Test Kitchen | Bruschetta Pasta with Balsamic Spinach

I had some stuff in the fridge I needed to use from a week of Italian groceries -- cooked pasta, basil, mozzarella, etc. I really wanted to just gobble down pasta and cheese, but more reasonable brain cells prevailed, and decided it'd be best to add some vegetables to the mix. I was also tired from work, and didn't feel like taking lots of time or making loads of dishes. So, I did this all in one pot. I impressed myself with the yumminess-to-laziness ratio on this one.

Recipe | Riso Parmesan with Mushrooms

The original recipe called for shaved truffles. I decided I don't want to break the bank over dinner, so I make mushroom chips instead. I looks a little like white rice in the picture, but I use riso pasta and it's a very flavorful recipe.

Recipe | Pasta a la Grad School

The basis for this recipe comes from an Italian cookbook, The Food of Italy, that I got from Borders in the bargain section a long time ago. (It was not $65! It wasn't even $15. RIP Borders.) I really like fresh tomato sauce recipes and it's not as difficult and time-consuming as you'd think (especially is you don't spend time peeling and de-seeding the tomatoes).

Yo Mama | Macaroni & Cheese

I love my mom and grandma's macaroni and cheese, and most everyone I know does too. In high school, I once tried to make myself and it came out horrible! I've never made it again for fear of what would come out of the oven. I figured it's time to try again. However, this time I did it under my mother's supervision. I apologize for my worse-than-usual picture quality, I only had my camera phone when I was in LA. It may not look like here, but you'll want to make a pan of it everyday if you can.