Stop The Junk Food

If there is one dish that has earned for itself a reputation as a universal favorite, it would definitely be pasta. Pasts can be cooked up a myriad different ways and is the best food around that can cater to a wide range of tastes. It can be served as a salad, a main dish and even as dessert! The possibilities are endless, as are the ingredients that you can use to accompany the pasta.

Because of this, pasta can be the ultimate dish-to-the-rescue for quick-fix meals. It is a quick lifesaver when you have surprise guests or when your teenager decides to hold an impromptu dinner or slumber party with his friends. Pasta is the easiest dish to prepare in times when you feel you are too worn out to do any kind of serious, complicated cooking.

Preparing a pasta dish is certainly a better alternative to ordering takeout or eating out, since the best way towards healthy eating and living is to always try to prepare your meals yourself.

Variety is the Spice of Life

Always have pasta in your pantry. When you have the time to do the shopping and the cooking, it is best to stock up. Pasta comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors and because it can be stored for long periods of time, it is best to buy and stock several different varieties. You can choose from fettuccine, tagliatelle, bucatini, farfalle, fusilli, route or sphagetti. Just drop these in a pot of boiling water and you have pasta ready in minutes. With different shapes and textures, you can always make each dish look unique and appetizing. It would always seem that you did a lot of work when in reality; you only prepared the dish in minutes.

For emergencies, you can store different sauces in the freezer. On a day when you find yourself with no other pressing chores, spend some time in the kitchen preparing batches of different types of pasta sauces. Whether you choose a marinara sauce or any other variety, you can store these in clearly labeled containers in your freezer. When you are ready to use it, it can be easily thawed in the microwave or on the stove until it begins to boil, which will only take minutes. You can do this while you are boiling the pasta and when you are ready to eat, your pasta and its accompanying will be ready to be tucked into.

Bringing out the Crock Pot

If you rarely have the time to work in the kitchen, using a Crock Pot will be a good way to stock up on sauces for your pasta dishes. Since the Crock Pot is closed and cooks using low temperatures, it is safe to just leave it unattended as it cooks, allowing you to go about your work day worry-free while still getting the cooking done.

Even lasagna is a breeze with the crock pot. Sautee the meat, onion and garlic and cook the cheese sauce. Layer the meat, cheese, sauce and pasta in the crock pot and leave to cook for 4-6 hours. Then go about doing whatever you want. At the end of 6 hours, you have lasagna for an immediate meal plus plenty more that you can store for emergencies.

What is great about pasta sauces is that they only get better in time. You will always be the gourmet cook with the flavorful meals – all prepared with ease. Just don’t let anyone in on your little secret.

I got this recipe many years ago from a Home Economics teacher.  It is an excellent dish for those who like things spicy.  For the uninitiated, use less chili powder.  This is a good dish for pitch-in meals, potlucks, church socials, etc. as it feeds several.  It is also just a good family dish.  It makes a great meal when you add a salad.   For dessert serve something light and cool like the Pineapple Mallow recipe below.

CHILI LASAGNA

1 pkg lasagna noodles

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 can diced tomatoes with the juice

1/4 cup chili powder

3 8-oz cans tomato sauce

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 pkg (8-oz) cheese slices, cut into strips

Cool lasagna noodles according to the package directions and drain well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute beef, bell pepper, and onion in a skillet for 10 minutes or until the beef is browned and the veggies are crisp tender. Drain. Return mixture to the pan and add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir and set aside. In a 13 x 9-inch baking pan, arrange a layer of lasagna noodles. Put a layer of the meat mixture then a layer of cheese over the noodles. Repeat the layers, ending with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

REFRIGERATOR PINEAPPLE MALLOW

1 lb marshmallows

1/2 cup milk

1 #2 can crushed pineapple

1 pint heavy cream, whipped

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 1/3 cups Graham cracker or vanilla wafer crumbs

Melt marshmallows in milk over hot water. Add crushed pineapple and cool; then add whipped cream and walnuts. Line a 13×9-inch pan with 1 cup of crumbs. Pour the pineapple mixture in. Sprinkle remaining crumbs over top. Let stand in refrigerator overnight. Cut in squares and serve with additional whipped cream, topped with a maraschino cherry.

To Freeze: Prepare pan by lining with aluminum foil. Then proceed as above. When thoroughly chilled, wrap pan completely in foil, seal and freeze.

To Prepare Frozen Dessert for Eating: Remove outer wrapping of foil. Let stand 1 1/2 hours in refrigerator before serving.

Enjoy!

A mouthwatering pasta dish with steak is the wonderful combination that is a huge hit among people who love to eat steak. All of us eat food, but there are some people who relish what they have and are particular about the food they eat. They will not eat the food till it is served properly with all the right combinations. Well who would like to eat food that does not have the correct combination and has not been cooked properly? Cooking steak can be a tough job, but if you really want to eat the food but do not know how to cook it steakhouse pasta NYC can be the ideal destination for you to head to. In a steakhouse you can find all these combinations if you go to a good one.

You will be spoilt for choice whether it is in NYC or any other city or state in the United States. Here what you have to do is get smart and make a wise choice. Certain things can aid you in making the correct decision and you must take care of all these aspects. It goes without saying that the steakhouse pasta must service you wonderfully well cooked steak and pasta as well. After all you are going there to enjoy a good dinner or lunch with your family, friend or may be your business associate so everything must be just perfect. If you are really passionate about the food that you eat and want things to be done in the correct way as far as food is concerned what you need to do is find out a good steakhouse ion your city NYC and enjoy eating there.

Ideally a dish of steak contains steak, crunchy side dish like potato or pasta and an accompanying drink. When you are looking for a good steakhouse in your city make sure that you find out the drink that is being served in the steakhouse. Well imaging that you have the steak cooked in just the way you like to eat, wonderfully well cooked pasta and suddenly you find that the drink that is serviced does not go with your food or is not your favorite, you are bound to feel upset about this. For many people pasta may be just other type of noodle but if you really love to enjoy eating then you know what eating pasta is all about, and specially eating pasta combined with perfectly cooked steak.

When we eat out it is with the intention that we eat the best food without having to worry about nay other thing. After all, who does not want to have a great eating out experience and spend some wonderful time with family and friends? Do not forget to book the tables well in advance, you surely do not want to land up in your favorite steakhouse to eat steak and pats with your fiends and find that there is no place for you. This is one of the most annoying things that can happen and so you must avoid this at all costs.