Receipe Review: Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe from Taste of Home

Source: Taste of Home

I have been wanting to revisit my Stovetop Tuna Noodle Casserole and create some variations. In this case, I found someone else's recipe that sounded like it had promise. I loved the ingredients list of the Taste of Home recipe because I didn't have to leave my apartment to get any ingredients because it just uses:

• onion
• butter
• flour
• salt
• pepper
• milk
• noodles
• tuna
• peas
• cornflakes (this is a common old-school topping but I just went with some seasoned breadcrumbs)

I did make two additions. I added finely minced garlic and cayenne pepper.

Who wins in the case of Cheap not Frugal Eats Stovetop Tuna Noodle Casserole v. Taste of Home's Tuna Noodle Casserole? Mine, definitely. Don't get me wrong. The Taste of Home version is solid and I enjoyed my meal. I just find milk sauces without a lot of other flavorings too sweet for my taste.My Pasta with Béchamel Sauce and Spring Vegetables works because it has lots of sauteed onions, garlic, and tons of vegetables to balance the sweetness milk acquires as it cooks. I find the Taste of Home version needs something bright. In my tuna noodle recipe I add brightness two ways: Dijon mustard and sour cream.

I made this meal with spaghetti and I found I really liked that. I'm not normally a big fan of spaghetti or fettucini, it's too messy to eat for me, an already messy eater. A few years ago, Z. and I had a chance to stock up on pasta for almost next to nothing (and some was free) so we have tons of thin, long pasta to finish. I liked the texture of the pasta after it baked. I got several ideas just from making this dish and can't wait to share them with you. Enjoy!

Pasta with Pumpkin

As wonderful as pumpkin can be, I was not impressed with my Pasta with Pumpkin. Let me translate: I experimented and my meal was good enough to eat for dinner and the leftovers were my lunch the next day but that's the extent of it.

Here's what I used (and for directions look at my Pasta with Kale and Chickpeas recipe because I used basically the same process):

• olive oil
• onion
• garlic
• carrots
• zucchini
• kale
• white beans
• roasted pumpkin
• tomato paste
• harisa
• dry white wine
• toasted walnuts

The first problem was the texture. The pumpkin, white beans, and pasta all had a similar texture. Roasted squash may just not belong with pasta.

Normally, a splash of white wine like sauvignon blanc brings a pasta dish with sauteed vegetables together and makes a simple dish, taste luxurious. In this case, the bright, grassy wine clashed with the earthy, sweet pumpkin . Some sort of stock or broth would have been a better alternative.

I had some tomato paste left over from the night before. I had an idea that some bright, acidic tomatoes would be great with the pumpkin. Well, tomato paste does not have the same flavor or brightness of canned tomatoes. The tomato paste didn't add anything. I didn't even care for the flavor of the tomato paste with the other vegetables; it was just weird.

The real winner was the toasted walnuts on top of the pasta! If you've read my recent recipes, you'll see that out of the blue I am using walnuts frequently. Nuts are EXPENSIVE and I hardly every buy them, let alone cook with them. I was looking for some walnuts for my ravioli recipe and found a large bag of walnuts that were on clearance and half-price. There you go.

What should I have done differently? Any suggestions???

Variations Part 1

In my last post I promised more recipes that are variations on old recipes. Well, these are two simple and quick meals I have made recently using what I had on hand. They both happened to be for lunch. I wanted to show how I take a basic recipe I love and adapt it to what is available or any leftovers I might have. And these recipes make great leftovers themselves! I made plenty for both meals so I had a delicious lunch the next day.

The first meal is Pasta with Vegetables. This is a frequently made recipe in my household because:

• it's quick
• could use any vegetable or combination of vegetables (i.e., it's a great way to use up those veggies languishing in the fridge)
• on the other hand, I think it's one of the best ways to show off beautiful farmer's market produce. The simple preparation and neutral pasta allows the flavors of the vegetables to be the stars.

 I added some beans for protein but there are other alternatives if you prefer. This would also be great with some leftover grilled chicken or salmon.

