Archive for the ‘PASTA’ Category
Ham & Sour Cream Casserole
September 5, 2023 Lee
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Ham & Sour Cream Casserole

Meals with Margaret, Margaret, United States.
This is an easy and delicious casserole to put together. I made this on 4 Sep 2023, and the family and I really enjoyed this.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams dry macaroni, (1 lb)
  • 500 grams sour cream, (1 lb)
  • 3 eggs
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 500 grams ham, cubed, (1 lb)
  • 2 cups frozen peas
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), get out a 9x13 baking dish.
  • Heat a pot of salted water to boiling, then add the macaroni and cook until almost tender, drain.
  • While the macaroni is cooking, add the sour cream, eggs, pepper, and nutmeg to a mixing bowl and mix together.
  • To the mixing bowl, add the cubed ham and peas and mix together.
  • Heat the oil in a non stick pan, when hot, add the onion and garlic, sauté until onion is softened. Drain any oil, then add the onion to the mixing bowl and mix in.
  • When the pasta is cooked and drained, add the sour cream mixture to the macaroni and mix together.
  • Pour mixture into the 9x13 baking dish and spread out evenly.
  • Top with the Cheddar cheese evenly.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is just starting to brown.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Fair cost per serving based on the ham, sour cream, and Cheddar used.
Updated on 4 September 2023.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,PASTA,PORK
Missouri Goulash
September 3, 2023 Lee
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Missouri Goulash

Just a Pinch Recipe Club, Joey Wolk, United States.
This is an easy and tasty goulash, comes together quickly and is a filling meal. I made this on 2 Sep 2023, well liked the Thai family and I.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups dry elbow macaroni
  • 750 grams ground pork, or beef, (1½ lb)
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 cans cut green beans, drained, or 3 cups fresh, cooked, drained
  • 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • salt and black pepper, as desired
  • Cheddar cheese, shredded, for serving, as desired

Instructions
 

  • Heat a pot of salted water to a boil, then add the macaroni and cook until just tender, drain.
  • While the macaroni is cooking, heat a non stick pan, when hot, add the diced onion and ground pork or beef, cook, breaking up the meat and stirring often and seasoning as desired with salt and pepper during cooking, until the meat is cooked through and the onion softened, drain excess fat.
  • Using the same pot the macaroni was cooked in, add the cooked pork or beef, beans, and soup to the drained macaroni.
  • Stir together.
  • Add the sour cream and mix together, taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
  • Spoon goulash onto plates, top with shredded Cheddar cheese as desired, enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving if using ground pork.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,BEEF,PASTA,PORK
Cheese Cannelloni
June 18, 2023 Lee
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Cheese Cannelloni

Spend with Pennies, Holly, Canada.
I made this on 18 Jun 2023, well beyond expectations! The family and I absolutely loved this dish. The recipe now reflects my slight changes, basically used more cheese and more sauce. More cannelloni tubes will be ordered again, soon! This dish is easy to prepare and is highly recommended. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Piping Bag , not required but helpful.
  • Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
  • Foil
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 12-18 dry cannelloni tubes, oven ready
  • 3 cups pasta sauce, jarred or homemade, your choice
  • 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded

For the Filling

  • 2 cups cottage cheese, (a 450 gram container / 14 oz works well), Shortcut
  • 1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry, (10 oz / 285 g)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), get out a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  • To a mixing bowl, add the Filling ingredients.
  • Mix together.
  • In another mixing bowl, add the pasta sauce then add ⅓ cup water and mix together.
  • Scoop out ½ cup sauce and add to the bottom of the baking pan, spread out evenly by gently shaking the pan.
  • Add the filling mixture to a piping bag or a zip lock bag with a corner cut off, fill each cannelloni tube, and place in the pan in the a single layer.
  • Pour the remaining pasta sauce over the cannelloni tubes.
  • Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
  • Remove the foil, sprinkle the dish with cheese.
  • Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

High cost per serving.
Shortcut: Cottage Cheese.
Updated on 18 June 2023.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,: ITALIAN,PASTA
Ricotta Gnocchi
June 14, 2023 Lee
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Ricotta Gnocchi

