Week 14 - Pasta!!

Week 14: PASTA 5 lbs. Get other kinds besides spaghetti. I have found that spaghetti does not store well. Counts towards grain total.

Why is American-made pasta the best you can buy?
American manufacturers have to follow strict ingredient and manufacturing standards that comply with stringent government regulations, so American-made pasta is the highest-quality pasta available. American-made pasta is enriched with iron, folic acid and other B-vitamins, making it one of the most healthful foods you can buy. American pasta plants are technologically advanced, with state-of-the-art equipment and highly skilled personnel.   Buy American!



How should I store pasta?

Uncooked Pasta
Store uncooked, dry pasta in your cupboard for up to one year. Keep in a cool, dry place. Follow the "first-in, first-out" rule: Use up packages you've had the longest before opening new packages.
Cooked Pasta
Refrigerate cooked pasta in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. You may add a little oil (1-2 tsp. for each pound of cooked pasta) to help keep it from sticking. Because cooked pasta will continue to absorb flavors and oils from sauces, store cooked pasta separately from sauce.
Freezing Pasta
The best pasta shapes for freezing are those that are used in baked recipes, such as: lasagne, jumbo shells, ziti and manicotti. You'll have better results if you prepare the recipe and freeze it before baking. To bake, thaw the dish to room temperature and bake as the recipe directs.

Pasta and Meatballs for Kids

 

This tastes just like the canned version, but with more control over ingredients you can be sure of what your child is eating. Make a doubled batch and freeze to have on-hand for lunch when the kids are home for the summer.
Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Ready In: 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Cost Per Serving: 60 cents

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef or turkey 1 large egg 1 slice bread 1 teaspoon salt 2 Tablespoons milk 1 cup small pasta, uncooked 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed tomato soup 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Set slice of bread in a medium bowl and pour milk over it to soften. Add ground meat, salt and egg and combine well.
2. Form meat mixture into small meatballs - about 1/2 teaspoon each. Drop into boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain well. Set aside with meatballs.
4. Combine soup, water and Parmesan and heat through. Add pasta and meatballs and serve.

Taco Lasagna

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup water
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 can (15 ounce size) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounce size) Mexican diced tomatoes, undrained
6 flour tortillas (8 inch size)
1 can (16 ounce size) refried beans
3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

PREPARATION:

In a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add water and taco seasoning; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Stir in the black beans and tomatoes. Sim­ mer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Place two tortillas in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Spread with half of the refried beans and beef mixture; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese.

Repeat layers. Top with remaining tortillas and cheese. Cover and bake at 350F for 25-30 min­utes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

How much cooked pasta does one pound of dry pasta make?
It depends on which shape you're cooking, but you'll get a pretty close idea from this chart:

Type of pasta	Uncooked weight	=	Cooked amount
Small to medium pasta shapes (Elbow Macaroni, Medium Shells, Rotini, Twists, Spirals, Wagon Wheels, Bow Ties, Mostaccioli, Penne, Radiatore, Rigatoni)	8 oz. uncooked	=	4 cups cooked
Long pasta shapes (Spaghetti, Angel Hair, Linguine, Vermicelli, Fettuccine)	8 oz. uncooked or 1 1/2 inch diameter bunch	=	4 cups cooked
Egg Noodles	8 oz. uncooked	=	2 1/2 cups