Archive for the ‘PASTA’ Category
Basic Manicotti
This is a basic cheese filled and baked manicotti. I did not boil the noodles first, I filled them dry and they cooked in the sauce. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 box manicotti shells, (14 shells)
- 3 cups Ricotta cheese, or cottage cheese, (24 oz / 1 lb 8 oz / 680 g)
- 250 grams Mozzarella Cheese, shredded, (8 oz)
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 eggs, chicken or duck
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- salt and pepper, as desired, to taste
- 4 cups spaghetti sauce, Shortcut
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the all the Ricotta, Mozzarella, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix together.
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and get out a 9x13 baking dish. Add 1 cup of spaghetti sauce to the bottom of the baking dish and make sure it is spread out.
- Using either a piping bag with a nozzle that will fit inside the end of a manacotti shell, or a small spoon that will fit inside (this is the method I used), pipe the cheese filling into a dry manicotti shell or fill with a small spoon, and place that into the baking dish. Continue to fill shells and arrange in the baking dish.
- Top with remaining spaghetti sauce and sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan cheese.
- As a Variant, sprinkle with some shredded Mozzarella cheese then top with slices of Provolone cheese (recommended and is the method I used).
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes more.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
I will price this when I make it the first time to sort out the ingredient amounts. For now I will say Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Spaghetti Sauce.
Variants: 1. Add onion and or garlic powder to the filling. 2. Add 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg to the filling. 3. Add 1/4 cup Marscapone cheese to the filling. 4. Use a Alfredo sauce instead of a tomato sauce. 5. Sprinkle some shredded Mozzarella cheese on top of the sauce and top that with sliced Provolone (highly recommended).
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Cheeseburger Stuffed Pasta Shells
This sounds really good and easy, on my to cook list and soon. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 20 jumbo pasta shells
- 750 grams ground beef, (1 1/2 lbs)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 cup tomato sauce, Shortcut
- 1/2 cup tomato ketchup
- 1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
Instructions
- Heat a pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta shells. Cook until just tender, drain and rinse under cold water.
- While the shells are cooking, heat a large non stick pan on medium high heat, add the ground beef and onion, cook, breaking up the meat with your spatula, until the beef is no longer pink.
- Drain the fat then mix in the tomato sauce, ketchup, mustard, and pepper. Stir together.
- Add 3/4 cup of the cheese. Stir the cheese in.
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and grease a 7x11 baking dish. Use a teaspoon and fill each shell and arrange in the baking dish until all the shells and filling is used.
- Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Optionally, squirt some ketchup over the shells.
- Serve and enjoy. Add chopped pickles, chopped tomatoes, or shredded lettuce as desired.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcut: Tomato Sauce.
Variants: 1. Top shells with cooked and crumbled bacon before baking. 2. Top each serving with a fried egg.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Stuffed Shells with Italian Sausage
These sound very good, on my to make list, and I will make the Italian sausage as well. As written, this may make as much as two 9x13 baking pans. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 50 jumbo pasta shells, see Step 1, (500 g / 1 lb)
- 500 grams fresh mushrooms, chopped
- 1 kilo bulk Italian sausage, Shortcut
- 500 grams Mozzarella Cheese, shredded, (1 lb)
- 500 grams Cheddar cheese, shredded, (1 lb)
- 100 grams Parmesan cheese, grated, (4 oz)
- 3/4 cup pasta sauce, Shortcut
- 6 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups Cottage cheese, Shortcut
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 egg
Instructions
- For the pasta shells, there is jumbo and regular. Either one would work well, I will verify this when I prepare this.
- Heat a large non stick pan on medium heat and saute the mushrooms until they have released their water and are nicely wilted. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.
- Heat a pot of salted water to a boil, then add the shells. Cook the shells until just tender or slightly before tender, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set the shells aside.
- While the shells are cooking, heat the same non stick pan used for the mushrooms on medium high heat, when hot, add the sausage and break that up as it cooks. Cook the sausage through.
- Once the sausage is cooked through, drain the fat, then add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Mix together and cook for about 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, add HALF of each shredded and grated cheeses and mix those together (reserve the other half of each cheese for a topping to be used later), then add the cooled sausage, cooled mushrooms, all the cottage cheese, bell pepper, and egg. Mix together.
- Using a teaspoon, stuff each shell and arrange in a 9x13 baking dish. When the dish is full, repeat with the second dish.
- Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Cover one or both dishes with foil. You can freeze one dish at this point for use at another time. If you freeze one dish, freeze half of the reserved cheese as well.
- Bake for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and top with the reserved cheeses and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes. If using a frozen dish, no need to thaw, just cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes, then remove the foil and sprinkle with the thawed, reserved cheese.
- Remove the dish from the oven, cover with the foil previously used and let it cool for 10-15 minutes then serve and enjoy.
Notes
I will price this when I prepare it. For now I will say Fair cost per serving based mainly on the cheese used.
