• 1 pound rigatoni pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound assorted mushroom (such as cremini, shiitake or button)
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ½ cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup chopped fresh chives

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium- high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the heat to high. Add the wine and cook for 3 minutes, or until all the liquid evaporates. Add the broth and simmer until the liquid is slightly reduced.

Remove the pan from the heat. Add the mascarpone cheese and stir until creamy. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water, and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the mushroom mixture and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and toss well to coat the pasta, adding the reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Garnish with the chopped chives.

• 1 pound beef tenderloin steaks (see cook's note)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
• ¼ cip olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 pound spaghetti pasta
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves plus ¼ cup chopped
• 1 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• ¾ cup chopped smoked almonds
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Place an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.

Place the steaks on a rimmed baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the herbes de Province on both sides of the steaks and drizzle with olive oil. Roast 10 to 12 minutes for medium. Let the steaks rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board.

Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.

In a food processor, combine the tomatoes and their juice with 2 cups basil leaves, the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the ¼ cup olive oil. Process until the mixture is coarsely chopped.

Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Transfer the cooked pasta to a large serving bowl. Add the tomato mixture and smoked almonds and toss well. If needed, thin out the sauce with a little pasta water and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the Parmesan cheese and chopped basil. Slice the steaks ¼ inch thick and serve alongside the pasta.

Cook's Note : You are looking for steaks that are 1 inch thick. If you don't want to turn on the oven, the steaks can be grilled over medium- high heat in a preheated grill pan or a gas or charcoal grill for about 5 minutes on each side.

• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 (2 inch) red or green jalapeno pepper, stemmed and coarsely chopped (see cook's note)
• 2 cups (8 ounces) grated Asiago cheese plus ½ cup (2 ounces) shaved
• 2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
• 2 cups (3 ounces) baby spinach
• 3 cups (3 ounce) arugula
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 pound fusilli

In a food processor, combine the walnuts, garlic, jalapeno, grated cheese, salt and pepper. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add the spinach and arugula and process until blended. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the past and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Transfer the cooked pasta to a large serving bowl and add the pesto. Toss well. If needed, thin out the sauce with a little pasta water and season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with the Asiago cheese shavings and serve.

Cook's Note : If you prefer a milder pesto, remove the seeds from the jalapeno pepper before you chop it.