Pasta with Vegetables

by Ace

Keywords: saute entree vegan pasta vegetables

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1 1/2 cups rotelle
• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2-3/4 cup chopped broccoli
• 3-4 leaves of kale, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 15 ounce can white beans, about 1 cup cooked beans
• 1/4-1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Red pepper flakes, to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1/4-1/2 cup of the cooking water. Manage your time to have the pasta done cooking and drained before the vegetables are done so you can cook everything together at the end.
2. Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-low to medium heat. Add onion. Stirring occasionally, cook the onions about 5 minutes.
3. Add the kale. Stirring occasionally, cook the onion-kale mixture until onions are soft and translucent, another 5-7 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, broccoli, carrots, and white beans. Combining very gently so the white beans don't break, cook until the vegetables are tender, about 4-5 minutes.
5. Add the pasta to the pan and enough reserved pasta water, about 1/4-1/2 cup, to coat all the ingredients lightly. Cook long enough to heat the pasta through, 1-2 minutes. Season to taste with kosher salt and red pepper flakes.
6. If desired serve with fresh chopped parsley or a splash of lemon juice.
7. Enjoy!

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Latin-Inspired Pasta Sauce

Two staples of my pantry are dried pasta and canned beans. While I have made a couple of recipes using the two, I feel I have not been taking full advantage of the combination. I have also mostly stuck to using white beans when mixing beans and pasta. I want to expand my arsenal of pasta recipes to include other types of beans.

Ingredients for Latin-Inspired Pasta Sauce

I did an internet search for some ideas. I found this recipe. The basic idea and flavors appealed to me; I knew I could easily adjust the recipe to fit my taste and pantry. I had never thought of combining Latin flavors and pasta. I really enjoyed this meal! If pinched for time or already have salsa on hand, it can make a great flavor short-cut. I created the same flavor with a can of tomatoes and some fresh ingredients. A little chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime really made this come together. Enjoy!

Latin-Inspired Pasta Sauce

1-2 tablespoons canola oil
1 15 ounce can read beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 small onion, diced finely
1 bell pepper (red, yellow, or orange preferred), chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons harisa (or your favorite chile paste or red pepper flakes, to taste)
Pasta for serving
Chopped cilantro and lime wedges for garnish

1. In a large sauce pan, begin heating canola oil over medium-low to medium heat.
2. Add onion and cook until soft and just beginning to turn brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
3. Add bell pepper, garlic, and jalapeno, stirring occasionally, cook until garlic is tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Add cumin, paprika, turmeric, and harisa. Stir and toast, about 30 seconds.
5. Add tomatoes and beans. Stir and lower heat to medium-low. Let simmer gently for 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.
7. Serve sauce with pasta of choice, garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

Dinner for One: Spaghetti Pie

Z. does not say this as often as he used to but when I told him about my Spaghetti Pie he replied, "You can take the girl out of Wyoming but you can't take the Wyoming out the girl."

I thought I was being clever by drawing on an old Italian tradition of combining leftover pasta with eggs, as well as taking advantage of the pantry. No pasta on hand, no problem. Cooked rice could be used in place of the pasta.

I used vegetables that I already had on hand, which meant I used onion, garlic, and broccoli. If using fresh broccoli, I would suggest blanching the broccoli for about 3 minutes before combining it with the onion mixture. I used frozen broccoli so I placed it in a colander under hot water and combined the defrosted broccoli with the onion mixture in the warm pan.

We keep a jar of broken spaghetti pieces in the chance that we would like to make pilaf or use the pasta in tomato soup. I measured two cups of broken-up pasta. My Spaghetti Pie was composed of pasta bound together by an egg mixture. If I had wanted more of a quiche with some pasta, I would have used 3/4 to 1 cup pasta pieces. Next time, I plan on using 1 to 1 1/2 cups of spaghetti pieces to have an equal mix of pasta and egg. The recipe below reflects this change. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Pie

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups dry spaghetti, broken into 1-inch pices
1 small onion, chopped finely
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen broccoli, defrosted
1 tomato, seeds removed and chopped
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cheese of choice
salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease a pie pan or a small baking dish.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions. When done, drain, and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil, and mix, coating each strand with oil so they do not stick together.
4. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add broccoli and tomato, cook until tomato becomes soft, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
6. In a bowl, whisk eggs and milk, season with salt and pepper (or cayenne).
7. Combine pasta and vegetables.
8. Pour pasta-vegetable mixture into prepared baking dish.
9. Pour egg mixture over pasta-vegetable mixture. Make sure all the pasta and vegetables are covered. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top.
10. Bake 25-30 minutes until eggs are set and cheese is golden brown.

