Baked Penne with Cottage Cheese, Eggplant and Salami

Cottage cheese is having a real moment. And we're happily on board with the craze, discovering new ways this humble ingredient can take recipes from meh to amazing. This hearty baked pasta, a mash-up of antipasti salad favorites (think salami, olives, banana peppers and capers) and plenty of vegetables (cherry tomatoes, eggplant and baby spinach), is pulled together with tangy cottage cheese, which helps keep everything smooth and silky with its high moisture content. And since you bake the raw penne right in the dish, there's no need to bring water to a boil first. It's the perfect weeknight low-lift meal.

Penne alla Vodka

I remember eating penne alla vodka my grandmother would make for me when I was a child growing up in Florence, Italy. This dish brings back the most delicious and comforting memories. I use a good amount of tomato paste in my recipe, which gives the sauce a rich tomato flavor. I also use celery, which is not traditional for alla vodka, but I think it adds so much flavor and gives a very pleasant bite. This sauce is luscious and creamy. Mangiamo!

Whole-Wheat Pasta Salad with Miso-Ginger Dressing

White miso, also known as shiro miso, has a sweet, savory, mild flavor. Use it to add depth of flavor to dressings, sauces, soups and marinades. For this recipe, miso is mixed with soy, vinegar, honey and ginger which makes the perfect, full-flavored, punchy dressing for a colorful pasta salad.