Archive for the ‘PASTA’ Category
Bobby's Macaroni & Tomatoes
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.
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).
Lasagna, Shortcut Style
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Pan (7x11 inch)
Ingredients
- 500 grams ground beef, (1 lb)
- 3½ cups canned tomatoes, with juice
- 1 cup seasoned tomato sauce
- 1-2 packets dry spaghetti sauce mix
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 226 grams dry lasagna noodles, (8 oz)
- 226 grams Mozzarella cheese, thin sliced, (8 oz)
- 1 cup cottage cheese, Shortcut
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Brown the beef in a large saucepan, cook until no longer pink. Drain off excess fat.
- Add the next 4 ingredients and stir together. Cover and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with salt as desired.
- Cook the noodles in a pot of boiling salted water until just tender. Drain, rinse under cold water, drain.
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F), get out a 7x11 inch baking pan.
- Place ½ the noodles in the bottom of the baking pan.
- Cover noodles with ⅓ of the sauce.
- Cover sauce with ½ of the Mozzarella.
- Cover the Mozzarella with ½ of the cottage cheese.
- Repeat the layers, ending with remaining sauce.
- Top with Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes after removing from oven.
- Cut into squares, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Fair cost based on the cheese.
Shortcut: Cottage Cheese.
Baked Lasagna
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
Ingredients
- 500 grams bulk Italian sausage, or pork sausage, (1 lb), Shortcut
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley, crushed
- 1 tablespoon dried basil, crushed
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 can whole tomatoes, (16 oz / 454 g / 2 cups)
- 2 cans tomato paste, (6 oz / 170 g each)
- 280 grams dry lasagna noodles, (10 oz)
- 3 cups cottage cheese, Shortcut
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley, crushed
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 500 grams Mozzarella cheese, thin sliced, (1 lb)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, add the sausage and brown until no more pink is visible, pour off fat.
- Add the next 6 ingredients. Stir together. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes to blend flavors, stir occasionally.
- Cook the noodles in a pot of boiling salted water until just tender. Drain, rinse under up cold water, drain.
- In a mixing bowl, add the cottage cheese, eggs, seasonings, salt, pepper, parsley, and Parmesan cheese. Mix together.
- Preheat your oven to 190° C (375° F), get out a 9x13 inch baking pan.
- Place ½ the noodles in the bottom of the baking pan.
- Spread ½ the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles.
- Add ½ the Mozzarella slices over the cottage cheese.
- Spread ½ the meat sauce over the Mozzarella slices.
- Repeat the layers.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes for the filling to start to set up.
- Cut into squares, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
This is borderline between Fair and High cost per serving based on the cheese used, but with 12 servings, that stretches it out pretty good. The cottage cheese shortcut will certainly save you money, and it is easy.
Shortcuts: Italian Sausage, Cottage Cheese.
Mushroom Pasta Sauce
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup canned mushrooms, sliced, with liquid
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1½ cups tomato juice, (concentrated if you find it), Shortcut
- 1½ cups water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
- hot cooked pasta, of your choice, for serving.
Instructions
- Drain the mushrooms and reserve liquid.
- In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic, cook until tender but not browned.
- Add the parsley, mushroom liquid, tomato juice, water, and seasonings. Simmer 35 minutes uncovered, or until desired consistency is reached.
- Prepare pasta of your choice while sauce is simmering.
- Stir in the mushrooms.
- Serve over hot cooked pasta, enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Tomato Juice.
Fine Spaghetti with Green Sauce
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list.
Ingredients
- 280 grams dry thin spaghetti, (10 oz)
- 2 tablespoons dried basil
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 226 grams cream cheese, softened, (8 oz / 1 block)
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus additional for serving.
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅔ cup boiling water
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water, until just tender, do not over cook. Drain.
- In a heatproof mixing bowl, add the butter, basil, and parsley, and cream together.
- Mix in the cream cheese.
- Mix in the Parmesan, olive oil, garlic, and black pepper.
- Add the boiling water and mix together well.
- Serve sauce over the hot pasta, enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Italian Meat Sauce
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- ½ cup onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 500 grams ground beef, (1 lb)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅔ cup canned mushrooms, sliced, with liquid
- 2 cans whole tomatoes, (16 oz / 454 g each / 4 cups)
- 2 cups tomato sauce, Shortcut
- 1 can tomato paste, (6 oz / 170 g)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon MSG
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup water
- 1 recipe Italian Green Noodles, or hot cooked spaghetti, Link in Notes
Instructions
- In a pot, heat the oil, add onion and cook until almost tender.
