1 cup whole milk

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

2  teaspoons pepper

1.5 teaspoons salt (plus more for pasta)

1 pound elbow macaroni

1/2 cup of cider vinegar (see note)

4 scallions (thinly sliced)

1 large carrot (peeled and grated)

1 celery rib (finely chopped)

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine milk, mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of table salt. Whisk them together until well combined.

2. In a large pot, bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon of salt and elbow macaroni and cook until very soft for 15 minutes. Drain the pasta and shake to remove excess water and return the pasta to the pot. Slowly add 1/2 cup of cider vinegar, and toss until absorbed. Let it cool for 10 minutes.

3. Add the remaining dressing to the pasta and stir until combined. Next, stir in thinly sliced scallions, grated carrots, and finely chopped celery until well combined. Cover and place in the refrigerator for about an hour until fully chilled. 

Note:  Use filtered apple cider vinegar for this recipe.  If you use Bragg’s unfiltered apple cider vinegar (the one with the mother at the bottom), use only the vinegar that has none of the mother.

Ingredients

4 cups (2 pints) cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
1 pound potato gnocchi
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
A few grinds of black pepper
8 ounces mozzarella cheese (either one large ball cut into 1/2 chunks or cherry-sized balls)
Shaved or grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, add the gnocchi, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir gently so everything is coated and combined.

Prepare a baking sheet with vegetable spray, or use a silicone pad (for easier clean up).

Spread the gnocchi evenly on the prepared sheet pan then add the halved tomatoes with the sliced side down.

Roast about 25 minutes; gnocchi will get a little plump and crispy around the edges, and tomatoes will soften, some will collapse and caramelize.

Remove pan from oven and tip the gnocchi and tomatoes into a large mixing bowl. Toss the mozzarella balls on top of the hot tomato mixture. Drizzle with the additional 1 tablespoon olive oil, and top with some shaved or grated Parmesan cheese. Allow pan to sit for a couple of minutes to let Parmesan soften a bit.

Spoon the mixture into pasta bowls and sprinkle with torn basil and a touch more Parmesan if you wish.

Variation: you can also add other things to the gnocchi prior to serving. I recently added a pound of sautéed Italian chicken sausage to the gnocchi and tomatoes. It is heartier and serves a larger crowd, and the leftovers are great for lunch the next day if there are any leftovers!

Note on the pasta sauce:  you can use your favorite jarred sauce for this recipe.  If you wish, you can also make your own.  The recipe I use for pasta sauce is identical to the recipe I use to make the tomato base for Shrimp and Grits (here) but instead of using cajun seasoning I use either an Italian seasoning mix or an equivalent amount of dry oregano or basil.  For either of these tomato sauces, you can also easily add meat.  About 1 lb of ground beef or your favorite sausage can be browned and added to the sauce and simmered for about 25 minutes on very low heat before using for lasagna.

Ingredients

• 30 oz pasta sauce*
• 2 cups ricotta or cottage cheese
• 2 eggs
• 12 oz. grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 box Jovial brand gluten-free lasagna noodles

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Line two 8×8 pans or one 9×13 pan with foil.
2. Beat the two eggs lightly then mix with the ricotta/cottage cheese.  Set aside.
3. Cover the bottom of the pan with a small amount of the pasta sauce, no more than ½ cup, so the noodles don’t stick to the foil.  Line the pan with dry pasta, keeping the pasta as flat as possible.  Cover the pasta with about ⅓ of the egg/cheese mix. Next, add about ⅓ of the pasta sauce, being sure that the dry pasta is covered with the cheese and pasta sauce so it doesn’t burn or remain dry.  Next, add about ⅓ of the grated mozzarella.
4. Repeat the above step two more times, being sure that no dry pasta is exposed.
5. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for about 45 minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the oven, remove the foil and press the top of the lasagna down firmly to ensure the pasta is immersed in the liquid.
7. Put the uncovered pan back in the oven for 10-15 minutes so the top browns and the cheese is bubbly.

Serves 6. Note:  this recipe can easily be halved.