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pasta, grain, and rice meals

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macaroni and cheese penne mezzanote green pasta Italian pasta salad very pasta lightly

tabbouleh yellow rice basmati rice risotto rice pilaf

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macaroni and cheese

8 ounces (dry) of macaroni (this is usually 1/2 a bag)
1/2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the macaroni. Set it aside for now. Put the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until the cheese is melted and the sauce thickens up a bit. Add the macaroni back in.

At this point you can add broccoli, spinach, hotdogs, whatever strikes your fancy as going well with a cheese sauce.

This recipe is orders of magnitude tastier than box macaroni. It also reheats well the next day, the same cannot be said of kraft boxed mac and cheese. Makes a delicious lunch-especially if you put broccoli in it.

Allan says to tell you to put the pot into water straight away, lest the cheese harden into an impenetrable glue-like substance.

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penne mezzanote

1/2 pack of spaghetti noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
4 plum tomatoes, sliced
1/2 pack fresh spinach
1 teaspoon basil
1/4 cup mozzarella

While the noodles cook... Saute the garlic in the olive oil. When the garlic is browned, add the tomatoes, spinach, and basil. Cook until the tomatoes are semi-soft and the spinach is wilted. Toss the sauce with the noodles. Top with chunks of mozzarella.

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green pasta

1/2 pack green noodles (spinach works best)
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin (should look like slivered almonds)
2 teaspoons basil
1 small can chopped olives
4 tablespoons water
1/4 cup parmesan

While the noodles cook... Saute the garlic in the olive oil. When the garlic is browned, remove from heat. Add the basil, olives, and water. Toss the sauce with the noodles. Top with shredded parmesan.

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Italian pasta salad

3 cups pasta, cooked
2 cups broccoli, steamed and chopped
1 cup grated parmesan
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 small can of slice olives
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 carrot, shredded
1 tomato, sliced
Italian dressing to taste

Toss ingredients in a ziploc bag. Refrigerate to blend flavors.

You can add grilled chicken to this if you like. But I think it makes a complete meal without meat.

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very pasta lightly

1 package cooked fettuccini
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (not the kind packed in oil)
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 small can sliced olives
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Slice the tomatoes and pour hot water over them. Slice the garlic and sautee it in the olive oil until it turns light brown. Drain the tomatoes, add them and the sliced olives to the garlic. Toss this sauce with the fettuccini. Top with parmesan.

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tabbouleh

1 1/2 cups bulgar wheat
2 cups parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon garlic
1/2 teaspoon paprika
pinch ginger
pinch nutmeg
pinch oregano
5 mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon pepper
5 tablespoons lemon juice
salt to taste

Soak bulgar wheat in warm water for half an hour. Squeeze it mostly dry by handfuls. Mix with parsley. In separate bowl mix the rest of the ingredients (the dressing). Pour the dressing over the bulgar wheat and parsley. Refrigerate overnight. Serve at room temperature. Garnish with sliced tomato and a lemon wedge.

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yellow rice

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup uncooked rice
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic
2 cups liquid (broth, tomato juice, water, whatever)
3 tablespoons tomato paste or 1 chopped tomato
1 tablespoon parsley
pinch saffron
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Put them all together in a pot. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Cook until the liquid is gone (about 20 minutes)

Sometimes I'll throw a piece of chicken on top of the rice as it is simmering on low. And usually I'll add some veggies too.

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basmati rice

1 cup basmati rice (sometimes called "jasmine" or "fragrant" rice)
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon oil
pinch salt

Rinse rice 2-3 times to remove excess starch. Drain well. Place rice into pan, add water. Put saucepan, uncovered, over high heat. Bring to a boil. Let water reduce until slightly below rice level. Turn the heat to low. Put lid on and simmer for 30 minutes.

I'm including this formula for good basmati rice because every bag I've ever bought had different recipes or none at all. This is how I cook mine now. It works with many different brands of basmati rice just fine.

Basmati is great for savory sauces or just with a simple gravy. It is also very good with sweet-hot sauces like the mango salsa.

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risotto

1 cup rice
1/2 medium onion, minced
1/2 large potato, shredded
1/2 large carrot, shredded
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon pepper
1 pack/cube vegetable bullion
4 1/2 cups water
1 cup milk
3/4 cup cheese (mozzarella or parmesan or both)

Boil everything but the cheese together. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered on low until thick and creamy. Add cheese right before serving. This is another one of those "leftover" dishes. It always makes extra, but that's ok. It keeps and reheats very well. It is also a meal unto itself.

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rice pilaf

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 3/4 cups water or broth
1 cup rice
1/2 cup mushrooms
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley
1 bay leaf
salt to taste

Heat olive oil. Add chopped onion. Sauté onion until translucent. Add garlic. Sauté about half a minute more. Add the rice and stir until the color starts to change to a light brown. Add the broth and water, bring to a boil over high heat. Add the rest of the ingredients (except for the salt). Reduce heat to very low, cover tightly. Cook until all water is absorbed. Fluff with fork, add salt to taste.