Dinner for One: Stovetop Tuna Noodle Casserole

I have a confession. I would occasionally purchase and make Tuna Helper the first few years I lived on my own. I know, what was I thinking? Well, I had lots of canned tuna and knew only one recipe: tuna salad sandwiches. Just a couple months after I left home a package containing 40 cans of tuna went on sale. My father and sister bought me one of these packages and shipped it to me all the way in Oregon. And, Zachary gets mad at me sometimes for my lack of common sense...

I still only know how to make one tuna dish: tuna salad sandwiches. Every once in awhile, I get really crazy and make a tuna melt. I am on a quest to find more uses for canned tuna since this is a staple in my pantry. Of course, tuna noodle casserole was the first dish that came to mind. I wondered what a homemade version would taste like. Turns out, homemade tuna noodle casserole is rather tasty. Here is what makes my Stovetop Tuna Noodle Casserole so tasty:

• Lots of vegetables. I kept things pretty simple but there is lots of room for creativity in this area.
• Sour cream provided a mild tang and a feeling of richness.
• Dijon mustard is packed with flavor. Two teaspoons adds a hint of flavor without being the star.
• Using only 1 can of tuna provides plenty of protein without making the home smell like cooking tuna.
• Do not forget the cayenne! I added enough cayenne to feel but not make the dish spicy.

I did not provide the traditional crunchy or cheesy topping. If you would like this, I would suggest after you have gently mixed everything together in the pan, carefully pour the pasta mixture into a casserole dish and sprinkle with either toasted bread crumbs or cheese of your choice. Place under the broiler until golden or bubbly. Enjoy!

Stovetop Tuna Noodle Casserole, serves 2

1 1/2 cups rotelle pasta
1 5 oz. can chunk light tuna, drained
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion (or 1/2 large onion), diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, diced finely
1 stalk celery, diced finely
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk or 1/2-and-1/2
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
freshly ground black pepper and salt
cayenne pepper to taste

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Under-cook by one minute. When finished cooking, drain, and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, milk or 1/2-and-1/2, and Dijon mustard. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium-low in a large high-sided skillet. Add onion and mushrooms; season liberally with salt and pepper. Cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes; stirring occasionally.
4. Add garlic, carrot, and celery; stirring occasionally. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
5. Turn heat down to low and add sour cream mixture, tuna, and pasta. Gently mix and season liberally with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.Allow everything to warm through then serve.

Farmer's Market Meal: Ace's Adventures with . . . Zucchini

More zucchini, of course! Every dinner (and some lunches) this last week have involved zucchini in some form. We are definitely taking advantage of the fact we can get 3 pound zucchinis for $0.50 each right now. Some vegetables we will buy fresh and freeze. For instance, when we have been able to find bell peppers at the grocery store 3 for $1 we bought 8 or so peppers. We washed them, removed the seeds, chopped the peppers, and placed them in freezer bags, which got tossed into the freezer. These frozen vegetables work great for stir-fry and other dishes. Zucchini is so delicate that we are eating it fresh and will not be freezing any.

I tried a new recipe the other night: zucchini pancakes. Sounds weird, right? Well, the recipe referred to them as zucchini patties and I did not realize I had pancakes until I had a bowl of shredded zucchini with fresh black pepper in pancake batter ready to go into the skillet. Turns out, zucchini pancakes are not bad. This particular version was rather simple but I think a little grated onion and minced garlic would do wonders. I think the savory pancake has potential. If you are curious, here is the original recipe post. The only change I did was to use a tablespoon of oil in a nonstick skillet. Any more than that, and they turned out rather oily.

Zucchini Pancakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 whole egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1 tablespoon grated cheese, such as Parmesan
Oil to fry

1. Mix ingredients together until combined.
2. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add batter by large spoonful.
3. Cook until golden brown then flip and cook the second side until golden brown. Best served hot.

Z. made a very nice dinner of pasta with zucchini and white wine the other evening, which I was also able to enjoy for lunch the next day.

Pasta with Zucchini and White Wine, serves 2

2 servings of your preferred pasta
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, minced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped zucchini
1/4 cup white wine *
1-2 tablespoons butter

1.  Bring water for pasta to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/4-1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a high-sided skillet. Add onions and season with salt. Cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic and cook until done, about 3-4 minutes.
4. When vegetables are done, add pasta, pasta water, white wine, and butter to the onion mixture and stir to mix thoroughly. Season with pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes if desired.

