Pasta: A Versatile and Economical Food
After a busy day at work, rushing to pick the kids up from the sitter, and running the necessary errands, the last thing anyone feels like doing is spending hours in the kitchen fixing a meal. Also, with the price of groceries rising, steak or pot roast is reserved for special occasions. Consequently, creating tasty meals on a limited budget can be extremely challenging. The question is: what can a person fix that the entire family will enjoy? Answer: pasta. With little time, effort, expense, and the versatility of pasta, the menu will include delectable delights both children and adults will enjoy.
If an individual can boil water, he/she can create delicious pasta dishes. To begin, heat a pot of water, making sure adequate room is available, allowing the pasta to freely boil. A tablespoon of oil will prevent the pasta from sticking together.
If an individual can boil water, he/she can create delicious pasta dishes. To begin, heat a pot of water, making sure adequate room is available, allowing the pasta to freely boil. A tablespoon of oil will prevent the pasta from sticking together.
If desired, add a pinch of salt to bring out the flavor. Generally, pasta needs to cook for approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Avoid overcooking to prevent the pasta from becoming mushy. When the pasta reaches the desired tenderness, immediately remove from heat source and drain into a colander. Now, makes the additional ingredients needed for your favorite dish.
For example, a favorite dish is the ultra-easy standby: spaghetti. If one is feeling especially energetic, he/she may opt to make the sauce from scratch. However, grocery stores have ready-made sauces, in a variety of choices, for every taste. With a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, a loaf of French bread, and the vegetable of choice, a family favorite is ready to consume in 15 minutes or less.
In an effort to make a pound of meat go a little further, pasta is an excellent choice for the main ingredient. With only seven ingredients, an individual can quickly create a delicious main dish the whole family will enjoy. Below is an easy version of chicken with fettuccine Alfredo:
CHICKEN WITH FETTUCINI ALFREDO
1 lb. skinless, boned chicken breasts
2 tbsp. oil or favorite spray shortening
Garlic powder
Milk
Butter
1 pkg. Pasta Prima Alfredo sauce mix
1/2 lb. fettuccini
Cook fettuccini until tender. Cut chicken in strips or cubes. Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder. Sauté in oil for 5 minutes per side until cooked through. Mix Alfredo sauce mix according to package instructions. Mix drained fettuccini with cooked chicken. Pour Alfredo sauce over mixture, toss and serve. Makes 3 generous servings.
Even the pickiest of eaters will appreciate the simple, yet appetizing, variation of a pasta main dish; cook will definitely be thankful for the preparation time; and, the clean up crew will have an easier chore of dish duty. On the off chance any leftovers remain, reheating for an after-school snack is a cinch. Thus, pasta with fettuccini alfredo will likely become a favorite at the dinner table.
Although pasta is an excellent ingredient for a main dish, pasta also makes wonderful salad. Visit any local deli, and macaroni salad will likely be packaged for sale. However, with only nine ingredients, making fresh and tasty macaroni salad at home is easy. Depending on the weather and personal preference, macaroni salad can be served hot or cold, as a main dish or a side salad. Below is one of many easy recipes for macaroni salad:
MACARONI SALAD
4 c. cooked macaroni (shell, elbow, etc.)
2 hard-boiled eggs
1/2 c. diced cheddar cheese
1/4 c. chopped onions
1/4 c. diced sweet pickles
2 tbsp. diced pimentos
1/2 c. mayonnaise or salad dressing
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika
Mix together lightly macaroni, eggs, cheddar cheese, onions, pickles, diced pimentos and mayonnaise
or salad dressing. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle paprika on top. Serve warm or cold.
With a love for pasta and recipes for main dishes, and salads, what more could anyone want? Dessert, of course! No kidding. Although, the following pasta recipe is technically considered a salad, the ingredients speak dessert. With a variety of fruits, juices, sugar, and marshmallows, renaming the recipe Frogeye of Macaroni dessert is definitely a possibility.
FROG EYE OR MACARONI SALAD
Use Cini de Pepe 48 macaroni, if available. Cook about 1/4 pound in boiling salted water with a little oil
until tender. Rinse with cold water. Drain and cool. Mix together:
1-cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2-teaspoon salt
Gradually stir in 2 beaten eggs and 1 1/2 cups fruit juices (pineapple and orange, etc.). Cook and stir
until thickened. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Cool. Drain all fruit well. Any combinations of fruit may be
used.
Pineapple chunks or crushed pineapple
Mandarin oranges
Fruit Cocktail
Peaches - Pears
Maraschino cherries for color
Marshmallows
Add a 9-ounce container of Cool Whip and the cooked dressing. Refrigerate overnight.
