6 easy ways to serve pasta for dinner

Dinner on a busy weeknight means balancing limited cooking time, ingredient availability, dwindling energy, picky children, after-school activities and – of course – homework.

So we understand how it happens. You discover two or three easy pasta dishes that everyone will eat, and you find yourself in the pasta trap: You almost never make any other pasta dish.

We wanted to help spring you from the trap with a half-dozen fresh ideas for serving pasta. None is complicated. All are versatile enough to adapt to what you have. And all can be made with whatever pasta size or shape you’ve got.

1. Caprese: Toss a pint of halved grape tomatoes, 2 cloves minced fresh garlic, a container of pearl-sized fresh mozzarella balls and a handful of torn fresh basil leaves into a pot of drained hot pasta. Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic glaze, salt and black pepper and toss well.

2. Thai peanut: In a blender, combine 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar and a dash of hot sauce. Stir into hot pasta with cooked shrimp, fresh cilantro, green onions, snow peas and crushed peanuts.

3. Spanakopita: Thaw a package of frozen chopped spinach. Drain very well, squeezing out excess water. Stir the spinach into hot pasta with 1 cup ricotta cheese, 1 teaspoon dried oregano and 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese. Season with black pepper and lemon zest.

4. Hawaiian: Stir 1 cup chopped deli ham, 1 can pineapple tidbits (drained), 1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon and 1 cup chopped roasted red peppers into hot pasta. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese.

5. Shepherd: Microwave and peel a large sweet potato. Brown and drain 1 pound of ground lamb in a skillet. Mash the sweet potato and mix together with the lamb, 4 ounces of cream cheese and a small can of corn kernels (drained). Add 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh rosemary, salt, black pepper and hot pasta.

6. Mediterranean blue chicken: Mix 1 cup chopped Kalamata olives, 2 tablespoons chopped capers, 2/3 cup crumbled blue cheese, 4 chopped green onions, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 cup chopped cherry peppers and 2 cups shredded cooked chicken with hot pasta. Stir in the zest and juice of 1 lemon, then drizzle with olive oil.

This story was originally published October 14, 2014 at 3:39 PM.