Simple Tasty Pasta Meal In 20 Minutes

Not having to please my carnivorous better half since I was on my own for dinner tonight I was excited to try something different. I wanted quick. I wanted easy. I wanted something I couldn't get away with for a typical weeknight meal. 

I came across this recipe on Allrecipes.com in the Barilla collection and since pasta is a rare treat for me I knew I had to sample it. I'm always looking for tasty quick dinners and this fit the bill perfectly for me today. As a matter of fact this would make a terrific side dish to any meal. This is yummy as is but toss in some grilled chicken and it would be an out of this world delish main dish. Heck, that would be sure to make any carnivorous better half happy.

I couldn't believe it - dinner was actually done in 20 minutes. From start to finish. And simple. It couldn't get more simple. If only every night's dinner could be this easy.  

Now let's get to to the recipe. 

Looking for a simple tasty meal in about 20 minutes? Need a pasta fix? Look no further? This tasty pasta dish is great for a speedy main dish or a quick side dish. Give it a try - don't be shy!

The Magic of Comfort Food

Do you ever find yourself away from home mentally going through your cupboards, refrigerator and freezer wondering what's hiding in the deepest darkest places that would be good for dinner? I do...all the time! I'm always looking for the "wow" ingredient that will help me transform dinner into something magical. 

This time my daydreams sent me on a magical journey of comfort food. Ok, it wasn't that magical but at least I knew I had all the ingredients on hand to pull it off. Ground beef, check. Macaroni, check. Tomatoes, check. Seasonings, check. Parmesan cheese, check.

Everything I need for some American Classic Goulash. Now I don't eat pasta a lot, actually very rarely, but sometimes I just get this craving and need to get my carb fix. I prefer spaghetti, but I had to feed my husband and he WILL NOT touch spaghetti with a ten foot pole. So I'm happy I can get him to eat goulash.  So let's get on to my version of the infamous recipe.

American Classic Goulash

Servings: 4
Yield: 4 servings

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 onion,  chopped 
2 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
1 cup water
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cups canned stewed or crushed tomatoes
1-1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoons dried Italian herb seasoning
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt, or to taste
1-1/2 to 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste

In a deep frying pan, cook and stir the ground beef, chopped onion (or grated on a fine grater for those onion haters in your life) and garlic over medium-high heat, breaking the meat up as it cooks, until the meat is no longer pink and has started to brown, about 10 minutes. Skim off excess fat.

Add water, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, and seasoned salt to the ground beef mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While sauce is simmering, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Stir in the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 6-7 minutes depending on brand. Remove from heat and drain.

Once sauce is done simmering discard bay leaves and add macaroni (I made it with 2 cups of macaroni and it wasn't too saucy - for a saucier goulash cook 1-1/2 cups). Stir until combined. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy.

So can comfort food be magical? I don't know, but I do now it's pure deliciousness! 

I found the original recipe on Allrecipes but changed things up a bit to suit our tastes. Click here to view the recipe that inspired my version.

Try it. You'll like it!

What Are We Gonna Have For Dinner? I Dunno - What Do You Want?

We ask this question too many times to count in our house. You would think with just the two of us that it would be an easy chore to figure out what's for dinner. But sometimes, when you're a workin' woman who has so many agendas, you just get tired of figuring it out.

Days like these are when I like to have some ingredients on hand for a speedy dinner. That's when a bag of tater tots in the freezer and some hot dogs in the fridge can come in real handy. Even though it may not be the healthiest way to eat, it sure can take the pressure of a girl. If I'm going to buy frozen tater tots (or in this case Crispy Crowns), I going to grab the Ore-Ida brand. If this girl is gonna splurge on frozen taters it's gotta be Ore-Ida. Ore-Ida?

 Now I don't get all fancy with my Ore-Ida's. I don't add them to a recipe or top them with gravy. I just like them tossed in the oven (yeah, I'm sure they're way better in the deep fryer, but hey, I gotta try to be good) and then tossed on my plate next to a side of ketchup. And a hot dog. Um...A Koegel's hot dog. No exceptions! And in this case, a side of roasted cauliflower. 

What a dinner, huh? But it was fast! I like fast. And very little cleanup! 

So grab a bag of your favorite Ore-Ida potatoes and make your next meal in a snap.

 I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador (a voluntary position) and I’m not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com.   Product received from an Advertiser is only used for experience based reviews on this site. The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of Livin' Life - One Spoonful At A Time.  

Hold The Sausage....Or Not

It wasn't too awfully long ago - like only 6 months - that Italian sausage was far from desirable to me. The only experience I ever really had with Italian sausage was on pizza. Now my husband, being the meat eater that he is, doesn't mind sausage on his pizza. Or bacon. Or ham. Or pepperoni. Or venison. Well OK - we've never had venison on pizza but hey, now that's an idea he would love! 

So, me being the good wife that I am, would let him get a meat lovers pizza that included the sausage and I would just pick it off and give it to him. If it were up to me, we would have a veggie pizza. That would go over like a lead balloon. Just like my idea for Meatless Monday meals. Did you hear me? I did say he was a meat lover.

This month I had the pleasure, once again, of working with Johnsonville and Allrecipes. I was given the opportunity to try Johnsonville's sausage using recipes found on Allrecipe's website. I decided to try their Italian sausage again just to remind myself that I am no longer a hater.

I truly have to say that their sausage has great flavor and now I'm hooked. I especially love that they are now offering some of their products in an all natural variety like the one shown below. With ingredients like pork, water, salt, natural sugar, spices, natural flavors and paprika and with no yucky fillers or additives they're a winner in my book. Go Johnsonville!

Here are the tasty recipes I've tried this year using Johnsonville's products. The links to the recipes are shown below the pictures. Be sure to give them a try. They make quick, easy, delicious meals your whole family will enjoy.

One of my favorites was this Sausage, Peppers and Spaghetti Squash recipe. I got to eat this one all by myself. Veggies of the onions and peppers variety, like you would find on a veggie pizza, makes this one mine - all MINE!

Sausage, Peppers and Spaghetti Squash

You may be able to tell that I made this next one, Pizza Pasta, when the darling hubby wasn't around. It's packed with flavor not only from the sausage but also from green peppers. Again, stuff you'd would find on veggie pizza.

Pizza Pasta by Johnsonville®

And last but not least, here is a recipe that any man or child would love to sink their teeth into. Why not break away from the regular mundane burgers you're used to eating and try an Italian Sausage Slider? They're sure to please.

Johnsonville's Italian Sausage Sliders

Hold the sausage? I think not. So if you've tried something before that you don't like why not give it another try? Your tastes may have changed with time. Or is it with age?

Man I'm getting hungry!

I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador (a voluntary position) and I’m not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com.   Product received from an Advertiser is only used for experience based reviews on this site. The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of Livin' Life - One Spoonful At A Time.