Cookthink

Tortellini With Broccoli, Kalamata Olives And Parmesan

This dish, which can be made with fresh or frozen cheese tortellini, was inspired by Brys' year in Rome. Read more about this recipe at the Cookthink blog.

Balkan Plum Dumplings

Fall is the season of the small, dusky purple Italian prune plum, or sljiva. Dumplings made from pitted plums can be served with Turkish coffee -- or with plum brandy, otherwise known as sljivovica, or slivovitz. Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.

Simple Spaghetti And Meatballs

This is Claire's grandmother's classic spaghetti and meatballs recipe. She always made twice the meatballs she needed, because inevitably a few would get swiped from the pot before dinner. If you have any meatballs left, make a meatball sub the next day.

Bulgur And Lentil Pilaf With Fava Beans

The combination of bulgur and lentils makes this a satisfying dish on its own; cherry tomatoes, fava beans, mint and fennel inject lighter accents. Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.

Spaghetti With Clams, Chardonnay, Lime and Cilantro

One helping of this fresh, flavorful dish and you won't go back to clam sauce made with canned clams and dried herbs. Read more about this recipe on the Washington Post.

Savory Black Beans

This recipe will feed a small army. If you want, cut the recipe in half, or use the extra beans for other dishes -- quesadillas, burritos, or alongside a meat dish. This recipe is part of Andrew Schloss's Sunday Dinners.

Egg Noodles With Peas And Parmesan

In the world of pasta sauces, it's hard to think of an easier and more universally appealing sauce than butter. Peas and parmesan are a great combination of sweet and salty.

Sweet Red Bean Paste

You can buy ready-made red bean paste, but if you can find dry red adzuki beans at an Asian market, it isn't difficult to make your own. (Do not substitute kidney beans.) Use the paste to fill steamed buns. Read more about this recipe at Coconut & Lime.

Creamy Fettuccine With Smoked Salmon, Cucumber And Capers

Like a deconstructed tea sandwich, this surprising pasta dish combines crunchy cucumber with smoky salmon and rich cream. This recipe is part of Andrew Schloss's Sunday Dinners.

Pumpkin Ravioli With Mustard Greens And Parmesan

In this simple fall-flavored pasta dish, rich pumpkin ravioli is balanced with sautéed mustard greens and a savory dose of parmesan.

Whole Wheat Rotini With Mushrooms, Cannellini Beans And Green Onions

This is a simple, umami-rich whole grain pasta fortified with sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes, green onions and cannelini beans. Penne would work here too, but the rotini does a nice job of grabbing and holding on to the sauce.

Pumpkin Gnocchi With Sage Butter And Parmesan

Since pumpkin contains so much more water than sweet potatoes, you'll need to cook it down to a thick purée before incorporating the flour. If you don't have pumpkin, the same amount of just about any winter squash will work -- and will take less time.