit.  Cook until the vegetables get somewhat translucent.  Add the next group, cover and simmer for 15 minutes on low-medium heat.  Check and stir occasionally.  Meanwhile cook the pasta until it's almost al dente.  Drain, then quickly transfer the pasta to the vegetable pan and fold together.  Add a ladle or two of the pasta water to the vegetable mix, stir gently.  Bring the pan back to a quick boil, stirring the whole time.  Pour into a casserole container and proudly take this Italian Minnesota Hot Dish to your next Pot Luck Dinner...Lin

Fresh Pasta With Mushrooms and Pesto

8oz. sliced mushrooms

1 lg. clove elephant garlic

extra virgin olive oil

a little ground cayenne pepper

fresh ground garlic-sea salt

6.5 oz. basil pesto

1c whole Kalamata* olives

7 lg. cherry tomatoes - quartered

1c grated Parmesan cheese

1 9oz. pkg. fresh pasta

Combine mushrooms, grated garlic, olive oil and seasonings in a non-stick pan.  Stir and saute' adding a little water as it all begins to brown.  Simmer, covered, until mushrooms have reduced in size by about one half.  Stir in the next four ingredients (*I substituted Kalamatas for the green olives (shown in first photo) since the green were a bit too assertive.  Kalamatas are colored nicely, and their flavor blends better with the pesto.)  Simmer, covered on very low.  Or, bring to a sizzle, then shut off the heat.

Meanwhile, boil 3-4 qts. of water, to which several tablespoons of olive oil have been added.  Break open the pasta, fluff and separate, dropping it into boiling oiled-water.  Simmer 3-5 minutes once temperature returns to a boil.  Drain, combine with rest of the ingredients in a large casserole dish.  Serve immediately or chill - to blend flavors - then heat and serve the next day.  It's been a while since I created something with such a decidedly Italian flavor to it!  It was nice, and I'll do this more often.  (Chopped, drained, canned artichokes would be a wonderful addition to this.) . .Lin

Italian Chicken with Zucchini (and Sweet Potato) "Spaghetti"

1# chicken meat, white or dark

1 lg. onion - chopped (some minced)

8 lg. cloves garlic - minced

2T butter

1-2 c chopped celery hearts and tops

1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

2/3 jar of your favorite past sauce
5 oz. sliced kalamata olives

2 oz. capers

1/2t ground black and red pepper

2t mixed Italian seasoning

1t sugar

3 sm.-med. zucchini

1 lg. peeled sweet potato (optional)

2T butter

Cut the chicken into small pieces and combine with 1/3 of the onion that has been minced, and 2/3 of the garlic, in a large pan with the butter.  Saute' over medium heat, until the chicken is nicely browned.  Add the next 8 ingredients and slow simmer for an hour.

Meanwhile, for the "spaghetti", slice the zucchini and sweet potato into very thin lengthwise strips, or slice in a spiral slicer.  Slow saute' the strips or spirals in the butter over low heat, with the remaining onion and garlic until the zucchini just starts to become translucent.  Put this into a baking dish, top with the sauce and bake, covered, at 325° for about half an hour.
This would be great with crusty Italian bread. . .Lin