Today, was a beautiful overcast day. What a relief from the glaring sun and humidity of the last few weeks. Still studying for my exams and I try to stay out of the kitchen as much as possible. When I cook, I try to double (or triple) my recipes or find foods that generally make a lot. This way I have more time for studying. Pasta always is great for making food in bulk and when you add vegetables, you have a wonderful one-pot kind of meal. I like this particular recipe because you can jazz it with whatever vegetables and meats you want. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 lbs Rigatoni Pasta (or your favorite)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 lbs ground beef (or chicken, or turkey)
1 (14.5 ounce) can of stewed Italian Tomatoes
(regular stewed is fine, just add more garlic, oregano and basil)
1 (8 ounce) can of tomato sauce
8 oz sliced mushrooms (I used cremini)
1 zucchini, chopped
1 teaspoon of dried basil (I used about 1/4 cup fresh from my aerogarden)
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 tablespoon of garlic, minced
salt to taste
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
- Cook pasta until almost al dente (It will cook further later), drain and rinse in cold water. Keep pasta in water so it won’t stick.
- Saute beef with onions, bell pepper, mushrooms, zucchini and garlic until beef is browned. Drain the liquid left in the pan.
- Add tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes and seasonings, stirring well.
- Mix in pasta.
- Keep on medium heat, until everything is heated through
- Mix in cheddar cheese
Samina Cooks 