Inexpensive pasta ideas....?

Question

i love pasta and im trying to watch how much i spend at the grocery store. any ideas? thanks!

Answer 1

Try this, you may even have some of the ingredients already on hand at home.

1 medium zuchinni (diced)

4 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 can of crushed tomatoes (the kind with italian seasonings)

some chicken broth about 2/3 cup

thin spaghetti or fettucine

Butter

1 small onion diced

  Cook onions and garlic in a non-stick skillit until they soften...add zuchini and  cook until tender.   In the same skillit, add tomatoes, and chicken broth... cover and let simmer.... Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente..... drain and add the butter to the pasta, add the cheese liberally (don't be shy, but remember you can add a little more to your own plate)     once the noodles are buttered, toss with the tomato Zuchinni mixture... eat immediatly!  

Please forgive my spelling!

Answer 2

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes, Basil, and Onions

1/2 cup olive oil

2 pounds tomatoes, chopped

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound mozzarella, cubed

basil to taste, chopped (start with 3/4 cup or so)

salt to taste

1 pound fettuccini, sea shell, or other pasta

Put the olive oil, tomatoes, onion, mozzarella, basil, and salt in a bowl and mix together. Let stand at room temperature an hour or so.

Cook the pasta and drain, then stir into the tomato mixture.

Variation: Use cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella. Add some chopped parsley and crushed red pepper. Omit the pasta, cut down on the cheese, and serve it as a tomato salad on the side!

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Olio e Aglio Pasta

(Angel Hair with Oil and Garlic)

This is a great easy side dish. Some people anchovy paste to it but we like it plain.

8 ounces angel hair pasta

1/4 olive oil

2 -3 large cloves of garlic, minced

Grated Parmesan cheese

Boil the water for the pasta and heat the oil in a small pan. When the water boils and you add your pasta, stir it quickly so it doesn't stick.

Add the minced garlic to the oil. Do not overheat or the garlic will taste bad. You just want it softened and warmed.

Drain the pasta. Mix with the oil and garlic and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

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Orzo

This is a great easy starchy side dish. Orzo is tiny pasta, about the size of rice grains. This is a plan version but you could easily jazz it up with some extras. I learned this way to cook it from How to Cook Without a Book.

1 quart water

1/2 pound orzo (1 1/3 cups)

1 tsp salt

2 Tbs olive oil or butter

1/4 cup or more grated Parmesan

black pepper to taste

Bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and salt and stir. Cook uncovered 8-9 minutes, until the orzo is soft and has absorbed most of the water. Add the butter or oil, cheese, and pepper to taste. Stir and serve.

Note: if you don't want to measure, just cook orzo in a bit pot of water like you would other pasta and then drain it. The directions are sure to be on the package.

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Pasta and Ricotta Cheese

A kid-favorite that's much easier than macaroni and cheese!

1 cup ancini di pepe pasta (or other small pasta)

2 tsp butter

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Answer 3

Square Spaghetti

8 ounces vermicelli

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup milk

1 (14 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

4 ounces sliced pepperoni

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and place in a large mixing bowl.

Combine egg and milk. Pour over pasta and mix well.

Coat a 13 x 9-inch pan with non-stick vegetable spray. Pour pasta mixture into pan. Cover pasta with spaghetti sauce. Layer pepperoni over sauce and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

Cut into squares to serve.

Swiss Spaghetti

Yield: 4 Servings

1 lb Ground beef

2 c Tomato, canned

4 tb Butter

1 Onion, chopped, medium

Green pepper, chopped

1 1/2 ts Salt

1/2 ts Pepper

3/4 lb Swiss cheese, cubed

1 lb Spaghetti, cooked

1/2 c Swiss cheese, grated

In saucepan melt butter and saute' onion and green pepper, about 5

minutes. Add beef and cook over high heat until brown. Add tomatoes,

salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Add cubed cheese and cook 5

minutes. Add spaghetti and toss. Serve with grated cheese.

Favorite Chicken Tetrazzini

4 tablespoons margarine

2 onions, chopped

1 medium bell pepper, chopped

1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes

4 tablespoons chili powder

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

3/4 cup sharp cheese, shredded

1 pint light cream

Pinch of baking soda

1 (4 to 6 pound) chicken

16 ounces thin spaghetti, cooked

Sauté margarine, onion and pepper. Add tomatoes and seasonings. Cook slowly until sauce thickens; add cheese and light cream with a pinch of baking soda, cooking a little longer.

Boil chicken. Cool, then pull pieces from chicken.

Butter large casserole and line with part of the cooked spaghetti. Layer chicken, tomato sauce, more spaghetti and cheese. Continue until all is used, ending with sauce and topped with cheese. Freezes well.

Yields 8 servings.

Pizza Hut Cavatini (copycat)

1/4 lb. spiral noodles

1/4 lb. shell noodles

1/4 lb. wheel noodles

2 jars (32 oz. )spaghetti sauce or your choice

1/2 lb. browned hamburger

1/2 lb. Italian sausage, browned

1/2 lbs. pepperoni, sliced thin

1 green pepper, sliced thin

1 onion, sliced thin

mushrooms, optional

8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

8 oz. shredded parmesan cheese

Cook noodles according to box directions. Heat sauce and combine

with cooked burger and cooked sausage. In 11X13 greased or sprayed

pan, layer noodles and sauce. Top layer with pepperoni, onions, and

green peppers, mushrooms and cheeses. Make about 3 layers and top

with cheese. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes or until cheese is

melted.

Jumbo Pasta Shells with Cheese Filling

2 pounds ricotta cheese

1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, diced

2 eggs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Nutmeg, to taste

4 cups spaghetti sauce

Jumbo pasta shells

Mix ricotta, mozzarella, eggs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix until well blended. Set aside.

Parboil the shells in 5 quarts of salted, boiling water, stirring occasionally. Drain at once in colander. Fill parboiled shells immediately with filling mixture.

Cover bottom of baking dish with spaghetti sauce. Arrange filled shells side by side in a single layer in baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over the filled shells and bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Serve piping hot.

Chilled Spaghetti Salad

1 pound thin spaghetti, broken into 3-inch pieces

2 cucumbers

1 green bell pepper

2 medium tomatoes

2 medium onions

1 small bottle Italian dressing

1/2 (2 ounce) bottle McCormick's Salad Supreme Seasoning

Cook and drain spaghetti; set aside. Peel cucumbers; remove seeds and cut into small pieces. Cut green pepper, tomatoes and onions into small pieces. Mix all ingredients with the spaghetti including seasoning. Pour Italian dressing over all. Let marinate overnight.

Answer 4

Creamy Fettuccini Alfredo

1 – 8 oz. Package Philly Cream Cheese (I use the light version – 1/3 less fat), cubed

¾ cup (3 oz.) fresh grated Parmesan cheese (I like De Giorno, don’t use Kraft)

½ cup margarine (I use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light)

½ cup milk or half and half (I use 1% or 2% low fat)

8 oz. fettuccini, cooked, drained (I use the fresh Contadina low fat one)

In large saucepan, combine cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, margarine and milk.

Stir over low heat until smooth. Add to drained fettuccini and toss lightly. Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Serving Suggestions:

  I serve this with chicken Parmesan, salad, and garlic bread.