  * We used chardonnay this evening because that was what I had opened last weekend. I prefer cooking with sauvignon blanc. I find sauvignon blanc to have a slightly more complex flavor than chardonnay that stands up better to the heat of cooking.

Pasta Salad

 

Zucchini has descended upon the farmer's market...well, the Corvallis Farmer's Market, at least, and I could not be happier. Everywhere you looked were mounds and mounds of zucchini. Just the week before, you might have seen a few bushels of small zucchinis. If price and finding the best deal are concerns, I generally suggest buy what is on sale at the grocery store. The best deal on zucchini can be found at the farmer's markets from smaller farms in my experiences where the vendors sell the zucchini individually rather than by the pound. This last Saturday, I bought 2 giant zucchini that probably weighed between 4 and 5 pounds for $1(!!!) from the lovely proprietor of Wonderful Garden.

I have a few suggestions as to what you can do with all that zucchini. There is always zucchini bread or zucchini muffins like I did. Another possibility is to use the zucchini in a stir-fry or yakisoba. Since Z. created his pasta salad for a work potluck less than a month ago, we have made this 4 or 5 times already. What is so special about this pasta salad? You can use whatever additions you like and have one hand.

Variations:

• Diced grilled chicken
• Diced salami or pepperoni
• Beans, such as black beans, chickpeas, white beans, or even kidney beans (if canned, just drain and rinse well)
• Feta cheese
• Chopped kalamata olives
• Diced pickled peppers or pickled garlic
• Roasted red peppers
• Raw bell peppers
• Tomatoes
• Broccoli or cauliflower
• Green beans

Don't like raw onions? I love their crunch but the flavor can be a little pungent at times. Marinating the vegetables, especially the onions, in the balsamic for a brief time mellows the harsh taste of the onions while keeping the delicious crunch. Or just leave them out!

Our favorite frugal additions, excluding the onion who was hiding out in the refrigerator

Z. discovered that white balsamic is delicious in this salad. If you do not have white balsamic, I would suggest lemon juice for a similar bright and light flavor. I discovered my love of white balsamic thanks to the Trader Joe's. Their store-brand white balsamic is only $2.29 for a bottle. If you have tasted balsamic before, you would recognize the taste, just without the familiar brown color. The taste of white balsamic, though, is light, slightly sweet, and not nearly as acidic. It is not only delicious in this salad but it makes a great vinaigrette and can be used in place of lemon juice in millet salad. Enjoy!

Z.'s Pasta Salad, serves 2 for dinner or 3-4 as a side dish (easily doubled)

2 servings pasta (rotelle or rotini works great)
drizzle of olive oil, about 2 teaspoons
2-3 tablespoons white balsamic, or until taste
1/2 cucumber, diced
about 1 cup diced zucchini
2 carrots, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
parsley, optional
salt to taste
Garnishes: red pepper flakes or grated Parmesan cheese

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. After cooked, place pasta in a bowl and coat with a drizzle of olive oil. Allow to completely cool.
2. When pasta is cool, combine all remaining ingredients up to garnish. May be served immediately, or as we prefer, chill a little longer in the refrigerator. 
3. Serve and enjoy with red pepper flakes or grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Z.'s Red Sauce

Red sauce, marinara, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce...whatever you call it, the homemade stuff is easy and delicious. Does anyone else call it spaghetti sauce? My family always has. Why would we eat anything but spaghetti? Whenever we mixed all the pasta (and we did not call it pasta, they were noodles) and sauce together before serving, like one of my grandma's liked to do, we called it goulash. We were in the middle of Wyoming after all; we had no idea.

Since Z. hates tomatoes, he had never tried tomato sauce until a year or so ago. I had accumulated a few jars of marinara sauce due to some expert couponing. Z. was willing to try a taste of pasta and tomato sauce. He loved it! After going through our stock, we decided to try making it ourselves. I will admit, I have actually only made our red sauce once...the first time. The rest of the time, I have been Z.'s assistant. Turns out, he makes an awesome red sauce!

