Let's Have a Very Controversial Conversation About: Pasta!

[Godsgirl1983]

Here is another controversial pasta comment. I cook pasta right into my meals, (soups, stews, and hot dishes), instead of separately. The pasta is less mushy and way more flavorful.

I bet it adds an extra flavor punch to the noodles to cook in the soups.

What about leftovers though?
I once made a minestrone soup with a lot of leftovers. The noodles ended up getting grainy and starting to disintegrate. It made the left overs nasty. Since then I cook the noodles separate and place into each bowl as it's being served.

 

[Solitude]

I bet it adds an extra flavor punch to the noodles to cook in the soups.

What about leftovers though?
I once made a minestrone soup with a lot of leftovers. The noodles ended up getting grainy and starting to disintegrate. It made the left overs nasty. Since then I cook the noodles separate and place into each bowl as it's being served.

You could actually cook the noodles separately in enough simmering water so that when the noodles are done there isn't much water left in them. For several days, when you add the noodles back into your soup as you need them, they won't be very mushy.

You could even steam vegetables, cook noodles, beans, mushrooms, and hamburger separately and then make mix and match meals for several days.

 

[Solitude]

Another thing I learded this past year is that stainless steel deli pans can be use in the freezer and aslo can be used in the oven to make meals.

 

[shittim]

Thank you all! Now all I need to do is find a healthy and desirable pasta?

 

[CarriePie]

When it comes to spaghetti, I always use vermicelli because it is thinner than spaghetti and I prefer that when I'm twirling and eating it. I don't break my vermicelli. I want to twirl it

I prefer just regular pasta made from durum wheat semolina flour. Whole wheat can be okay too, depending on which pasta it is.

I do usually add some salt to the water.

I intend to eat pasta for as long as I can eat food lol. This makes me think of the taco stuffed big shells I made one time. So tasty. I'm getting hungry.
Not long ago I decided to take a chance and try a box of smoked gouda and pasta from Aldi. It does have the shell type of pasta, but I actually prefer that since this the type of cheese you squeeze outta the packet. It was so tasty. I had to get more. That blasted Aldi!!

Here's manicotti that I stuffed with a filling that I made and then made a meat pasta sauce to go on top...



Here's the big taco stuffed shells I made...



And here's that smoked gouda and pasta I got from Aldi (cooked in a similar fashion as Velveeta shells & cheese...but the cheese is better imo)...


Now that I've made myself hungry, imma go have lunch

Pasta la vista, baby!!

Smashing!! <3

 

[Solitude]

Thank you all! Now all I need to do is find a healthy and desirable pasta?

Last year I found some type of large oyster mushroom at a State Park. I made a hamburger/pasta hot dish with this mushroom and it tasted like alfrado cheese sauce. I couldn't believe how creamy it was. None of the other oyster mushroom species I cooked with creamed up like this.

 

[seoulsearch]

well, lets see...
there was
What is the best product for a breakfast sandwich- and why? where you said AND I QUOTE!


and then there was
The very controversial list of foods that belong in the lake of fire - what are your picks?

Oh! And who could forget about
It's toasty Tuesday! Let's have a very controversial discussion about toast

how did I miss this one!? *GG makes note to swing by there today
Let's have a very controversial conversation about pumpkin spice! Is it magnificent or a menace?

And of course:
Let's have a very controversial conversation about peanut butter and jelly!

need I go on?

WOW.

With @Godsgirl1983 keeping such a close score on all of my "Very Controversial" threads...

I might actually have to... behave. GASP!!

Ouch!!!

This is going to be painful.

But fortunately (or unfortunately,) it probably won't be for long.

No matter how much I try to behave, the mischief eventually creeps out!

 

[Eli1]

You know … @Solitude I actually never thought you’d be able to create fully formed meaningful sentences but you my friend have proved me wrong.

You have …. Changed my mind !

 

[Doll]

Hey Everyone,

Our last controversial conversation had us hashing it out over pumpkin spice -- let's move on to tackle an even more opinion-inducing cold weather favorite comfort: pasta.

For whatever reason (don't judge!), one of my favorite comfort foods is the original boxed Kraft macaroni and cheese. I don't know exactly why, but it just is. It can't be a store brand (I've tried, and I just can't,) it can't be the "deluxe" version, BUT, I have found a close contender in Annie's Organics (the one with the bunny) ever since Kraft changed its recipe that boasts no artificial colors or flavors. Call me crazy but somehow I liked the taste of the "artificial version" better (and why not, because I know any true foodie is going to tell me that Kraft mac'n'cheese is not real food to begin with!)