- Add beef and garlic. Brown beef until almost no pink remains.
- Add mushrooms and cook for a few minutes.
- Stir in remaining ingredients.
- Simmer uncovered for 2-2½ hours or until thick. Remove the bay leaf.
- Serve over Italian Green Noodles or hot cooked spaghetti. Enjoy.
Notes
Italian Green Noodles
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list.
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup spinach, cooked, drained
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Add the flour and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk together.
- Add the eggs and spinach to a blender, pulse for 10 seconds.
- To the flour, add the egg and spinach mixture, and the butter. Mix together well.
- Place dough on a flour surface and gently kneed for 30 seconds. Cut dough in half.
- Roll out each piece of dough very thin. Let stand for about 45 minutes. You do not want the dough sticky, or too dry.
- Roll up each piece like a jelly roll, cut ¼ inch slices.
- Heat a pot of salted water to boiling. Add noodles and cook 8-10 minutes.
- Rinse with hot water, drain.
- Use in recipes calling for green noodles. Enjoy.
Notes
Used in Recipes Listed on this Site:
Spaghetti & Meatballs
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cans whole tomatoes, (16 oz / 454 g each / 4 cups)
- 2 cans tomato paste, (6 oz / 170 g each)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
- 1 recipe Italian Meatballs, Link in Notes
- hot cooked spaghetti
Instructions
- In a pot, heat the olive, add the onion and garlic, cook until tender but not browned.
- Add the next 8 ingredients. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Prepare meatballs during this time.
- Add the meatballs to the sauce, simmer for another 30 minutes. Prepare the spaghetti during this time.
- Serve sauce and meatballs over the spaghetti, enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Additional recipe: Italian Meatballs.
Savory Beef & Spaghetti
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. This recipe sounds very good, on my to make and taste list. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 500 grams round steak, or any cut of beef, cut into ¾ inch cubes, (1 lb)
- all-purpose flour, as needed
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1⅓ cups mushrooms, sliced, canned or fresh sautéed
- 1 cup sour cream, Shortcut
- 1 can condensed tomato soup, (10½ oz / 298 g), Shortcut
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3-4 drops hot pepper sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- dash black pepper
- 200 grams dry spaghetti, for serving, (7 oz)
- Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving
Instructions
- Roll beef cubes in flour. Heat the oil in a large non stick pan, when hot, brown the beef.
- Add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms with their liquid. Stir into the beef.
- In a mixing bowl, add the sour cream, soup, and seasonings. Mix together.
- Pour mixture over the beef. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Just before the sauce is ready, cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until tender, drain.
- Serve sauce over the spaghetti, top with Parmesan as desired, enjoy.
Notes
Fair cost per serving as you could use any cut of beef to prepare this.
Shortcuts: Sour Cream, Condensed Tomato Soup.
Bowtie Pasta with Meat Sauce
This recipe is from a cookbook titled Casserole Cook Book by Better Homes & Gardens, printed in 1961. Any bite size pasta will work with this, such as macaroni, shells, or spirals. I made this on 9 Feb 2023, easy to put together, common ingredients, and delicious. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Notes section.
Ingredients
- 340 grams ground beef, (¾ lb / 12 oz)
- 113 grams bulk pork sausage, (¼ lb / 4 oz), Shortcut
- ¼ cup onion, diced
- ¼ cup celery, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, drained, (16 oz / 454 g each / 4 cups)
- 1 can tomato paste, (6 oz / 170 g)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus additional for serving
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt, or as desired
- ½ teaspoon MSG, optional
- 170 grams dry bowtie pasta, or any bite size pasta, such as macaroni, shells, or spirals, (6 oz)
Instructions
- Lightly brown beef and sausage in a large non stick pan. Add onion, celery, and garlic. Mix together and cook until vegetables are tender, pour off excess fat.
- Add remaining ingredients except the pasta.
- Stir together, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 1 to 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.
- About 20 minutes before serving, cook the pasta in boiling salted water until tender, drain.
- Serve sauce over hot pasta, with Parmesan for topping. Enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Bulk Pork Sausage.
Variants: 1. Use 500 grams ground beef in place of the beef and pork mixture. 2. Any bite size pasta works for this.
Updated on 9 February 2023.