We like ours rather chunky, so we use a whole onion, diced rather finely. The trick here, is to let the onions get some color on them. The other important note is to let the sauce gently simmer for some time. If we wanted to have red sauce ready right away, we would omit the water. The little bit of water we add lets the sauce simmer for as long as we like without evaporating away. Another tip...DO NOT SKIMP ON THE OLIVE OIL. Use a little more than you would than normal while sauteing the onions or add a little drizzle before serving. Enjoy!

P.S. This freezes great. Our preferred freezing mode for everything is to place it in a freezer bag, get out as much air as possible, and place it in the freezer as flat as possible. To thaw, I run some hot water over the bag and once the contents are pliable enough, I place them in a small pan on the stove to heat up.

Z.'s red sauce gently simmering away

Hillshire Farms sausage links that have been sliced and are browning for pasta with red sauce!

Z.'s Red Sauce, serves 2-3

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1 small onion, finely diced
6 cloves garlic (more or less according to taste), minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
kosher salt and black pepper

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low. Add onions and sugar. Allow to cook until soft and beginning to caramelize, stirring occasionally, about 25-30 minutes.
2. Add garlic and a little more olive oil if needed. Season with black pepper and chili flakes. Cook until garlic is soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Lower heat to medium-low if it is not already set there. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and Italian seasoning. Let gently simmer for 20-25 minutes. Before serving, taste and adjust salt if necessary.

Variations:

• Ground meat seems pretty traditional. Sauteed chicken breast is also tasty with pasta and red sauce.
• We like to slice sausage links - like kielbasa - and brown it and serve it with our pasta and red sauce.
• Add 1/2 diced bell pepper, any color, to add some vegetables and delicious flavor.
• Beans are a great addition. Kidney beans when allowed to simmer in the sauce for a few minutes, turn surprisingly silky. I had red sauce with kidney beans over leftover polenta loaf. See!

Farmer's Market Meal: Pasta with Kale and Chickpeas

Saturday, Z. and I wandered through the Corvallis Farmer's Market. Our favorite vegetables to get at the farmer's market are kale, zucchini, peppers, and occasionally garlic. We normally do not buy anything when we go; we tend to window shop. It is free entertainment and a nice walk! I love the sights and smells of the market. I always stop near any basil and just smell the air (we are in the Willamette Valley, weirdness is just a part of the ambiance, here). There is nothing like freshly picked organic basil.

This particular Saturday, I bought a bunch of dark, beautiful Italian kale from our go-to kale vendor. I love all types of kale but Italian kale is very special. The leaves are a rich, dark green and are wrinkled. Imagine crinkling a piece of aluminum foil and then trying to smooth it out. Italian kale has a similar wrinkled look about the leaves. Another name for Italian kale is dinosaur kale. If I were trying to get a child to try kale, I would make up a silly story about dinosaur kale.

Kale is a great buy for us cheap folks. If you spend the extra time to cook them all the way, you can use the whole leaf, including the stems. Unlike spinach, which shrinks to a fraction of its original size when cooked, kale keeps its size and shape. Besides being a nutritional powerhouse, kale is delicious and filling.

For this recipe I removed the stems and only sauteed the kale, so the kale remained slightly toothsome. I like that texture but if you are looking for a more tender green, I would add a little more liquid to the pan, allowing the kale to braise. Either way is wonderful. Enjoy!

Pasta with kale and chickpeas for two
2 servings pasta
1-2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3 bunch kale, washed, stems removed, and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/4-1/2 cup of pasta cooking water

1. Bring water for pasta to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/4-1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a high-sided skillet. Add onions and season with salt. Cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic, chickpeas, and kale. Stir and place a lid on the on the pan. Cook until kale is tender and garlic is done, removing lid to stir occasionally, about 5-6 minutes.
4. When vegetables are done, add pasta and pasta water to the vegetable mixture and stir to mix thoroughly. Season with pepper, salt, and red pepper flakes if desired. A spritz of lemon juice would make a lovely addition.

Dinner for One: Pasta with Béchamel Sauce and Spring Vegetables (or Baked Pasta Primavera)

Béchamel sauce sounds much classier than country gravy. Béchamel is just like Grandma's milk (or country) gravy. Instead of using sausage fat or shortening, I am using butter as my fat.

