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Dinner on a budget: Pasta with mushrooms and citrus-beet salad

A citrusy beet salad and mushroom pasta show off just what cold-weather fruits and vegetables can do.
/ Source: TODAY

Chef and television personality Frankie Celenza is joining TODAY to share a couple of his favorite budget-friendly seasonal recipes. He shows us how to make a citrus and beet salad with walnuts and homemade cavatelli pasta with mushrooms and sage.

Beets, Citrus, Cheese and Walnuts

I've always loved beets. Their color is incredible and their flavor is deep, sweet and peppery. This "salad," which can be served warm or cold, is a celebration of wintertime fruits and veg, which saves money if you make it this winter. It's tasty, filling, healthy and elegant, sure to elevate so many main dishes.

Cavatelli with Mushrooms and Sage

Mushrooms are wonderful and there are so many varieties widely available now, sometimes even sold as a "chef's medley." I say get 'em, especially in the colder moths, buy them whole so that they're not dried out and cut them yourself. This will maintain their structural integrity so that you can enjoy the wonderful texture of mushrooms in addition to earthy flavors.

Of all the pastas, this one is among the easiest to make at home. Fine semolina flour is all you need to find, and you'll be on your way to a great shape. Cavatelli means "little hollows" which is exactly what these look like. They're perfect for grabbing sauce or butter.

If you like those cold-weather entertaining recipes, you should also try these:

Lidia Bastianich's Winter Salad