Shortcuts: Italian Sausage, Tomato Sauce, Cottage Cheese.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Sausage Stuffed Shells
This was a new recipe for me to prepare as I have never used jumbo pasta shells. This is a simple recipe that is delicious! Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Pan (9x13 inch)
Ingredients
- 22 jumbo pasta shells
- 400 grams smoked sausage, diced, (14 oz)
- 750 grams Ricotta cheese, or cottage cheese, (1½ lb), Shortcut
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley, or 2 cups fresh, chopped
- 1½ cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded, (6 oz / 170 g)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 cups spaghetti sauce, Shortcut
Instructions
- Heat a pot of salted water to boiling then add the pasta shells and cook until just tender. Drain.
- While the pasta is cooking, dice the sausage. Dicing the sausage probably takes the longest time. (The sausage I used was Hillshire Farms that weighed in at 14 oz / about 400 g. The photo shows the type of sausage used and the amount of diced sausage from one link.)
- Preheat your oven to 180° C (350° F) and get out a 9x13 baking pan.
- Add the ricotta or cottage cheese to a mixing bowl, crack in the egg and mix together. Add the basil, oregano, and parsley and mix that in. Then add the Mozzarella and Parmesan and mix that in.
- Now add the diced sausage to the cheese mixture and mix that in.
- Add ¾ cup of the spaghetti sauce to the 9x13 baking dish and spread that evenly over the bottom (tilting and shaking the pan works great). Take a drained pasta shell and fill using about 1½ heaping teaspoons of the filling, place the filled shells in the pan.
- Repeat filling the shells and placing in the dish in order. I could have easily put in 21 shells, 3 rows of 7, but miscounted and I had one break, so the lower left corner I just put the broken shell and excess filling. 22 shells are stated in the ingredients, this is to allow for one breaking during cooking, and if it does not, just go ahead and squeeze that one into one of the rows.
- Take the remaining spaghetti sauce and pour that over the middle of the shells. Bake for 35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and place on the table in the pan and serve family style.
- Spoon onto plates and enjoy with sides of your choice.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Cottage Cheese, Spaghetti Sauce.
One Pot Pasta with Chicken
Sounds tasty, and can be ready in less than 30 minutes. On my to make and taste list. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 500 grams chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, (1 lb)
- salt and pepper, as desired
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, Shortcut
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
- 1 can diced tomatoes, (14.5 oz / 411 g can)
- 3 cups chicken broth, fresh or from powder, and as needed, Shortcut
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 340 grams dry Penne pasta, (12 oz)
- 2/3 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, divided
Instructions
- Dice the chicken into 1/2 inch pieces, and toss the chicken with salt and pepper as desired. Heat the oil in a non stick pan on medium heat, when hot, add the chicken and saute until no longer pink. Do not over cook the chicken or it will be dry and tough. Remove the chicken from the pan and aside.
- To the same pan, add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is tender.
- Once the onion is tender, add the Italian seasoning, parsley, broth, tomatoes, and the cream. Bring mixture to a boil then add the pasta, stir in, and reduce the heat to a simmer to cook the pasta for about 15 minutes or until the pasta is tender. If needed, add another 1/2 cup of broth if the liquid runs out before the pasta is tender.
- After the pasta is tender, mix in the chicken and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.
- Sprinkle the Mozzarella and remaining Parmesan on top and broil for 2-3 minutes to brown and melt the cheese.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Italian Seasoning, Chicken Broth.
Inspired by Spend With Pennies and the link to this recipe is here.
United States.
United States.
Tuna with Cream
Sounds easy and tasty, on my to make and taste list.
Ingredients
- 1 can tuna, drained, (about 8 oz / 250 grams)
- 1 cup whipping cream
- ¼ cup extra light olive oil
- pepper, as desired
- rosemary, as desired
- oregano, as desired
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 150 grams dry spaghetti, (6 oz)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion, peeled, to cook pasta
- salt, as desired
Instructions
- Heat a small pot of water with the butter, peeled onion, and some salt. When boiling, add the pasta and cook until tender. Drain.
- While the water is heating, open and drain the tuna and shred with a fork, set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a non stick pan on low heat, when hot, add the diced onion, cook, stirring often until the onion starts to turn golden brown.
- Then add the tuna and season with pepper, rosemary, and oregano as desired and cook for a few minutes to heat the tuna through.
- Add the drained pasta and cream, toss everything together and cook for a few minutes to heat everything through.
- Remove from heat, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Lo Mein
This is a Chinese dish and this recipe comes from a Chinese friend so this is the authentic way to prepare this. Lo mein can be made with pork, chicken, beef, or just veggies for a vegetarian version. I will state pork in this recipe. If you do not have lo mein noodles, ramen noodles work just as well. Two ways to prepare this, one way is the veggies and meat is served over the noodles, the other way is the noodles are mixed into the veggies and meat before serving.
Ingredients
- 200 grams lo mein noodles, (7 oz)
- 50 grams pork, sliced, (2 oz)
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 5-7 slices fresh ginger
- 1 spring onion, sliced
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- ½ cucumber, cut into strips
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the pork with the corn starch and salt, set aside for 10 minutes. While the pork is marinating, get the rest of the items prepped.