I have a running list of dishes and recipes that I feel I should try at least once. Béchamel sauce was on that list. I do not know why it took me so long to try making the sauce; I was slightly intimidated, no logical reason why. I decided to try making béchamel while Z. was gone. One of the worst feelings in the world is when I make something I am super excited about and it has luke-warm reviews. I have hyped up the possibilities of béchamel to Z. for ages now, so if he did not like the dish, I would probably cry.

I did it! I made béchamel sauce!!!

I wanted to share a few of the things I learned while making béchamel sauce. Some recipes, like Anne Burrell's, said you could use the sauce after bringing it to a boil. Others, like Mario Batali's recipe, said to simmer the sauce for ten minutes. I made the sauce first then cooked my vegetables so I could the sauce my full attention. I am not very good at timing in cooking. Z., on the other hand, can have all the components of a meal all ready at the same time.

Also, I baked my pasta. I really wanted a nice brown top. This sauce would be wonderful right out of the pot. I thought since I was rationing the cheese, the best use of the cheese would be to sprinkle it on top and bake until golden and bubbly. This is a thick béchamel sauce, please feel free to add more milk to adjust to your taste. Enjoy!

Variations:

• Add grilled or sauteed chicken when mixing pasta, vegetables, and sauce.
• Instead of sauteing the onion and zucchini, cut onion into slices and zucchini into horizontal slices, brush with canola oil, and grill. Then, dice and add to pasta and béchamel mixture. 
• Add shredded cheese to béchamel sauce and use macaroni pasta for a grown-up version of macaroni and cheese.
• Adding grated nutmeg to béchamel sauce is very traditional.

Pasta with Béchamel Sauce and Spring Vegetables, serves 2-3

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups penne pasta or 2 1/2 servings of pasta of choice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small yellow or white onion, diced finely
1 small zucchini, diced
approximately 3 cups of baby spinach, washed and dried
4 cloves garlic, more or less according to taste, minced finely
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
red chili flakes, optional

1.  To make the béchamel sauce, begin by melting butter in a large sauce pan. Add flour and mix with butter. Stir frequently. Cook until mixture is the color of sand, depending on temperature of pan, may take 4-10 minutes.
2. Add milk and stir until incorporated. Slowly bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once sauce has reached a boil, turn heat down and simmer gently. Season with salt and black pepper. Do not forget to stir occasionally while preparing rest of ingredients!
3. Meanwhile, preheat broiler in oven and begin cooking pasta. Cook pasta until al dente, make sure the pasta still has a little bite to it. Prepare a baking dish by greasing or spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
4. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and season with salt. Stir occasionally and cook until onion is translucent. Add garlic, season with salt again, and cook until garlic is almost cooked, about 3 minutes.
5. Add zucchini and cook about 2 minutes before adding spinach. Be careful not to overcook the zucchini. Cook until spinach has wilted.
6. When pasta is done cooking, drain thoroughly. In a large bowl, combine pasta, vegetables, and most of the béchamel sauce, reserving enough to spoon over the top of the pasta mixture. I reserved about 1/4 to 1/3 of the sauce for this purpose. Season mixture with kosher salt, black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish. Top the pasta with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top.
7. Place in preheated oven, about 10 inches under the broiler and cook until the top is brown, about 5 minutes. Serve. Makes great leftovers!

Dinner for One: Pasta with Anchovies and White Beans

Despite knowing a fair amount about food and ingredients, I am no foodie. I am not an adventurous eater by any stretch of the imagination; there are many, many things I have yet to taste. Until recently, besides hiding in Worcestershire sauce and Caesar dressing, I have not knowingly eaten anchovies. Trader Joe's has a nice selection of store-brand canned fish and seafood products at what I would consider reasonable prices. After many months pondering the idea of cooking my own meal with anchovies, I bit the bullet and bought a tin of anchovies and a tin of sardines that are still in my cupboard. And, I do mean I have thought about this for months. Instead of spending inordinate amounts of money eating out, I spend, for some what would be an inordinate amount of time, thinking about dishes and recipes I would like to make. I vicariously experience food by daydreaming about it. We all have strange habits; I am just publicly admitting to one of mine.

For my first home-cooked meal with anchovies, I wanted to make a dish that would feature the little fishies. A pasta dish seemed like a good fit. I do not have any explanation why, my guess is that it has something to do with watching hundreds of Rachael Ray's cooking shows over the years where she makes some sort of sauce with a few anchovy filets. My dish isn't that pretty, a little parsley would have spruced it up nicely. When I saw my meal on my plate, I was surprised. I promise I do not go out of my way to make beige or brown food. It just happens without me trying or thinking about it.