Just a Pinch Recipe Club, Family Favorites, United States.
This recipe comes from a good friend and it is excellent gnocchi, family and I loved this. Serve with your favorite sauce, we used a Prego canned mushroom carbonara. One thing I did change was I used my homemade cottage cheese and just strained it more so I had the consistency of ricotta, worked perfectly. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Baking Sheet

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams ricotta cheese, (15-17 oz is fine, about 2 cups), Shortcut
  • ¾-1 cup all-purpose flour, start with ¾ cup
  • 1¼ cups Parmesan cheese, shaker can type works fine
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Get out a baking sheet and lightly spread some flour on it, you will use this to set the cut gnocchi on.
  • Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. For the flour, add just ¾ cup at first, add more as needed, a little at a time. If you get the mixture too dry, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time to get the proper consistency.
  • Mix together until blended and forms a ball, the dough is soft.
  • Flour your work surface, turn out dough to the work surface, if sticky, lightly flour the dough. Cut the dough into thirds.
  • Use ⅓ of the dough and roll into a rope, about 1 to 1½ inches wide. Cut the rope into 1 inch or so lengths.
  • Place the pieces on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Repeat until all the dough is rolled and cut, and placed on the sheet. If you are not going to cook this right now, cover the sheet with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until you are ready to cook.
  • When you are ready to cook the gnocchi, heat a pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Carefully add ⅓ of the gnocchi to the pot, stir briefly to prevent sticking together or to the bottom. Boil for 3-5 minutes or until they float. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain.
  • Top with your favorite pasta sauce, and serve with sides of your choice, enjoy.

Notes

High cost per serving based on the cheeses used.
Shortcut: Cottage Cheese.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,: ITALIAN,PASTA
Cincinnati Chili
May 15, 2023 Lee
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Cincinnati Chili

Spend with Pennies, Holly, Canada.
This sounds like an authentic Cincinnati Chili recipe, on my to make and taste list very soon.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 750 grams ground beef, lean, (1½ lb)
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 1½ tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 bay leaf

For Serving

  • hot cooked spaghetti
  • Cheddar cheese, shredded, optional
  • onion, diced, optional
  • beans, kidney or chili beans

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a large pot, when hot, add the onion and cook until softened and translucent. While the onion is cooking, get everything else measured out and ready.
  • To the pot, add the remaining ingredients.
  • Bring to a boil then reduce heat and just simmer on low for 2 hours to thicken the sauce, stirring occasionally. Remove any fat that floats to the top.
  • When the sauce has thickened and you are ready to serve, remove the bay leaf. Cook your spaghetti according to package directions, and if serving with cheese, onion, and or beans, go ahead and get all of those ready.
  • To serve, ladle sauce over hot cooked spaghetti, then optionally top with beans, onion, and shredded cheese as you desire. Enjoy.

Notes

Beef would be the most expensive part of this dish, cheese would also add to the per serving cost, but for 6 serving, this is probably a Fair cost per serving.
* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,BEEF,PASTA
Chicken Nugget Bake
February 26, 2023 Lee
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Chicken Nugget Bake

Lee
An easy casserole with simple ingredients, this is the slimmed down version of Chicken Nugget Casserole II. And it is delicious!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo frozen chicken nuggets, you will not use them all, (2 lb)
  • 2 cups pasta sauce, Shortcut
  • 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • hot cooked spaghetti, as desired, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter.
  • Place frozen chicken nuggets in the prepared dish in a single layer.
  • Pour the pasta sauce over the nuggets and spread out evenly.
  • Sprinkle the cheese over the sauce.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the cheese is starting to brown on top.
  • While the casserole is baking, cook spaghetti or pasta of your choice, until tender, drain.
  • Serve casserole spooned over hot pasta, and a vegetable for a great meal. Enjoy.