At any rate, I figured I'd scored a real deal when I saw some boxes of what I THOUGHT was my familiar version of Kraft mac'n'cheese marked down to 50 cents, and eagerly scooped up 4 boxes.

However, when the moment of truth came for me to open the box and actually pour the pasta into the water, all my hopes melted like a stick of Velveeta when I saw that the macaroni was shaped into SHELLS, NOT the REGULAR ELBOWS I prefer. NOOOO!!! It can't be shells! It can't be Pokemon or Scooby Doo or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or any of the million other cartoon franchise Kraft has paired up with!

View attachment 280693

No, no, no!!!


And this particular box had me fooled, because the classic elbow shape was RIGHT THERE under the name, but my brain skipped right over the actual picture, which indeed, features shells.

View attachment 280694

No, no, no!!!

I has to be the classic elbows. Why? I've found that shapes with large openings (like shells -- and Sponge Bob's head) often traps "clumps" of the cheese powder you pour in to make the "sauce." To me, the elbows get coated with the right amount of sauce, but their hollows are too small for any unsettling "clumps" to form in the middle.

But... those are just MY pasta principles!!!

What are YOUR proverbial truths for pasta?

For instance:

* Do certain pasta dishes or dishes that include pasta HAVE to have a certain shape or size of pasta? (Can alfredo be made with spaghetti noodles? What shape is best for YOUR mac'n'cheese? Can any old noodles be thrown into chicken noodle soup?)

* Can the noodles ever be broken? (I've read that some cultures consider it bad luck to break long noodles; I've known others who insist on breaking them; some people I've met would rather break my arm rather than their noodles!)

* What ingredients do you prefer your pasta be made from? I know there are endless varieties and we all know the plain flour kind, but what about rice noodles, bean thread noodles, whole wheat pasta, or pasta made from chickpeas or other veggies, etc.? Especially if someone in your family is allergic to gluten or other ingredients?

* Does the water HAVE to be salted when boiling pasta?

* What other "pasta rules" do you follow when making your favorite dishes, or does anything go? (If you overcook your pasta, do you find a way to salvage it or is your dinner now "ruined"?)

Come join in on what might pasta-bly be our most controversial conversation yet!!

Pasta la vista, baby!!

I agree,classic elbow Mac and Cheese is the best.
My favorite pasta is angel hair. Even as a replacement for fettuccini Alfredo's traditional pasta.

I became fond of angel hair when I was introduced to Cincinnati Chili deliciousness.

 

[Tazzo]

View attachment 280703[/QUOTE]

This is what I use as my cheese replacement several in meals.

View attachment 280703

At first I thought that was a Moomin meat, but is that a puffball..?

 

[Tazzo]

No matter how much I try to behave, the mischief eventually creeps out!

We count on it

 

[Tazzo]

Cannot say anything about mac & cheese, cause I have never tried it..

But do I break spaghetti, oh, even worse, we call one dish "Italian salad" and it calls for broken spaghetti Well, on the other hand, we also have it on the selves, broken spaghetti. 'Raketti spagetti', rocket spaghetti. But I would rather break it myself


Over cooked pasta, more likely, I don't like al dente pasta... of course, overly over cooked (but I'll eat it anyway however it turns out, it is never too ruined) is not the best either, unless:

for one dish, pasta needs to be over cooked and always elbow macaroni. I have no idea what the dish would be called in english, but it is my favourite comfort food, if done correctly (overcooked, I mean). Macaroni boiled in whole milk, then a little bit of flour to thicken it. Salt, sugar, and nutmeg to "spice it"... so bland But I like it! Oh, butter belongs to it too, I just mix it in in the end, unlikely here it is served with butter on top:


Photo credit: kotiliesi.fi

 

[Lynx]

My uncle Fred
Has often said
Pasta's nothing
But wet bread

 

[shittim]

My uncle Fred
Has often said
Pasta's nothing
But wet bread

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JIIrGmFYf_0

 

[Tall_Timbers]

I like the kraft elbow noodle pasta that comes in a box, but now that the kids are grown up and gone I don't buy it.

I love angel hair pasta (very becoming) with a tomato/meat sauce.

