Pan Pacific Rice
Amy Muzyka-McGuire, R.D., of Federal Way, WA, won grand prize in the 1999 USA Rice Federation's "Take 5!" Recipe Contest for members of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Exotic Mushrooms with Shaved Truffles Pasta
From our friends at Earthy Delights, online purveyors of specialty foods – mushrooms, truffles, spelt products and more. Look for their Valentine's Day specials!

Dress this dish up with slivers of sun-dried tomatoes.

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 cups thinly sliced exotic mushrooms (Shiitake, Portobello, Wood Ear, Crimini, Oyster or a combination)
1 pound angel hair pasta (white spelt pasta makes a nice change)
Truffle oil to drizzle
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 fresh black truffles
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Salt and pepper

In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil. When the pan is hot, sauté the shallots and garlic for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta for 2 minutes or until al dente. Remove from the water and drain. Drizzle with truffle oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble, place a nest of the pasta in the center of the plate. Spoon the mushrooms over the pasta. Drizzle the truffle oil over the mushrooms. Sprinkle the cheese over the mushrooms and shave the truffles over the top. The truffles should be very finely shaved with a knife or truffle shaver. Garnish with chives.

Yield: 4 servings

Cousin Cara's Pasta Pizza
Imagine a hybrid of tomato-less meat pizza, crustless quiche, and noodle casserole. Served warm or at room temperature, this unique dish can be cut from the baking pan in large squares. Break out the paper plates and plastic forks!

• about 1/3 pound elbow pasta
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 4 extra large eggs OR 5 large eggs
• 1 pound ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese, plus extra to sprinkle on top
• 1 1/2 pounds assorted Italian cold cuts (Genoa salami, pepperoni, capicola, sopressata, Italian ham), sliced and chopped into small squares (Think: bite-sized)
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook and drain pasta. Put back in the warm pan and stir in a tablespoon of butter to prevent sticking. Set aside with the lid off to cool.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the ricotta and mix well. Stir in the grated cheese. Add the cooled noodles and the chopped meat. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture into a greased 13" x 9" pan. Sprinkle with olive oil and grated cheese and bake at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 hour or until bubbling and golden brown. Let cool to desired temperature. Cut with a sharp knife into large squares and remove from the pan with a spatula.

Joy's Pesto
Pesto for a crowd. Makes approximately two cups of pesto or enough for 2 lbs of pasta.

• 2 garlic cloves (or more to taste)
• 1 cup of your bestextra virgin olive oil
• 4 cups fresh basil leaves
• 5 tablespoons pignoli (pine) nuts
• generous pinch of cayenne
• 1 cup freshly grated Locatelli romano cheese*

In a food processor fitted with a sharp blade, mince the garlic cloves. Add the next four ingredients and grind to desired consistency (I prefer mine with some texture - it hangs better and looks prettier on the pasta). Add cheese and blend quickly. Place in the bottom of the pasta serving bowl.
Add the hot cooked pasta, toss, and serve IMMEDIATELY with additional grated cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

*For a milder flavor, use half romano and half parmesan. Just make sure it's freshly grated. (Hint: Your food processor is all set up for this recipe. Grate a wedge. If you're still using the Kraft shake bottle, go to your room!)

Pasta Princeton
Editor's Note: What I learned at college: "Necessity is the mother of invention." I invented the following recipe on a starving student's budget. You get your protein (egg and cheese), your carbs (pasta), your green vegetable (peas), and your garlic (garlic). Now I serve it at dinner parties to rave reviews. - Joy

You can fix this in under 15 minutes with a little practice. This can be a one pan, one colander meal. I do suggest you serve it on a plate. Read this recipe through before beginning to cook. (What I also learned at college: "Timing is everything.")

For each serving you will need approximately:

• 1/3 lb of pasta (shells or tubes are nice-- they catch the peas)
• 1/3 cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 small egg, beaten
• a small garlic clove
• 1/2 cup loosely packed, shredded mozzarella or jack cheese
• 1/8 cup grated, good quality Parmesan or Romano and some for the table
• freshly grated black pepper

In a large pot of rapidly boiling and salted water, cook the pasta uncovered and at a good boil. While the pasta is cooking, measure out the rest of the ingredients and have them standing by. Put the colander in the sink. Approximately 4 minutes before the pasta is cooked, be sure the burner is on "high." Stir in the peas, cover the pan, and bring the contents back to a boil as quickly as possible. Once the pot reboils, remove the cover while it continues to cook.

When the pasta is al dente, toss the contents of the pot into the colander (I told you to put it in the sink!). Put the hot pot on a handy surface. Don't worry about the peas. They are still cooking in the hot pasta. While the pasta and peas drain, quickly, and I mean quickly, throw the butter, the garlic clove, and the beaten egg in the still hot but empty pot. Immediately add the steaming pasta and both cheese. Toss like a mad person! Serve with plenty of freshly grated black pepper and a little more of that grated cheese.

Clean up hint: Isn't washing up after melted cheese a challenge? Try rinsing the pan in cold water. Then scrape out as much cheese as possible with a metal spatula onto a paper towel. Put the pot in the dishwasher, top rack, facing down, or wash in extremely hot water. - Joy