- Heat the oil in a non stick pan, when hot, add the garlic, spring onion, and ginger. Stir fry for a few minutes until fragrant, then add the pork and bell pepper.
- Stir fry until the pork changes color and is no longer pink, then stir in both soy sauces, stir fry for 30 seconds, remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil. Cover and set aside.
- Heat a pot of water to a boil, add the lo mein noodles and boil for 4-5 minutes or until tender, drain. Divide the noodles between 3 serving bowls.
- Divide the strips of cucumbers between the bowls, placing the cucumber on top of the noodles.
- Divide the stir fried pork between the bowls and spoon that over the cucumber strips. Serve and enjoy.
- Alternately, add the cooked noodles to the stir fried veggies and meat, toss to coat with the seasonings.
- Serve as a main dish or as a side.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Variant: 1. This can be prepared as written, meaning the veggies and meat is stir fried and served over the noodles, or you can add the noodles to the pan and stir fry those with the veggies and meat.
Chicken & Broccoli Pasta
Sounds like a great tasting dish, on my to make and taste list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 500 grams dry Penne pasta, or Ziti, (1 lb)
- 500 grams broccoli florets, fresh or frozen, (1 lb)
- 4 cups chicken, boneless, skinless, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, Shortcut
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper, as desired
- extra light olive oil, as needed
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook for 5 minutes then add the broccoli and continue cooking until the pasta is tender, about 5-7 minutes. Drain.
- While the water is heating for the pasta, heat a non stick pan with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, when hot, add the chicken pieces, saute until until no longer pink and just cooked through. Do not over cook the chicken or it may get tough.
- While the pasta and broccoli is draining, add the soup, milk, and cheese to the pot you cooked the pasta and broccoli in and stir to mix together.
- Add the pasta, broccoli, and chicken to the pot, stir to mix into the sauce. Cook on low heat until everything is heated through.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving. I will verify how much chicken is needed for 4 cups when I prepare this.
Shortcut: Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup.
Adapted from a recipe on a pasta package.
Kielbasa Pasta Casserole
I like kielbasa and a good casserole, and this is a delicious win win. This is basically a nicely seasoned spaghetti without the long pasta and made with flavorful kielbasa instead of a meat sauce. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Ingredients
- 500 grams dry ziti pasta, or penne, (1 lb)
- 1 kilo Kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices, (about 2 lbs)
- 1 bell pepper, your choice of color, diced
- 1 1/2 - 2 jars spaghetti sauce, (about 40-54 oz), jars or cans, Shortcut
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, Shortcut
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, divided, Shortcut
- 250 grams Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, (8 oz)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil then cook the pasta until tender, drain.
- After starting the water, preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and get out a 9x13 baking dish.
- Also after the water is starting to heat, heat a non stick pan on medium heat and when hot, add the sliced kielbasa and bell pepper. Brown the sausage, stirring them often. When the sausage is starting to brown, the pepper should be softened.
- After draining the pasta, return it to the same pot, then drain any liquid from the sausage and add to the pasta, and add the spaghetti sauce, oregano, parsley, Italian seasoning, pepper, and 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs to the pasta. Start with less spaghetti sauce than what is stated and add more as desired to your liking. I used 54 oz of sauce which was perfect.
- Mix together then pour into the baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/4 cup of bread crumbs, then the cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is starting to turn golden brown.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Low cost per serving.
Shortcuts: Italian Breadcrumbs, Italian Seasoning, Spaghetti Sauce.
Variant: 1. Add sliced sauteed mushrooms. 2. If using homemade spaghetti sauce, use 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups.
Inspired by Thelma S. of Just A Pinch Recipe Club and her recipe is here. United States.
Chicken with Egg Noodles & Alfredo Sauce
This recipe uses canned chicken and it is very tasty. Feel free to use fresh cooked chicken.
Ingredients
- 2 cans chicken, drained, 15 oz cans
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 225 grams dry wide egg noodles, (8 oz)
- ½ green bell pepper, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- ½ small onion, diced
- 1 jar alfredo sauce, 15 oz jar
- 1½ cups frozen peas, thawed, or 1 can drained
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated, and more for garnish
- salt and pepper, as desired
- fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep the garlic, onion, bell pepper, and measure out the dry egg noodles.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil then add the egg noodles and cook until tender, drain, and cover to keep warm, set aside.
- After you get the noodles started, heat a non stick pan with the olive oil, when hot, add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, saute until softened, then add the chicken.
- Cook the chicken until heated through. Add the Alfredo sauce and peas and stir together. Stir in the Parmesan, taste, and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Drain the egg noodles when tender and add to the sauce and mix together. Garnish with parsley, serve with Parmesan for topping, and enjoy.
Notes
I will add pricing to this when I determine how much chicken I use. For now I will say low cost per serving.
Variant: 1. Add sautéed sliced mushrooms.
