Recipes: Pasta for Mother's Day meal

Serves 4.

From JeanMarie Brownson of the Chicago Tribune.

• 1/4 c. olive oil

• 1 large (10-oz.) sweet onion, quartered, thinly sliced

• 1 c. raisins

• 1/2 c. nuts, such as slivered almonds, pecans or cashews

• 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

• 2 broccoli crowns, about 13 oz. total, ends trimmed, stalks peeled

• 1/2 lb. whole-wheat penne pasta

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until richly golden and tender, 6-8 minutes. Stir in raisins, nuts, garlic, salt and pepper flakes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli into 1-inch pieces; add to the skillet. Scoop about 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water into the skillet. Drain the pasta; put into large bowl. Turn the skillet to high; heat everything to very hot, then stir into the pasta. Toss to mix.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories561Fat21 gSodium322 mg

Carbohydrates87 gSaturated fat3 gProtein15 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber10 g

Serves 4.

• 1/2 c. coarse breadcrumbs or panko crumbs

• 1/4 c. olive oil

• 1 large red bell pepper, cored, diced

• 1/2 large lemon

• 1/2 c. sliced or chopped pitted Manzanilla, Kalamata or Castelvetrano olives

• 1/2 lb. bucatini or spaghetti

• 2 (12-oz.) cans solid albacore tuna, drained

• 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add red pepper; cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Grate the zest of the lemon into the peppers, then squeeze in the lemon juice. Stir in olives and capers.

Add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well.

Turn the heat on under the skillet; add the tuna, parsley and black pepper to taste. Heat briefly, breaking tuna into large chunks. Stir in hot pasta. Serve sprinkled generously with the crisp breadcrumbs.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories561Fat19 gSodium567 mg

Serves 4.

We like to use sun-dried tomato and basil flavored chicken sausage or thinly sliced fully cooked Polish sausage. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the leek; it often harbors dirt between its layers. From JeanMarie Brownson.

• 1 oz. dried mushrooms (such as a medley of porcini, shiitake, black, oyster)

• 1/4 c. olive oil

• 1 large leek or red onion, trimmed, halved, thinly sliced

• 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 8 oz. pappardelle pasta (or wide egg noodles or fettuccine)

• 2 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half

• 1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leek; sauté until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in sausage, drained mushrooms and garlic. Cook until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add pasta to boiling water. Cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Meanwhile, add tomatoes to skillet and heat through. Drain pasta; add to skillet. Stir well. Serve topped with the cheese.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories535Fat27 gSodium616 mg