Pasta

The simple title of this article, 'Pasta', says it all.

Pasta is a great ingredient for budget meals.  Here are a few of the past a recipes that I use to keep my budget in tact, when it comes to grocery shopping.

Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 box rotini pasta
1 cup sliced, diced or cherry tomatoes
1 cup green, red, or yellow peppers (mix it up or use one color, whatever fits your budget)
1 small can black olives (I prefer whole, but choose your favorite style)
8 ounces mozzerella
8 ounces Italian dressing

Directions:

Cook pasta and drain, as per directions on the box.  Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. 

Baked Spaghetti

I use a couple of variations of baked spaghetti, to keep it interesting.  One includes sausage, the other pepperoni. 

Ingredients:

1/2 box angel hair pasta
1/2 can Hunts pasta sauce (I recommend Hunts because of the value and taste in comparison to others.)
1/4 lb bulk Italian bulk sausage or 1/4 pack pepperoni
8 ounces of mozzerella

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, while you are cooking the pasta. If you chose the sausage for your baked spaghetti recipe, fry the sausage stirring into small pieces, at the same time you are cooking the pasta.

Strain the angel hair pasta.  Add the pasta sauce and the sausage.  Stir ingredients and then pour into a small Pyrex baking dish.  Top with mozzerella.  Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until cheese darkens to your liking.

If you chose the pepperoni option, skip the sausage in the above recipe.  After you have topped the angel hair pasta and sauce with mozzerella, add a layer of pepperoni to the top of the cheese and follow the baking instructions above.

Penne Rigate and Sausage

Ingredients:

1/2 box penne rigate
1/2 can Hunts pasta sauce
1/4 lb bulk Italian bulk sausage, or your favorite sausage (sliced kielbasa works well in this recipe as well)

Cook the penne rigate as per the directions on the box.  At the same time fry the sausage.  Strain the pasta , add the sausage and sauce.  Top with parmesan or your favorite cheese.

Enjoy these budget recipes, or mix it up a little to fit your taste!