In summary, pasta is definitely a family favorite in the majority of households. With a plethora of tempting recipes available in cookbooks and on the Internet, the menu options are endless. From main dishes to desserts, pasta is an excellent way to stretch the family food budget and satisfy even the pickiest eater in the household. Pasta is easy to cook; for many recipes, preparation time is minimal. If the menu is suffering for lack of interest, grab the pasta, add a few simple ingredients, and be ready to serve seconds.
Do you want to use this article? Well you can as long as you do not edit or delete the resource box. Click Here to download.
For example, a favorite dish is the ultra-easy standby: spaghetti. If one is feeling especially energetic, he/she may opt to make the sauce from scratch. However, grocery stores have ready-made sauces, in a variety of choices, for every taste. With a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, a loaf of French bread, and the vegetable of choice, a family favorite is ready to consume in 15 minutes or less.
In an effort to make a pound of meat go a little further, pasta is an excellent choice for the main ingredient. With only seven ingredients, an individual can quickly create a delicious main dish the whole family will enjoy. Below is an easy version of chicken with fettuccine Alfredo:
CHICKEN WITH FETTUCINI ALFREDO
1 lb. skinless, boned chicken breasts
2 tbsp. oil or favorite spray shortening
Garlic powder
Milk
Butter
1 pkg. Pasta Prima Alfredo sauce mix
1/2 lb. fettuccini
Cook fettuccini until tender. Cut chicken in strips or cubes. Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder. Sauté in oil for 5 minutes per side until cooked through. Mix Alfredo sauce mix according to package instructions. Mix drained fettuccini with cooked chicken. Pour Alfredo sauce over mixture, toss and serve. Makes 3 generous servings.
Even the pickiest of eaters will appreciate the simple, yet appetizing, variation of a pasta main dish; cook will definitely be thankful for the preparation time; and, the clean up crew will have an easier chore of dish duty. On the off chance any leftovers remain, reheating for an after-school snack is a cinch. Thus, pasta with fettuccini alfredo will likely become a favorite at the dinner table.
Although pasta is an excellent ingredient for a main dish, pasta also makes wonderful salad. Visit any local deli, and macaroni salad will likely be packaged for sale. However, with only nine ingredients, making fresh and tasty macaroni salad at home is easy. Depending on the weather and personal preference, macaroni salad can be served hot or cold, as a main dish or a side salad. Below is one of many easy recipes for macaroni salad:
MACARONI SALAD
4 c. cooked macaroni (shell, elbow, etc.)
2 hard-boiled eggs
1/2 c. diced cheddar cheese
1/4 c. chopped onions
1/4 c. diced sweet pickles
2 tbsp. diced pimentos
1/2 c. mayonnaise or salad dressing
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika
Mix together lightly macaroni, eggs, cheddar cheese, onions, pickles, diced pimentos and mayonnaise
or salad dressing. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle paprika on top. Serve warm or cold.
With a love for pasta and recipes for main dishes, and salads, what more could anyone want? Dessert, of course! No kidding. Although, the following pasta recipe is technically considered a salad, the ingredients speak dessert. With a variety of fruits, juices, sugar, and marshmallows, renaming the recipe Frogeye of Macaroni dessert is definitely a possibility.
FROG EYE OR MACARONI SALAD
Use Cini de Pepe 48 macaroni, if available. Cook about 1/4 pound in boiling salted water with a little oil
until tender. Rinse with cold water. Drain and cool. Mix together:
1-cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2-teaspoon salt
Gradually stir in 2 beaten eggs and 1 1/2 cups fruit juices (pineapple and orange, etc.). Cook and stir
until thickened. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Cool. Drain all fruit well. Any combinations of fruit may be
used.
Pineapple chunks or crushed pineapple
Mandarin oranges
Fruit Cocktail
Peaches - Pears
Maraschino cherries for color
Marshmallows
Add a 9-ounce container of Cool Whip and the cooked dressing. Refrigerate overnight.
In summary, pasta is definitely a family favorite in the majority of households. With a plethora of tempting recipes available in cookbooks and on the Internet, the menu options are endless. From main dishes to desserts, pasta is an excellent way to stretch the family food budget and satisfy even the pickiest eater in the household. Pasta is easy to cook; for many recipes, preparation time is minimal. If the menu is suffering for lack of interest, grab the pasta, add a few simple ingredients, and be ready to serve seconds.
Do you want to use this article? Well you can as long as you do not edit or delete the resource box. Click Here to download.