Notes

Fair cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Feel free to use more sauce and or cheese as desired. 
Shortcut: Pasta Sauce.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,Chicken - Nuggets,PASTA
Macaroni Ham Casserole
December 12, 2022 Lee
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Macaroni Ham Casserole

Adapted from an internet recipe.
I made this on 12 Dec 2022 to test out the recipe, and wow, is this good! The Thai family really enjoyed this. Easy to prepare and common ingredients. Tailored to my findings.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Casserole (3 quart)
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 250 grams dry macaroni, (8 oz)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ½ cup onion, diced
  • ¼ cup red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cups ham, diced
  • 1 can condensed creamy chicken mushroom soup
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions
 

  • Heat a pot of salted water to a boil, then added the macaroni and cook until just tender.
  • Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), grease a 3 quart casserole with butter.
  • Melt the butter in a non stick pan, when hot, add the onion and bell pepper. Sauté until just softened. Add the diced ham and cook until ham is warmed through. I did not have a bell pepper so I just omitted that.
  • When the macaroni is just tender, drain and return to the pot, add the ham mixture, soup, milk, and parsley.
  • Mix together. Pour mixture into the prepared casserole.
  • Bake for 30 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with the Cheddar cheese.
  • Continue to bake until cheese is melted and just starting to brown, about 15 minutes.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Updated on 12 December 2022.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CASSEROLES,PASTA
Chicken Nugget Spaghetti Bake
July 4, 2022 Lee
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Chicken Nugget Spaghetti Bake

Adapted from an internet recipe.
This is an excellent way to serve chicken nuggets. I made this on 21 Nov 2022, and adjusted the ingredients based on the family comments, and the updated ingredients are are updated.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams dry spaghetti, (1 lb)
  • 4-5 cups pasta sauce, Shortcut
  • 500 grams frozen chicken nuggets, thawed, (1 lb)
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, or as desired

Instructions
 

  • Heat a pot of salted water to boiling. Add the spaghetti and cook until just tender, drain well.
  • Just before the spaghetti is done, preheat your oven to 180° (350° F), get out a 9x13 baking pan.
  • After the spaghetti is drained, add to the baking dish.
  • Add 2-3 cups of pasta sauce and mix together. Spread out evenly.
  • Top the spaghetti with the chicken nuggets in an even layer.
  • Drizzle another 1-2 cups of sauce over the nuggets, then sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
  • Top with Mozzarella cheese, be generous.
  • Bake for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is starting to brown.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Fair cost per serving based on the cheese used.
Shortcut: Pasta Sauce.
Updated on 21 November 2022.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Fair Value $1.01 to $1.50 per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,Chicken - Nuggets,PASTA
Bonnie’s Almost Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup
March 13, 2022 Lee
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Bonnie's Almost Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup

Just a Pinch Recipe Club, Bonnie, United States.
This is nothing short of best soup I have ever made, hands down. I made this on 12 Mar 2022 and it is delicious, highly recommended. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 1 cup carrots, diced
  • 4 cups chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cooked and cubed, (I used 4 chicken breasts, perfect)
  • 2½ quarts chicken broth, (10 cups), Shortcut
  • 2 teaspoons chicken broth powder
  • 1 cup spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • salt, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Heat the butter in a large saucepan, when hot, add the onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté until the onion is translucent and softened.
  • Add remaining ingredients and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the spaghetti and cook until pasta is done, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with salt as desired.
  • Ladle into bowls, serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Chicken Broth (Pressure Cooker). This also provides the cooked chicken.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,CHICKEN & TURKEY,PASTA
Bobby’s Macaroni & Tomatoes
February 2, 2022 Lee
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Bobby's Macaroni & Tomatoes

Just a Pinch Recipe Club, Bobby, United States.
This is from a friend in the Just a Pinch Recipe Club, and is slightly modified from his original based on items available here in Thailand. Lot of possibilities here. I made this again on 25 Mar 2022 and used a variant, I added browned ground beef and green bell pepper, delicious! And family approved.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 250 grams dry elbow macaroni, (8 oz)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, (565 g / 20 oz)
  • 1½ teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
  • salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cook the macaroni in a pot of salted boiling water until tender, then drain.
  • Return the macaroni to the same pot and stir in the butter. Then add all remaining ingredients.
  • Stir everything together and place on medium low heat, and simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to mix.
  • Serve and enjoy.
  • Here I made the recipe as stated then I browned ground beef (500 grams/1 lb) along with a diced green bell pepper and mixed that, it takes this dish up a notch, delicious! This will be my preferred way to prepare this from now on.

Notes

Low cost per serving with original recipe, adding the variants can make this a fair cost per serving dish.
Variants: 1. Add sliced hot dogs, cubed ham, sliced and sautéed sausage, cooked shrimp, browned ground beef or pork (brown the meat with an onion or bell pepper for additional flavor).
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,PASTA,VEGETARIAN