White Bean Dip

I have to admit, this experiment was only okay. I should have added a splash of lemon juice or a handful of chopped parsley. The sauce needs a fresh component. I still have the other half of the anchovies stored in the fridge so I can try another recipe. I only used half the can of beans in the pasta and made a white bean dip with the other half. The white bean dip was pleasant but I do not plan on making it again. I whizzed the beans in my Kitchen Ninja with some olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, like hummus. I just think white beans are too boring to be the star of a dish, unless it is white bean soup.

Pasta with Anchovies and White Beans, serves 2
olive oil
1 1/2 cups penne (or two servings of pasta of your choice)
4-5 anchovy filets
4 cloves garlic, minced finely
1/2 can white beans, rinsed and drained
red pepper flakes, to taste
salt and pepper
splash of lemon or some chopped parsley, optional

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile heat a 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet with sides high enough you will be able to toss the pasta in. Use some of the oil from the anchovies.
3. Put anchovy filets in warm olive oil. Break up gently with a wooden spoon. They will break down.
4. Add garlic. Season with salt and black pepper. Saute until cooked, stirring occasionally, about 3-4 minutes.
5. Add white beans and cook until just heated through, about 1-2 minutes.
6. Before draining pasta keep 1/2 cup of the cooking water and set aside. Drain pasta and add to garlic/anchovy mixture. Mix thoroughly to coat pasta with mixture. Add a splash of pasta cooking water if needed.  If you have lemon juice or parsley, add now. Adjust salt and garnish with red pepper flakes and serve. Enjoy!
   

Tomato Soup and Pasta

Ahhh, tomato soup and pasta. Another one of our favorite pantry meals. Hey, we do eat fresh food. Sometimes. Have you seen my Millet Salad recipe? Z and I eat tomato soup and pasta about twice a week. 1st, it tastes really good and we both like it. 2nd, it takes no effort and hardly any time. 3rd, we have a heck of a lot of pasta. That we didn't pay for! Thank you coupons!!! The one hundred fifty boxes of free pasta we got this year deserves its own post sometime. And, 4th., probably most importantly of all, it's cheap.

Campbell's condensed tomato soup, which tastes just fine to me, is regularly on sale for $0.50 per can. Of course we didn't pay $0.50 per can. Every once in awhile I see coupons for it in the Sunday coupons or there were some at www.shortcuts.com a couple of months ago. I would suggest keeping an eye on the Shortcuts website, especially if you shop at Safeway or Fred Meyer's. Fred Meyer brand goes on sale every few months. We bought a ton when they were $0.25 per can last year. I have seen them on sale twice this year for $0.33 per can. It wasn't great but we only have two cans of it left. We have been surprised by how good the Albertsons brand tomato soup tasted. We paid $0.33 per can sometime last fall. We haven't been anywhere near an Albertsons in ages so I don't know what their prices are like.

Our favorite spices to add are a dash or two of cayenne, Italian seasoning blend, smoked paprika, and black pepper that was too shy to have its photo taken. The cheese is a nice treat we don't add every time. If I'm feeling particularly frisky, I'll add about two tablespoons of half-and-half. Enjoy!

Tomato Soup and Pasta (for two)

1.  Pour soup into a pan over low. Add one can full of water.
2. Season soup to taste. (I like to do this when it is slightly warm.)
3. Start boiling water. While water is heating up, measure two servings of pasta. 
4. Cook pasta according to the package directions and your preference. A little underdone works great here.
5. Combine pasta and soup in a bowl. Add grated cheese if desired.

Price Breakdown (no couponing):
$.26 two servings pasta (if paid $1 for 1 lb.)
$.33 store brand tomato soup
$.38 cheese (2 x 1 1/2 servings if $3.99 for two pound brick - common sale price of Tillamook)
$. 11 half-and-half
Spices - negligible

Total: $1.08 or $0.54/serving

Price Breakdown - What Cheap not Frugal Eats Pays
$0.00 two servings pasta
$.25 Fred Meyer brand soup
$.23 cheese (2 x 1 1/2 servings for $2.49/ two pound brick) 
$.11 half-and-half

Total: $0.59 or $0.295/serving