I love the linguine with canned peach slices and alfredo sauce. The peach slices go under the linguine and the sauce goes on top.

I like the little shell pastas too, best in a cheesy alfredo sauce.

Lasagna... yum, but it has to be homemade otherwise it'll surely disappoint.

 

[seoulsearch]

I love the linguine with canned peach slices and alfredo sauce. The peach slices go under the linguine and the sauce goes on top.

I have never heard of using canned peaches in alfredo... I'm going to have to keep that one in mind.

I have a friend who likes canned greened beans with mushroom stroganoff sauce and twirly (spiral) noodles -- I'd never heard of that one, either.

I can't say it was my favorite when I tried it, but I'm all for creative ways to try to sneak more fruit and veggies into our diets.

Thanks for mentioning this combo!

 

[TabinRivCA]

WARNING: Don't try this innocent looking meal...it is highly addictive! A friend gave me one to try and it's so scrumptious, tasty, delicious, I like want this for dinner, luch or breakfast, now!

 

[shittim]

Looks great! Thank you kindly!

 

[Tall_Timbers]

I have never heard of using canned peaches in alfredo... I'm going to have to keep that one in mind.

Be sure and put the peaches on the plate, then the linguine, then the alfredo, then any cheese toppings. After that you have my permission to mix it up.

 

[enril]

Hey Everyone,

Our last controversial conversation had us hashing it out over pumpkin spice -- let's move on to tackle an even more opinion-inducing cold weather favorite comfort: pasta.

For whatever reason (don't judge!), one of my favorite comfort foods is the original boxed Kraft macaroni and cheese. I don't know exactly why, but it just is. It can't be a store brand (I've tried, and I just can't,) it can't be the "deluxe" version, BUT, I have found a close contender in Annie's Organics (the one with the bunny) ever since Kraft changed its recipe that boasts no artificial colors or flavors. Call me crazy but somehow I liked the taste of the "artificial version" better (and why not, because I know any true foodie is going to tell me that Kraft mac'n'cheese is not real food to begin with!)

At any rate, I figured I'd scored a real deal when I saw some boxes of what I THOUGHT was my familiar version of Kraft mac'n'cheese marked down to 50 cents, and eagerly scooped up 4 boxes.

However, when the moment of truth came for me to open the box and actually pour the pasta into the water, all my hopes melted like a stick of Velveeta when I saw that the macaroni was shaped into SHELLS, NOT the REGULAR ELBOWS I prefer. NOOOO!!! It can't be shells! It can't be Pokemon or Scooby Doo or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or any of the million other cartoon franchise Kraft has paired up with!

View attachment 280693

No, no, no!!!


And this particular box had me fooled, because the classic elbow shape was RIGHT THERE under the name, but my brain skipped right over the actual picture, which indeed, features shells.

View attachment 280694

No, no, no!!!

I has to be the classic elbows. Why? I've found that shapes with large openings (like shells -- and Sponge Bob's head) often traps "clumps" of the cheese powder you pour in to make the "sauce." To me, the elbows get coated with the right amount of sauce, but their hollows are too small for any unsettling "clumps" to form in the middle.

But... those are just MY pasta principles!!!

What are YOUR proverbial truths for pasta?

For instance:

* Do certain pasta dishes or dishes that include pasta HAVE to have a certain shape or size of pasta? (Can alfredo be made with spaghetti noodles? What shape is best for YOUR mac'n'cheese? Can any old noodles be thrown into chicken noodle soup?)

* Can the noodles ever be broken? (I've read that some cultures consider it bad luck to break long noodles; I've known others who insist on breaking them; some people I've met would rather break my arm rather than their noodles!)

* What ingredients do you prefer your pasta be made from? I know there are endless varieties and we all know the plain flour kind, but what about rice noodles, bean thread noodles, whole wheat pasta, or pasta made from chickpeas or other veggies, etc.? Especially if someone in your family is allergic to gluten or other ingredients?

* Does the water HAVE to be salted when boiling pasta?

* What other "pasta rules" do you follow when making your favorite dishes, or does anything go? (If you overcook your pasta, do you find a way to salvage it or is your dinner now "ruined"?)

Come join in on what might pasta-bly be our most controversial conversation yet!!

Pasta la vista, baby!!

its all food, I can eat it, yum.
(Male stereotype over here lol)