For crunch, toss breadcrumbs on your pasta (photo © Monkey Business | Fotolia).

In southern Italy, toasted breadcrumbs, instead of grated cheese, are often sprinkled over pasta. You don’t even need a sauce for this authentic recipe—just toss the pasta in extra virgin olive oil.

The custom survives in the U.S. largely as macaroni and cheese topped with toasted breadcrumbs.

Yesterday, we lunched on a delicious lobster mac & cheese, topped with breadcrumbs, from Hancock Gourmet Lobster Company. But you don’t have to go so upscale to enjoy your mac & cheese with a crunchy top.

Whether for mac & cheese or another pasta dish, simply buy gourmet seasoned breadcrumbs or make your own. If you make them, experiment with favorite seasonings. Garlic, parsley, lemon zest and Parmesan are classic; but you can try cayenne, chili or other flavors you especially enjoy.

We prefer to use seasoned panko, the wonderful Japanese breadcrumbs. You can get a set of five different flavors of panko breadcrumbs—Garlic, Mustard, Southwest and Teriyaki, plus Unseasoned, from Iron Chef. They’re certified kosher.

Why not offer guests both breadcrumbs and grated cheese with their pasta: Who says you can’t have both?

Find more pasta recipes using the pull-down menu at the right.

Try rice chips, made of two whole grains: brown rice and corn.

We love them so much, we can’t stop eating them.

There are six flavors, from sweet Baked Cinnamon to Salsa Fresca, Sea Salt, Sweet Chili and Tangy BBQ. While we heartily devoured every flavor, the standout is Parmesan.

Beyond snacking from the bag and dipping, the chips can be served instead of crackers and bread alongside soups and salads. Crumbled, they make “croutons” and crusts.

The chips are gluten-free, vegan and certified kosher.

• Read more in the full review…then get some!
• Find more of our favorite salty snacks in our Gourmet Snacks Section.

Brown rice makes a healthy yet absolutely
delicious chip. Photo by Katharine
Pollak | THE NIBBLE.

One of our favorite whole grain and
multigrain pancake mixes. Photo by
Hannah Kaminsky | THE NIBBLE.

You’ll love them even more if you win this week’s Gourmet Giveaway prize from Allens Hill Farm. It was one of the favorites we tasted of 99 different whole grain and multigrain pancake and waffle mixes (read the entire review).

This week’s winner will receive a pancake and waffle gift box, which includes three delicious pancake mixes, one Belgian waffle mix and apple syrup. The 8 Grain Buttermilk Pancake Mix was among the best whole grain and multigrain pancake mixes we tried. Read more about it. Retail value: Approximately $33.00.

• To Enter This Gourmet Giveaway: Go to the box at the bottom of the first page of our Pancake Glossary and click to enter your email address for the prize drawing. This contest closes on Monday, October 4th at noon, Eastern Time. Good luck!
• For more information about Allens Hill Farm, visit AllensHillFarm.com.